Analyzing The Focus Of Gothic Literature English Literature Essay

Characters behind it all! This shows the important and the main characters as to what really lies between the horror and darkness. These characters are being portrayed through over time. From the time of the gothic and significance of it till present day, this includes buffy the vampire slayer, Frankenstein, Edward Cullen from Twilight and Dracula. This also includes movies which portray the gothic genre such as the unborn and the last house on the left.

Next slide shows more characters behind Gothicism such as Van Helsing, the vampire diaries, vampires from Van Helsing the movie and I am legend.

Elements within gothic include our actions and what we define as morality. This includes having purity, faith, and belief VS Evil acts, horror and darkness. This links directly to rationalism vs irrationalism or morality vs immorality.

As life changed, changed occur, the main factor of modern gothic today plays a major role in our positions in life. Gothicism is around us in life, this can include in movies such as the uninvited, twilight, my bloody valentine and games such as Resident Evil. We can see how it is portray through the elements within the title and the movie poster. Symbolism is used to express the horror and gothic genre.

Modern gothic includes include old building that are decrepit and sinister such as ruined castles, graveyards, crypts or dungeons. Locations are often dark, poorly lit or filled with eerie shadows. The mood is normally haunted and menacing. Weather also portrays a vital factor to express such moods. Inclement weather, such as storms, lightening and rain is often viewed as evil.

Not only are these abnormally haunted settings portrayed in novels, poetry, TV series or movies but in reality as well. These images conducted portray the world around us with the gothic architecture.

Gothic literature is obsessed and contains the gruesome and graphic details of death. Death and the supernatural are often linked to frightening portents that show that death is neither finite nor absolute.

Monstrosity, Vampirism and Doppelganger! The gothic genre includes many monstrous figures such as Frankenstein and Hellboy to express the evil and horror. Vampirism also is a vital factor because it includes satanic overtones and rejects all codes of morality, including religion in exchange for immorality. Horror extensively uses the notion of doppelganger as an evil twin, malicious and opposite to the good.

Unlike men and women vampires do not die although they averse to daylight, garlic and religious icons.

Dracula! Gothic relationship with Dracula, how the gothic genre relates to the DRACULA!

Dracula is far more than just a simple Gothic horror story. There are several aspects of the novel that point towards it being a complex example of the Gothic genre. Not only does it provide its audience with some classic elements of the Gothic genre; for instance medieval settings, supernatural appearances and mysterious happenings; but it also offers insight into a number of themes, ideas and issues; ranging from underlying social stereotypes, to themes associated with feminism or Marxism.

The setting and plot of Dracula also gives us hints and indications as to the gothic atmosphere being created. 1. Setting in a castle. The action takes place in and around an old castle, sometimes seemingly abandoned, sometimes occupied. The castle often contains secret passages, trap doors, secret rooms, dark or hidden staircases, and possibly ruined sections.

Vampirism in Dracula! These images show the horror and superstition in the novel as Dracula and the 3 female vampires, Brides of Dracula are vampires. Vampires symbolise satanic overtones reject all codes of morality.

Normal versus abnormal! The dichotomy between the normal and the abnormal is a typical horror theme. What is normal is characterized by what is secure, everyday, conventional and safe. Conversely, what is abnormal is denoted by something which is other, foreign or unexpected. Is Dracula however, the normal are known to be Van helsing, Jonathan Harker, Mina and Lucy against Dracula and his three brides.

In this slide, a Supernatural event is occurring, like the event in the beginning of the novel, where Jonathan could not see the Count in the mirror. This implies that the Count is soulless and bleak.

Women in distress. As an appeal to the pathos and sympathy of the reader, the female characters often face events that leave them fainting, terrified, screaming, and/or sobbing. A lonely, pensive, and oppressed heroine is often the central figure of the novel, so her sufferings are even more pronounced and the focus of attention. The women suffer all the more because they are often abandoned, left alone (either on purpose or by accident), and have no protector at times.

For example, in “Dracula”, Lucy was transformed into a raving vampire. Thus the stupidity is on her when she creates terror through her own imagination and faints at the end when she sees the picture. Even she had an identity it was of a whore where she was treated like an object of temptation shown in “She was not Eve but, herself, the forbidden fruit, and he has eaten her!”

How are women depicted and treated in gothic literature? Women in gothic literature are depicted and treated differently in different periods of the gothic genre. Their roles are also subverted at times to achieve certain aims of the gothic novels. Basically, women are often placed in the bad light of society where they may either be weak or corrupted and treated badly by male characters. However, their roles changes as society progresses. In early gothic, women are depicted as foolish and helpless as they are often under the oppression of man. Gothic literature develops the character of women such that they are indecisive and submissive.