Gothic Elements

Gothic Origins• The scary stories

that we enjoy today had their first flowering in English literature in the beginning of the l9th century.

Gothic Origins

• At that time, such scary stories and novels were termed “Gothic” to refer

back to the Middle Ages, a time seen as barbaric (the original meaning of gothic), unlike the “enlightened” time of the present.

Gothic Elements

• The following elements were likely to be found in the l9th century.

You can expect to find this sort of thing in most of Edgar Allen Poe’s work, including his detective stories.

Edgar Allen Poe

• Poe is possible one of the most famous gothic writers.

• Poe lost his mother to tuberculosis, and much of his life was lived in depression.

• Poe is well known for writing stories such as “ The Fall of The House of Usher” , “The Raven” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

The Tell-Tale Heart

• In this story, a young man kills an older man. The relationship between the two men is unknown, but it is obvious that the younger man hates the older for some reason. The younger man murders the older, and when the police show up he freaks out and confesses his crime.

• The main gothic elements of this story are disturbing events, destructive love, general mood of decay, and possible obscure family ties.

What makes up Gothic Elements?

•Unnatural silences; unspeakable ideas and events

•Disturbing events

•Violent or traumatic events

•Destructive or passionate love

•A general feeling of decay.

Setting•Wild and desolate landscapes

•Feudal halls•Medieval castles with dungeons

•Graveyards•Moonlight

Setting•Secret passages•Winding

staircases•Sliding panels•Torture

chambers•Underground

rooms and tombs

•Supernatural elements

•Spooky effects and haunting specters

•Demonic powers

•Oppressive atmosphere of doom

Setting

CharactersA Catholic or feudal society

•Priests•MonksDoubles/twins

•Heroines and heroes in incredible danger

•A heroine with a trembling sensitivity and her impetuous lover•A hero/heroines with charisma

Characters- Heroes

•Wicked tyrants

•Evil witches

•Tyrannical older men

•Vampires

•Cats•Bats•Wolves

Characters-animals

Events/States•Sleep•Dream and death-like states

•Live burial•Murder•Blood

•Discovery of obscure family ties

•Guilt and shame – and the effects of them

•Secret and undecipherable writings

Events