Gothic Features Flashcards
Gothic
A genre or mode of literature and film that combines fiction and horror, death and at times, romance.
Pathetic fallacy
When an author gives human emotions and traits to nature or inanimate objects. The natural world is closely linked human emotions: storms symbolise anger, fog hide secrets, beach implies happiness.
Ruined, grotesque or grand buildings
Any building which is ruined by time, damage or lack of care. Ugly buildings full of dark corners, gargoyles or mysterious rooms and spaces.
Religious/ satanic ideas
Religious ideas might include heaven/ hell, good\evil; representations of the devil or hell.
Sensibility (the cult of emotion)
Characters wallowing in their own feelings. Exaggerated or heightened emotional states or characters.
The supernatural/ an ancestral curse
Vampires, monsters, ghosts, ghouls, werewolves, hauntings. Generations of family members cursed; ghost or vision.
Imagery of decay
Things rotting and breaking down ( this could be people, places or objects)
Excess and extremity
Extreme greed or wealth; disproportionate behaviour or showing off
Entrapment/ imprisonments/claustrophobia
The feeling of being trapped
Isolation and loneliness
Characters living alone, stranded or separated from their normal lives.
Nightmares/ insanity/ somnambulism
Terrible dreams; characters who might be going mad; sleep walking
Nocturnal/ night
Events that happen in the dark
Multiple/ unreliable narrators/ forms
More than one narrative voice. Can he/she be trusted? The action might switch from one character to character, or from form to form.
Persecuted maiden/ femme fatale
Beautiful young woman who is in danger; attractive and powerful woman who will cause distress and tragedy.
Absolute power
A character in complete control of people or places
