Gothic fiction
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| - | '''Fantastic''' is a literary term that describes a quality of other literary genres, and in some cases is used as a genre in and of itself, although in this case it is often conflated with the Supernatural. The term was originated in the structuralist theory of critic [[Tzvetan Todorov]] in his work "The Fantastic". He describes the fantastic as being a liminal state of the supernatural. A truly fantastic work is subtle in the working of the feeling, and would leave the reader with a sense of confusion about the work, and whether or not the phenomenon was real or imagined. Todorov compares this with two other ideas: The Uncanny, wherein the phenomenon turns out to have a rational explanation such as in the [[Gothic fiction|gothic]] works of [[Ann Radcliffe]]; or the Marvelous, where there truly is a supernatural explanation for the phenomenon.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/{{PAGENAMEE}}] [Apr 2007] | + | '''Gothic fiction''' began in [[England]] with ''[[The Castle of Otranto]]'' ([[1764]]) by [[Horace Walpole]]. It depended for its effect on the pleasing [[terror]] it induced in the reader, a new extension of literary pleasures that was essentially [[Romanticism|Romantic]]. |
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| + | Prominent features of gothic fiction include terror (both psychological and physical), [[mystery]], the [[supernatural]], [[ghost]]s, [[haunted house]]s and [[Gothic architecture]], [[castles]], [[darkness]], [[death]], [[decay]], [[Doppelgänger|doubles]], [[Insanity|madness]], [[secrets]] and [[hereditary]] [[curse|curses]]. | ||
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| + | The [[stock characters]] of gothic fiction include [[tyrants]], [[villains]], [[bandit]]s, [[maniac]]s, [[Byronic hero|Byronic heroes]], [[Damsel in distress|persecuted maidens]], [[femme fatale|femmes fatales]], [[The Madwoman in the Attic|madwomen]], [[Magician (fantasy)|magicians]], [[vampires]], [[werewolves]], [[monsters]], [[demons]], [[revenant]]s, [[ghost]]s, [[skeleton (undead)|perambulating skeletons]], the [[Wandering Jew]] and the [[Devil]] himself. | ||
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| + | Important ideas concerning and regarding the Gothic include: [[Anti-Catholicism]], especially criticism of [[Roman Catholic]] excesses such as the [[Inquisition]] (in southern European countries such as Italy and Spain); [[romanticism]] of an ancient Medieval past; [[melodrama]]; and parody (including self-parody). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/{{PAGENAMEE}}] [Apr 2007] | ||
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Gothic fiction began in England with The Castle of Otranto (1764) by Horace Walpole. It depended for its effect on the pleasing terror it induced in the reader, a new extension of literary pleasures that was essentially Romantic.
Prominent features of gothic fiction include terror (both psychological and physical), mystery, the supernatural, ghosts, haunted houses and Gothic architecture, castles, darkness, death, decay, doubles, madness, secrets and hereditary curses.
The stock characters of gothic fiction include tyrants, villains, bandits, maniacs, Byronic heroes, persecuted maidens, femmes fatales, madwomen, magicians, vampires, werewolves, monsters, demons, revenants, ghosts, perambulating skeletons, the Wandering Jew and the Devil himself.
Important ideas concerning and regarding the Gothic include: Anti-Catholicism, especially criticism of Roman Catholic excesses such as the Inquisition (in southern European countries such as Italy and Spain); romanticism of an ancient Medieval past; melodrama; and parody (including self-parody). [1] [Apr 2007]
