The term Gothic novel is used to describe a popular literary genre. It originated during the eighteenth century. The writer Horace Walpole who wrote 'The Castle of Ontranto' in 1764, is often referred to as the father of this style.
There are many authors who have written in the Gothic manner. The term is used in connection with a very specific type of story which contains a number of required elements. The first of these is the setting. This is often a castle which will have unexplained hidden rooms or dungeons, or be in a ruinous state. The setting should be somewhere isolated which means that the characters in the story will find it difficult to summon help.
Unusual noises and fleetingly seen ghostly shapes will add to the scary atmosphere. The reader's own imagination will aid the tension by importing their fear of the dark and the unknown into the story.
The story has to be emotionally charged with lovers torn apart through devious in-laws or unwanted arranged marriages and incestuous rapes. There is always a woman in distress who is vulnerable through the power of the male characters in her life.
Holy visions or magical spells are ways in which the supernatural manifests itself in this genre. Sometimes the black arts are employed by religious persons to give an added element of the macabre to the story.
The weather will be a major player in the story. Emotions are mirrored through changeable climate conditions. The moon will wax and wane as the heroine fades and loses her mind. Eerie sounds of wild animals will emphasize the isolation of the location.
The first Gothic Novel that you read should not be your last. Although each tale hangs on a similar frame, the unique persona in every story makes each one a delight.
There are many authors who have written in the Gothic manner. The term is used in connection with a very specific type of story which contains a number of required elements. The first of these is the setting. This is often a castle which will have unexplained hidden rooms or dungeons, or be in a ruinous state. The setting should be somewhere isolated which means that the characters in the story will find it difficult to summon help.
Unusual noises and fleetingly seen ghostly shapes will add to the scary atmosphere. The reader's own imagination will aid the tension by importing their fear of the dark and the unknown into the story.
The story has to be emotionally charged with lovers torn apart through devious in-laws or unwanted arranged marriages and incestuous rapes. There is always a woman in distress who is vulnerable through the power of the male characters in her life.
Holy visions or magical spells are ways in which the supernatural manifests itself in this genre. Sometimes the black arts are employed by religious persons to give an added element of the macabre to the story.
The weather will be a major player in the story. Emotions are mirrored through changeable climate conditions. The moon will wax and wane as the heroine fades and loses her mind. Eerie sounds of wild animals will emphasize the isolation of the location.
The first Gothic Novel that you read should not be your last. Although each tale hangs on a similar frame, the unique persona in every story makes each one a delight.
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