Gothic literature can be defined as writing that employs dark and picturesque scenery, startling and melodramatic narrative devices, and an overall atmosphere of exoticism, mystery, fear, and dread.
Getting into the genre can be quite intimidating, as many of the original books and writings are written using old English. Of course, there have been modern rewritings that are more comprehensible to the average reader, but if you wish to truly experience the art of gothic literature, I'd suggest trying your hand at reading the original texts.
"Gothic Horror" first appeared in Mid-18th century Europe with the publishing of Horace Walpoleβs dark,Β "The Castle of Otranto" in 1764
In 1818, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelleyβs debut novel, "Frankenstein", marked a shift in gothic horror by changing the typical gothic villain from an evil man or supernatural creature into anΒ physical embodiment of human folly, brought to life through the power of science. Edgar Allan Poe managed to condense elements of gothic horror within his short stories, starting in 1839 with the release of "The Fall of the House of Usher."
The Victorian era (1837-1901) produced some of the most well-known examples of gothic horror with the publication of such novels as Wilkie Collinsβ "The Woman in White"Β (1859)Β and Bram Stokerβs "Dracula" (1897) andΒ novellas such as Joseph Sheridan Le FanuβsΒ "Carmilla"Β (1871) andΒ Robert Louis StevensonβsΒ "The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"Β (1886).
-- Source : "A Brief History of Gothic Horror" by the New York Public Library
Introductory level to see if the genre is your cup of tea. Keep in mind these might require looking up the meaning of words if English is not your native language.
"Dracula" by Bram Stoker (1897) - "Dracula" tells its story through journal entries, diaries, letters, and telegrams written by the novelβs main characters, making it an epistolary novel. The novel follows the narratives of multiple characters including Jonathan Harker, Mina (Murray) Harker, and Abraham Van Helsing, as they work together to defeat Count Dracula, a centuries-old vampire.
-- Source : Dracula by StudySmarter
"Frankenstein" by Mary W. Shelley (1818) - "Frankenstein" tells the story of gifted scientist Victor Frankenstein who succeeds in giving life to a being of his own creation. However, this is not the perfect specimen he imagines that it will be, but rather a hideous creature who is rejected by Victor and mankind in general.
-- Source : Frankenstein by BBC
"Carmilla" by Sheridan Le Fanu (1871) - In an isolated castle deep in the Styrian forest, Laura leads a solitary life with only her elderly father for company. Until one moonlit night, a horse-drawn carriage crashes into view, carrying an unexpected guest β the beautiful Carmilla. So begins a feverish friendship between Laura and her mysterious, entrancing companion. But as Carmilla becomes increasingly strange and volatile, prone to eerie nocturnal wanderings, Laura finds herself tormented by nightmares and growing weaker by the day.
Pre-dating Dracula by twenty-six years, Carmilla is the original vampire story, steeped in sexual tension and gothic romance.
-- Source : Carmilla by The Last Word Book Review
"Short Story Collection" Edgar Allan Poe (1935-1950) - Though not really a book on its own, There are many collections of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories that were written between 1935-1950.
Good short stories to read on their own are ; "The Fall of the House of Usher" (1839), "Eleonora" (1850), "Berenice" (1835) and "The Oval Portrait" (1850).
"Poetry Collections" by Edgar Allan Poe (1929-1975) - Once again, Not a book, but rather a collection of Edgar Allan Poes poetry.
Poems you must read are ; "The Raven" (1845), "Spirits of the Dead" (1829) and "The Valley of Unrest" (1845).
-- Source : poestories.com
"The Woman in White"Β by Wilkie Collins (1859) - "The Woman in White" famously opens with Walter Hartright's eerie encounter on a moonlit London road. Engaged as a drawing master to the beautiful Laura Fairlie, Walter becomes embroiled in the sinister intrigues of Sir Percival Glyde and his 'charming' friend Count Fosco, who has a taste for white mice, vanilla bonbons, and poison. Pursuing questions of identity and insanity along the paths and corridors of English country houses and the madhouse, "The Woman in White" is the first and most influential of the Victorian genre that combined Gothic horror with psychological realism.
-- Source : goodreads.com
For those wanting to continue reading
gothic novels and literature
If you enjoy the genre, here are some mroe books id suggest reading to expand your library.
"The Monk" by Matthew Lewis (1796) - Shocking, erotic and violent, "The Monk" is the story of Ambrosio, torn between his spiritual vows and the temptations of physical pleasure. His internal battle leads to sexual obsession, rape and murder, yet this book also contains knowing parody of its own excesses as well as social comedy. Written by Matthew Lewis when he was only nineteen, it was a ground-breaking novel in the Gothic Horror genre and spawned hundreds of imitators, drawn in by its mixture of bloodshed, sex and scandal.
-- Source : goodreads.com
"The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James (1898) - A very young woman's first job: governess for two weirdly beautiful, strangely distant, oddly silent children, Miles and Flora, at a forlorn estate... An estate haunted by a beckoning evil. Half-seen figures who glare from dark towers and dusty windows- silent, foul phantoms who, day by day, night by night, come closer, ever closer. With growing horror, the helpless governess realizes the fiendish creatures want the children, seeking to corrupt their bodies, possess their minds, own their souls. But worse-much worse- the governess discovers that Miles and Flora have no terror of the lurking evil. For they want the walking dead as badly as the dead want them.
-- Source : goodreads.com
"Wuthering Heights" by Emily BrontΓ« (1850) - "Wuthering Heights" is not a love story. Itβs a disturbing, grasping, claustrophobic exploration of jealousy and revenge played out in two family homes located within spitting distance of each other on the desolate moors of Yorkshire. Thereβs not a hint of sunshine in the tale or the setting, and thatβs what makes it so potent.
The plot tells the life story of Heathcliff, a mysterious orphan who is adopted by the patriarch of the Earnshaw family. The Earnshawβs farmhouse, called Wuthering Heights, is a hard environment for hard people: dark, cold, situated atop a windy rise. As children, Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw become inseparable and obsessed with each other β the un-love story that makes moody teenagers swoon.
-- Source : strongsenseofplace.com
The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole (1764) - "The Castle of Otronto" is a story of one man's desperate and villainous plot to protect his family's claim to the throne. In seeking to divorce his wife Hippolita and marry the young Isabella, he tries to gain a son to secure his family's reign, but fails.
-- Source : bbc.com
The Italian by Ann Radcliffe (1796) - From the first moment Vincentio di Vivaldi, a young nobleman, sets eyes on the veiled figure of Ellena, he is captivated by her enigmatic beauty and grace. But his haughty and manipulative mother is against the match and enlists the help of her confessor to come between them. Schedoni, previously a leading figure of the Inquisition, is a demonic, scheming monk with no qualms about the task, whether it entails abduction, torture - or even murder.
-- Source : goodreads.com
"The Ghost-seer" by Friedrich von Schiller (1787) - "The Ghost-seer" is an experimental, deliberately fragmentary work. Thrillingly held together by its dramatic plot and lavish, operatic setting, it is a multi-layered fiction of deceptive simplicity. For a rich young prince and his loyal companion, Venice promises nothing but unfettered pleasureβuntil they encounter a mysterious masked Armenian who delivers them a strange prophecy. And when his words prove true, this enigmatic figure develops a deeply sinister influence over them, drawing them into darker forms of βmagic.β As the narrative progresses, it become increasingly unclear whether the apparitions the prince sees are the manifestations of a troubled spirit world or simply an elaborate hoax.
This is my first time making a blog of this kind, i am quite new to reading but i did my best to research each book and compile them into one post. All Sources used are listed.
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