The gothic is a genre of literature that aims to entertain through fear and horror. It was mostly unheard of until the 18th Century, with a ‘second revival’ taking place in the 19th Century; it takes inspiration from medieval cathedrals, churches and castles, with its features including pointed arches and ribbed vaults. ‘The crucial features of this style were ornateness, soaring perspectives – part of the Gothic preoccupation with the Sublime – and a kind of religious intensity’
Horace Walpole's novel, 'The Castle of Otranto', is considered to be the first Gothic text, with its Melodramatic and supernatural elements, helping to shape what we know understand as the Gothic.
useful research. The Castle of Otranto is worth a read...as is a visit to Walpole's house 'Strawberry Hill' which inspired the novel.
ReplyDelete