Gothic

Decathletes:

The start of A Tale of Two Cities has a definite gothic tone. Let's get familiar with that term-Gothic. The term gothic refers to a genre of fiction. The first gothic novel was published around 1800. The novel Frankenstein provided a later version of Gothic, while the novel Rebecca provides a 20th century version. Today we naturally think of Vampires when we hear the word Gothic literature. Anne Rice novels were certainly Gothic in nature. If you read the short story "A Rose for Miss Emily" this year in 11th grade English, then you have read a version of Southern Gothic. Gothic can be defined as a style of literature characterized by a gloomy setting, grotesque, mysterious or violent events, and an atmosphere of degeneration or decay. It sets the mood of a story. Many Gothic novels take place in castles, or if in the U.S in decaying Southern mansions. Gothic literature is closely related to Romanticism style.

It is believed Gothic literature was written as a response to the anxiety caused by changes to the social and political structures brought about by the French Revolution, as well as those changes brought about scientific and industrial developments (think Industrial Revolution). There was a desire to return to the supernatural beliefs of the Middle Ages, when life was simpler, and less dependent on machinery/industry.

Go back and review the first part of A Tale of Two Cities. There are references to "mist", "darkness", "darkly clustered houses", "funereal", and "grave". And then there is the matter of Monsieur Manette, who has been decaying while locked up for eighteen years in Paris and is now in a creepy room kept by that creepy Madame Defarge. Sounds pretty Gothic to me.

The painting associated with this entry is in the Gothic/Romantic style--titled Nightmare.

I think that based on the above definition we can probably think back on some novels we've read and see Gothic elements in them. Has anybody read any Gothic literature recently?