What are the elements of a Gothic Novel?
- Jenny Hubert, Hannah Klipstein, Taylor Saccoccio
Gothic novels usually deal horror and romance, drama and sensation, etc. They relate to
the Middle Ages, a period perceived as barbaric and unenlightening. The following elements
can be included but are not limited to:
A gothic novel usually has a SETTING with an old castle or mansion, but can really be any
establishment that creates a feeling of entrapment and/or contains hidden passages,
surrounded by a ragged landscape.
With a threatening, fearful, and mysterious ATMOSPHERE and a plot building around some
unexplainable phenomena, a Gothic novel can easily take place.
An old LEGEND that creates some type of confusion. If a prophecy is questionable or
confusing, then it fits under the gothic setting
Foreshadowing VISIONS and seeing the SUPERNATURAL create a gothic novel. They
create senses of terrifying drama and disturbing fear, whether they are explainable or
unexplainable. Also, a curse or omen can make the novel Gothic
Exaggerated EMOTION such as crying, intense anger, and panic, generates a sense of doom.
METONYMYS, which are terms that are substituted for another closely related term, that
create elements of mystery and danger support the Gothic novel. Ex: “howling wind” can
stand for doom and “doors suddenly slamming shut” can stand for mystery
The presence of a passion driven, TYRANNICAL MALE THAT HAS POWER OVER A
WOMAN may force the woman to be a part of diabolical, evil actions and crimes.
VOCABULARY creates a Gothic novel
The words, “diabolical”, “ominous”, “uncanny (uncomfortably unfamiliar)”, create a
sense of mystery and strangeness.
“Alarm” and “thunderstruck” create a sense of surprise.
“Numinous” deals with the divine and spiritual.
“Preternatural” deals with powers that cannot yet be explained by nature.
Terms/phrases/actions that can be commonly found in a Gothic Novel:
Body Snatching – stealing a body from a grave (horror)
Exorcism – an act performed by a priest in which he tries to remove the Devil from a
possessed body
Mist – grouped water particles that reduce visibility, creating a feeling of terror and
confusion.
Revenge – the want of punishing someone that has done harm. It highly stands out in
Gothic Novels, and can sometimes involve spirits.
Unreliable Narrator – a narrator that does not fully comprehend or understand a situation.
He or she adds to the confusion of why the story is not straightforward.
Witchcraft – In gothic novels, a witch can be old and wrinkled and/or seductive. They can
communicate with the dead and possibly heal.