Gothic Overview
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Overview and Focus: The Literature of Terror
It is not easy to define what is meant by "Gothic" literature. The haunted house, the ghostly presence, the ancient terror, the unknown horror, the monster in the closet, the madwoman in the attic -- these tropes are part of the cast and crew of Gothic literature, but they are not always its essence.
Beginning in the late 1700s with the publication of Ann Radcliffe's highly successful novel The Mysteries of Udolpho, Gothic arose as part of Romanticism's emotional excess and fascination with the past. Romanticism courted the unknowable, the world beyond the one that can be perceived with reason and the senses, and it is no surprise that Gothic should have arisen as Romanticism's dark twin. At one level, Gothic can be defined as "the literature of terror," a body of literature that seeks an active physical engagement from the reader, who becomes a willing (if sometimes unwilling) participant in what was also called "sensationalist fiction." Perhaps the best definition of this physical, visceral reaction comes from -- who else? -- Stephen King, when he said, "I recognize terror as the finest emotion, and so I will try to terrorize the reader," adding that, "...if I find that I cannot terrify, I will try to horrify, and if I find that I cannot horrify, I'll go for the gross-out. I'm not proud." Terror, horror, or gross-out: the reader is on the hook emotionally and physically in the Gothic novel. Welcome to the castle. On another level, though, Gothic is more than jump scares. More than almost any other genre, Gothic delves into the subconscious basement of human identity, taking on the uneasy relationship between the heimlich and the unheimlich, between the host and the hostile, between family and unfamiliarity, between reality and the nightmare. With that consideration, it should come as no surprise that some of the greatest Gothic writers from the British Isles -- Mary Shelley, the Bronte sisters, Oscar Wilde, Robert Louis Stevenson, Bram Stoker -- tend to belong to one or more groups who experienced severe repression at the hands of the larger culture to which they belonged. Gothic has and continues to be a literary refuge for those defined as "other" for reasons of nationality, religion, gender, sexuality, or all of the above. If Gothic deals with anything, it deals with that which has been repressed, "otherized," marginalized -- or, to put it in more familiar terms, it deals with the monsters we have put into the closet. Below, I've tried to present an admittedly incomplete list of some great titles. This is in development, so not all listed works have links or descriptions. If I've left out some titles that need to be here, let me know. |
Anglo-Irish Gothic Classics (Selection)
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The Classic Ancestors of Gothic
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Gothic Literature in the U.S. and Beyond
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Gothic Literature of the Americas
Though our course primarily deals with the literature of the British Isles, if you like Gothic, the tradition in the Americas is extensive -- so extensive that I cannot do it justice here except to point out some shining writers and traditions that deserve more attention.
African-American Gothic
Modern Gothic (U.S. and Anglo-American)
Most of the works here are not linked because they're not in the public domain. However, most (if not all) are available on Amazon or in audiobook form. NOTE: ASSUME that most, if not all, of these works contain some degree of objectionable language, scenes, themes, or imagery. These are not required readings. If you have specific questions, contact me or read Amazon reviews.
Southern Gothic (U.S.)
Northern Gothic (U.S.)
Latin American and Mexican Gothic
Mexican Gothic
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Reading Assignments
NOTE: Readings are mandatory unless specifically marked “Optional.” They are given to help you understand the course material. If you’re having a hard time understanding something, the optional materials can often be very helpful to you. If you have suggestions for optional material you would like to see on this page, please email me at [email protected] with your suggestions. |
Mandatory Reading Assignments
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