But what did that word mean to him all those years ago? It meant ‘barbarous’ and ‘deriving from the Middle Ages’, not words we might associate with it now, but from his novel trick, he spawned an entirely new genre. The root of gothic literature is widely attributed to Horace Walpole’s Castle of Otranto in 1765 – he even put the word ‘gothic’ in the subtitle of the second edition. Gothicism embraced these elements, too, but it focused more on the darker side of humanity, particularly evil, sin and purgatory. Romanticism was characterised by emotion and individualism, nature and the glorification of medieval times. #Common themes in gothic literature fullGothic literature rose from the Romantic period of the eighteenth century and you can trace its roots to the architecture of medieval Europe, with buildings that were full of intricate details and cavernous spaces, and ornate decoration that gave us gargoyles and grotesque waterspouts – foreboding spaces that looked like they had a story to tell. It has regularly been used as a literary device to highlight social issues and injustices, which is possibly one reason for its enduring popularity. There are many definitions of what gothic literature is, but all state that it is a story of fear and terror with emotional extremes and dark themes. And if you aspire to be a gothic writer yourself, this guide will show you everything you need to know about gothic fiction and its essential ingredients. In this guide, we will discuss all things gothic literature, its inner workings and its influence on our wider cultures, taking a look at key tropes, themes and motifs. It’s a genre that has reinvented itself many times over the centuries and birthed numerous sub-genres, and which still to this day attracts readers of all ages. Our love of the gothic must surely come from the exploration of unknown worlds, dark places and the supernatural all those things that are usually out of reach for us but that we can leave safely behind once we close the pages. Instead, let’s celebrate the genre that sets hearts racing, that makes characters out of eerie settings and that lets you explore that space beyond reality. There is psychology behind this, but we won’t go into that here. I am still the same today, and people have been fascinated with these fictional worlds filled with ghosts – where usually your imagination alone can be your worst enemy – for hundreds of years. From a young age, I gravitated towards anything that might spook or scare me, finding a thrill in the fear and the curling of toes, drawn always to the dark and the gothic.
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