SH+P5+2013+Gothic+Literature

__ Gothic Literature __

Gothic Literature: Joseph Arvizu: There are plenty of books involving Gothic Literature, but what is the purpose of of this genre? According to one source, Gothic means “of, relating to, or resembling the Goths, their civilization, or their language” (The Gothic Novel). Although this is the the textbook definition of “Gothic”, most gothic novels usually are made by the climate of the book. The usual climate for a novel of this nature involves suspense and uncertainty. Items that help create this atmosphere are an oracle, visions, and the supernatural. In the end the main purpose of Gothic Literature is to create terror for the audience and reveal illogical objects to the reader to remind them that they glad they do not live in a world of this realm.

Gothic Literature: Andrew Downard : There are various recurring themes found in all gothic literature as defined by the online research source by David De Vore, Anne Domenic, Alexandra Kwan, and Nicole Reidy titled “The Gothic Novel”, “There is always the protagonist, usually isolated either voluntarily or involuntarily. Then there is the villain, who is the epitome of evil, either by his (usually m a man) own fall from grace, or by some implicit malevolence” (The Gothic Novel II). The authors go on to saying that the hero always falls as a result of temptation from the villain. He, again often times a male as the culture was very battle-orientated and as such male orientated, would need the assistance of a new found lover to rise to victory and conquer evil. At the time of the Gothic tribes, they were a nomadic people and very vicious warriors. In fact their unknown and arguably brutal tactics caught the Roman Empire’s formal army and tactics off guard and that was the key to taking over the empire. As such magnificent deeds were accomplished, they knew they were to be written and because of the hostile nature of their people turns the fairy tales and legends into dark and gruesome war stories. As there was no technology that would assist in accurately stating what happened, the scribes were to rely on witness accounts, and the only witnesses were the veterans of battle. Where man’s natural state can be said to be in conflict, in fact it is about the only thing humans have been consistently good at, the human mind cannot healthily comprehend the atrocities and brutality that is associated with battle. While remembering these events, if even possible for the witness, they remember them as extremely exaggerated at times. Along with this, history is written by the victors and victory in battle is something held very highly especially in a culture like this. This glorification can be the inspiration for many of the heroes and protagonists found in most Gothic literature. Then as the authors stated there is the aspect that the hero is always helped by a woman. The gothic people, as many other cultures forged by battle, hold their woman very highly and as a major part of their society. Your wife was also admired because of her ability to raise warriors for the tribe and she was a necessity for survival. Gothic literature portrays women as the savior to man, his guiding light. This could be also demonstrated in a religious view of the woman figure. Most goths, especially the more famous Visigoth tribe, were pagans which the major gods were often nothing without their goddess and she would help him make important decisions.

Gothic Literature: Michael Baldwin: Gothic Literature has always focused on a woman based audience. British author Konzett says, “Within these tensions of gothic horror, female writers and readers started to explore their private fears and desires” (1). This excerpt shows that women, both as writers and readers, were interested in the written word that they could relate with. As the primary audience women had to have an education to read, luckily the time Gothic Literature arose was a time that women were educated in basics like reading and writing. Though the primary audience was women, men were also an audience, but a minor audience. Most of the female authors rely on their readers being dramatic. This is a strength because it allows the author to use more emotion, but not all women are as dramatically inclined as others. This reduces the audience Gothic literature applies to slightly. Nowadays Gothic Literature has action and romance, trying to increase its audience base slightly by appealing to a small majority of men, while still connecting with women.

Gothic Literature:

Ian Crockett: To truly understand what Gothic literature is and where it came from, an understanding of who the Goths were is absolutely required. The Goths were a Germanic tribe who believed that they were from the southern part of Sweden; their kings later led them the the southern end of the Baltic sea. From here they split into two separate groups; the Visigoths (the ones who went west) and the Ostrogoths (the ones who went east). Both of these Gothing nations launched attacks against Rome. During the renaissance elements from the Gothic era were rediscovered and used many many renaissance writings. “ It acts, however, as a reaction against the rigidity and formality of other forms of Romantic literature. The Gothic is far from limited to this set time period, as it takes its roots from former terrorizing writing that dates back to the Middle Ages,” (The Gothic Novel). The Gothic form of writing uses many dark element such as horror and a ruined world.

Work Cited De Vore, David, Anne Domenic, Alexandra Kwan, and Nicole Reidy. "The Gothic Novel." //The//  //Gothic Novel//. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2013.

Harris, Robert. "Elements of the Gothic Novel." Elements of the Gothic Novel. Virtual Salt, n.d.  Web. 25 July 2013.

Konzett, Melanie. How and Why Has the Gothic Been of Importance in Writing by and  for Women. How and Why Has the Gothic Been of Importance in Writing by and for  Women? N.p., 2006. Web. 25 July 2013.