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The 10 Elements of Gothic Horror Literature

1. Mystery and Fear

One of the crucial components of a captivating Gothic story evokes feelings of suspense and fear. Anything that is beyond scientific understanding lends way to mystery, and Gothic atmospheres leverage this principle. Many Gothic works contain scenes, events and objects such as burials, flickering candles, evil potions, and other frightful concepts.

2. Omens and Curses

Foreshadowing, a literary device used to hint at events to come, occurs in the form of visions, omens, and curses throughout many narratives in Gothic literature. Often, tragedies are preceded by bad luck, intended to derail the lives of main characters. For example, an object might fall and break or a shadowy figure might be lurking in the dark. Edgar Allan Poe uses this element in his short story, “The Black Cat,” published in 1843. The superstitious nature of the title is ominous in itself, and Poe furthers the foreshadowing by naming one of the cats “Pluto,” a reference to the god of the dead in Roman mythology.

3. Atmosphere and Setting

Gothic novelists set the tone by carefully choosing the physical location of a scene, as the atmosphere and environment of a Gothic novel directly contributed to the feeling of fear and uneasiness. Authors often used settings like dark forests, unnerving mountain regions, ominous climatic conditions, and threatening storms. Castles, romanticized in the Medieval period, played a large role in early Gothic writings. For example, Gothic writer Mary Shelley set her scenes amid creepy locations such as graveyards, gloomy castles, and even developed the persona of a grotesque monster to emphasize the eerie plot of her 1818 novel Frankenstein..

4. Supernatural and Paranormal Activity

Much of Gothic literature’s allure comes from the genre’s suggestion of supernatural or inexplicable events, such as inanimate objects coming to life, ghosts, spirits, and vampires like that of Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic fantasy, Dracula.

5. Romance

As it’s widely believed Gothic literature stemmed from Romantic literature, the two genres share overlapping characteristics. Many Gothic novels are plagued by a romance that often leads to sorrow and tragedy. 

6. Villain

Much like that of various literary genres, villains play a pivotal role in Gothic literature. In traditional Gothic novels, villains took the form of autocratic, male characters, often in authoritative positions like that of priests or kings. They’re complex, and initially sympathetic as to fool the reader of their deceptive nature. Villains like Dracula and Mr. Hyde from Robert Louis Stevenson’s, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are examples of complex, villainous characters.

7. Emotional Distress

Often, Gothic writers use melodrama or “high emotion” to convey a thought. This exaggerated, impassioned language helps convey the panic and terror inherent in many characters. 

8. Nightmares

Nightmares serve as a particularly important omen within Gothic literature. Nightmares have an ancient association with the act of foretelling and were used to exacerbate the haunting aspects of a novel’s plot. The dreams allow authors to better demonstrate the emotions of their characters in a more immediate and frightening state. 

9. Anti-hero

More often than not, the protagonist takes the form of the anti-hero, a flawed protagonist with monstrous elements popularized by this genre of writing. Protagonists tend to hold a high social rank and strong physical presence. Their doom is foreshadowed, and they are burdened by sorrow or a horrific tragedy. Often, they’re easily influenced, driven much by passion. A classic protagonist example is Cathy and Heathcliff from Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights.

10. Damsel in Distress

Gothic works often include a woman who suffers at the expense of a villain. They carry feelings of sadness, oppression, and loneliness. The damsel’s character is often held captive in a castle, terrorized by a nobleman, and rendered powerless.