Gothic Literature
Gothic literature uses dark settings, psychological terror, and supernatural elements to explore fear, decay, and the hidden darkness within the human psyche.
What You Need to Know
Key Concept Diagram
Gothic literature features dark, decaying settings such as castles, graveyards, and isolated mansions
Typical Gothic elements include the supernatural, mystery, suspense, and psychological horror
Gothic protagonists often face threats both external (monsters, villains) and internal (madness, guilt)
The genre explores themes of death, corruption, forbidden knowledge, and repressed desires
Key Gothic texts include Frankenstein, Dracula, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and Rebecca
Key Vocabulary
Gothic
A literary genre characterised by darkness, decay, the supernatural, and psychological terror
Uncanny
Something that is strangely familiar yet unsettling, blurring the boundary between comfort and dread
Sublime
An overwhelming sense of awe and terror inspired by vast or powerful natural or supernatural forces
Doppelganger
A ghostly double or counterpart of a character, often representing their darker self
Knowledge Check
Select the correct answer for each question. Click "Check Answer" to see if you are right.
Question 1
Which of the following is NOT a typical feature of Gothic literature?
Question 2
In Gothic texts, the "uncanny" refers to which effect?
Question 3
Which theme is most central to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein as a Gothic text?
Key Concepts Summary
- ●Gothic literature features dark, decaying settings such as castles, graveyards, and isolated mansions
- ●Typical Gothic elements include the supernatural, mystery, suspense, and psychological horror
- ●Gothic protagonists often face threats both external (monsters, villains) and internal (madness, guilt)
- ●The genre explores themes of death, corruption, forbidden knowledge, and repressed desires
- ●Key Gothic texts include Frankenstein, Dracula, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and Rebecca