Whats Your Favorite Scary Movie Think about a
What’s Your Favorite Scary Movie Think about a scary movie you enjoy… n What happens—plot? n Where does it take place—the setting? n Why do people like to be scared? n
The Dark Romantics Gothic Literature 1760 -1820…and beyond
“Can we speak of ‘ghosts’ without transforming the whole world and ourselves, too, into phantoms? ” Jean-Michale Rebaté
The Origins of the term Gothic (“Gothick”) Gothic n Originally referred to the northern Gothic tribes that invaded Europe in the 4 th, 5 th, and 6 th centuries n Later applied to Renaissance architecture (critics thought the style originated with the Gothic tribe) n Was considered ugly, barbaric,
Gothic Architecture First Gothic Cathedral build in 1144 n Gargoyles (originally for religious buildings) n Vaulted ceilings n Structural ribbing (skeletal) n Stained glass
Art Influences “The Nightmare” Johann Heinrick Fuseli
The Beginning 1764 - Horace Walpole publishes The Castle of Otranto: A Gothic Story anonymously n Contains essentially all the elements associated with the genre n Best-seller n Had remodeled his home in “Gothick” style n n Said that the inspiration of his story was a dream that was so haunting, he had to write it down
Elements of Gothic Literature 1. Setting n Action takes place in or around an old castle n Seems abandoned, or broken down n Has secret passages, doors, rooms n Usually very large, but seems claustrophobic
Elements of Gothic Literature 2. An atmosphere of mystery or suspense n Feeling of being threatened or fearful n Plot is built around a mystery (such as unknown parentage, a disappearance, or some other inexplicable event) n This is achieved by the next three elements…
Elements of Gothic Literature 3. An ancient prophecy n Usually connected with the castle or its inhabitants n Obscure, partial, or confusing n The characters struggle to understand
Elements of Gothic Literature 4. Omens, visions n Character may have a disturbing dream/vision n Some phenomenon may be seen as an omen of coming events n If the statue of the lord of the manor falls over, it may predict his death
Elements of Gothic Literature 5. Supernatural or otherwise inexplicable events n Dramatic or amazing events occur n n Such as ghosts or giants, or inanimate objects (such as a suit of armor or painting) coming to life In some works, the events are ultimately given a natural explanation, while in others the events are truly supernatural
Elements of Gothic Literature 6. High, overwrought emotion n Narration may be highly sentimental n Characters are often overcome by anger, sorrow, surprise, and especially, terror. n Suffer from raw nerves and a feelings of impending doom Crying and emotional speeches are frequent n Breathlessness and panic are common n
Elements of Gothic Literature 7. Women in distress n Female characters often face events that leave them fainting, terrified, screaming, and/or sobbing n Lonely, pensive, and oppressed heroine, often the central figure n Her sufferings are even more pronounced and the focus of attention than the other
Elements of Gothic Literature 8. Women threatened by a powerful, tyrannical male n A male character (king, lord of the manor, father) has the power to demand the female character/s do something intolerable n May be commanded to marry someone she does not love , or commit a crime, keeps her locked away
Elements of Gothic Literature 9. The metonymy of gloom and horror n Metonymy is a subtype of metaphor, in which something (like rain) is used to stand for something else (like sorrow). n Metaphors use words. Metonymy uses images and sound
Elements of Gothic Literature n n n n Wind, especially howling Doors grating on rusty hinges Footsteps approaching Gusts of wind blowing out lights Characters trapped in a room Baying of dogs (or wolves) Thunder and/or lightning n n n n Rain Sighs, moans, howls Clanking chains Lights in abandoned rooms Doors suddenly slamming shut Crazed laughter Children
Elements of Gothic Literature 10. Unreliable Narrator n Character telling the story isn’t trustworthy Villain narrates n Narrator is or goes insane as the story goes on n Narrator has limited information n
Is your movie Gothic? Setting q Mystery q Ancient prophecy q Omen/Vision q Supernatural q High emotion q Women in distress q Women being threatened by man q Metonymy q Unreliable narrator q
Examples The Ring Trailer: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=_6 Hao RFg. SUw n GEICO ad: n n https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=AWvd. IUP 9 oc
Criticism Gothic tradition has not been very highly regarded n Attracted many “big” writers: Keats, Melville, Faulkner n n but it is usually not these works that are highlighted Women also wrote in this genre n Jane Austin (Northanger Abbey), Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (Frankenstein)
Revivals 1818: Frankenstein n 1897: Dracula n 1960’s: Gothic was the best-selling mass market fiction n 1970 -present: Stephen King n 2005: biggest money making movie genre, averaging $75 million per movie in box office sales n
The Master: Poe n n n Edgar Allan Poe is the master of gothic literature He is famous for this use of personal tragedies, especially with women, in his work Poe is most popular because of his mastery of fear, suspense, and death
Poe’s biography n As most authors do, Poe used his personal life as motivation to write
Poe n With the exception of “The Raven, ” not famous in his own time n His literary criticism made him more enemies n What does a Literary Critic do? He didn’t make much money on his writing n Died of unknown causes, destitute and alone n n Shortly after his death, rival author/frenemy Rufus Griswold set out to ruin Poe's reputation with a lurid biography that painted him as a drug user and madman. The scheme backfired when Poe's sales
Works Used n Bayer-Berenbaum, Linda. “Elements of a Gothic. ” Horror. Ed. Michael San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. 72 -83. Stuprich. n “Door: Metal: Squeaky Metal Restroom Door in Building: Close: Slow Creak. ” Sound Ideas. 2007. Unitedstreaming. 17 April 2007. http: //www. unitedstreaming. com/>. n The Gothic Imagination. Ruthford: Associated University Press, Ltd. , 1982. n “Gothic Architecture. ” Wikipedia Online. 2005. 6 March 2005 http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Gothic_architecture. n Harris, Robert. “Elements of the Gothic Novel. ” Virtual. Salt. 2005. 6 March 2005. http: //www. virtualsalt. com/gothic. htm. n Williams, Anne. “The Gothic Novel. ” Horror. Ed. Michael Stuprich. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. 62 -71. n Wolfreys, Julian. Victoria Haunting: Spectrality, Gothic, the Uncanny and Literature. Houndsmills: Palgrave, 2001.
- Slides: 28