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Dark Romanticism and Gothic Literature

Dark Romanticism was both influenced by and a reaction to Romanticism and Transcendentalism. The Dark Romantics kept Romantic elements like emotion, imagination, the supernatural, and the individual; they also kept the Transcendental interest in man’s spiritual essence. However, they were not optimistic about man or nature. They saw dark potential in man, were focused on man’s sinful nature, and saw nature as a deeply spiritual force, but not for good; nature for them is often terrifying in its dark power and mystery. They felt nature’s power and immensity just showed how small, weak, and ineffective man was.

Gothic literature came out of Dark Romanticism, but it put much more emphasis on creepy moods, gruesome elements, terrifying events, and the supernatural. While the Dark Romantics were very interested in delving into man’s mind and spirit, often incorporating internal conflicts related to guilt, insanity, or sinful human actions, the Gothics used more external conflict, with terrifying monsters, ghosts, or otherwise mysterious or horrifying antagonists.

While the Romantics and Transcendentalists saw deep wisdom or even divinity within man, the Dark Romantics and Gothics saw man as inherently sinful and bound for failure. Like the Romantics and Transcendentalists, Dark Romantics and Gothics believed there were no universal truths (so we should all find individual truths). However, they believed the truths found would not be good; the truth revealed to man when he contemplated himself or nature was usually disturbing and awful, and rather than coming to know himself, the world, and God through contemplation, man would often come to find himself incapable of that kind of deep understanding and knowledge.

Also, like the Romantics and Transcendentalists, Gothics and Dark Romantics felt that strong emotions would lead to understanding and truth regarding man’s nature; however, they felt man was inherently weak and sinful, and they used extreme situations, like a murder or a haunting, in their plots to show man’s cowardice and failings.

Both Dark Romantic and Gothic style was gloomy, but Dark Romantic works lacked the supernatural elements and terrifying mood Gothic stories usually had. Dark Romantic stories were usually pretty realistic compared to Gothic stories. While Gothic works were terrifying, supernatural, and full of extreme emotions and events, like revenge, hauntings, and murder, Dark Romantics, on the other hand, focused on the inner minds and internal conflicts and struggles of their protagonists, and their protagonists were often dealing with some mental problem or past sin.

Conventions of Gothic Fiction

What settings are common in Gothic Literature?

European Gothics traditionally used ruined or isolated castle or mansion settings, but American landscapes were devoid of castles, so American Gothic writers substituted large, drafty, old houses that have “been in the family for years.”

The setting is always isolated or remote (in time or space) from contemporary life, and the building may be ruined, associated with past violence, or contain strange elements, such as hidden doors, underground secret passages, concealed staircases, dungeons, torture chambers, dark towers, or hidden rooms. Other settings include crypts, cemeteries, and tombs.

What moods do Gothic writers evoke?

Gothic writers cultivate a mood of mystery, dread, and suspense in their stories. They create this mood in many ways, such as,

• Dark, foreboding, forbidding, and ghostly diction (word choice) is designed to evoke feelings of gloom and doom.

• Unnatural acts of nature (blood-red moon, sudden fierce wind, etc.) foreshadow bad things to come. Mist can obscure objects by reducing visibility or foreshadow the insertion of a terrifying person or thing. Storms frequently accompany important events. Flashes of lightening accompany revelation. Thunder and downpours prefigure the appearance of a scary or important character or the beginning of a significant event.

• Omens, foreshadowing, presentiments, and dreams can cultivate a suspenseful mood.

Why is terror important to the Gothic writers?

First, terror can evoke the sublime. The idea of the sublime is essential to an understanding of Gothic literature. Put basically, the sublime is an overpowering sense of the greatness and power of nature, which can be uplifting, awe-inspiring, and terrifying, and which is caused by experience of beauty, vastness or grandeur. Sublime moments lead man to consider the place of humanity in the universe, and the power exhibited in the natural world.

Additionally, Gothic writers use terror to demonstrate their belief in darkness as intrinsic [innate or inborn] to human nature. Generally speaking, Gothic literature delves into the dark nature of humanity. These authors, unlike the Romantics, often focus on man’s limitations and his darker nature.

What common plot devices do the Gothics use?

Gothic stories usually begin with one of the following elements:

• A ghostly legend or a haunting by some kind of ghost or spirit

• An unexplainable occurrence (like doors opening by themselves or unexplained sounds)

• Discovering and then trying to fix a dark family secret or family curse

• A horrible death or murder has taken place in the particular setting

• Revenge, enacted by or upon mortals or spirits, and harming the body, loved ones, or family (or a combination)

• Creeping insanity overtaking a main character or one of his or her loved ones

During the rising action, these stories typically include supernatural events, and these events are often disturbing, violent, or “macabre” [including gruesome and horrific details of death and decay]. The events cannot be hidden, ignored or rationalized, despite the efforts of the narrator.

The climax is the most frightening and/or terrible moment in the story.

The resolution usually includes a strong moral or lesson.

What are Gothic characters like?

Gothic narrators are often “unreliable narrators.” This means they do not understand the importance of a particular situation or they will make an incorrect conclusion or assumption about an event they witness. This type of narrator may be crazy or otherwise mentally unstable. The mysterious events of the story’s plot often cause this protagonist to question his or her sanity, not trust the evidence of his or her senses, and hardly believe in the presence of seemingly supernatural beings.

The protagonist will be made to enter into highly charged emotional states, including terror, a feeling that one is on the brink of insanity, anger, agitation, an exaggerated feeling of impending doom, or obsessive love. Additionally, the protagonist is usually internally motivated by curiosity or fear.

Other characters may include…

• Damsels in distress: Women who may be frightened and confused, wandering around lost, or dying due to a slow and unexplainable illness; they are often frail or weak

• The supernatural: Marvelous or mysterious creatures, monsters, ghosts, or spirits; characters or objects with frightening supernatural or inhuman powers, like living dolls/toys, mummies, mutants, vampires, werewolves, or zombies.

• Strangers: Mysterious or frightening strangers

RULES FOR WRITING DIALOGUE

1. Use quotation marks around the words a character says.

2. Make sure quotation marks are facing the right way (inward).

3. Begin a new paragraph each time a different person speaks – this is a nice rule because it not only makes it easier for the reader to follow the conversation, but it also helps the writer cut down on the number of dialogue tags needed.

4. Indent the beginning of each dialogue paragraph, just as in any other type of writing.

5. Only the exact words of a character need to be in quotation marks.

6. When splitting a quotation with a dialogue tag, words not beginning a new sentence are left un-capitalized.

Ex: “I really don’t know,” she said, “whether it even matters anymore.”

Example

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Quisque a purus sit amet dui efficitur molestie. In pretium gravida ipsum sit amet varius. Nam viverra venenatis nulla imperdiet consectetur. Maecenas odio orci, auctor non tincidunt nec, convallis sit amet nisi. Mauris eget diam vel dui aliquet ullamcorper in id dui.

“It’s sure cold out here,” whined Martin.

“Get over it,” Sabrina snarled.

Martin shrugged and kept walking. Consectetur adipiscing elit. Quisque a purus sit amet dui efficitur molestie. In pretium gravida ipsum sit amet varius. Nulla sit amet felis a ex commodo molestie sagittis sit amet quam. Ut at dignissim nunc. Sabrina was deep in thought, when Martin broke in,

“Did you say your prayers tonight?”

“I meant to, but I got to trying to cipher out how much twelve times thirteen is, and –”

“Oh, we are lost beyond all help! How could you neglect such a thing at such a time as this?”

Sabrina shrugged. “I really don’t know,” she said, “whether it even matters anymore.”

Amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Quisque a purus sit amet dui efficitur molestie. In pretium gravida ipsum sit amet varius. Nam viverra venenatis nulla imperdiet consectetur. Maecenas odio orci, auctor non tincidunt nec, convallis sit amet nisi. Mauris eget diam vel dui aliquet ullamcorper in id dui.

Punctuating Dialogue

When flowing in and out of dialogue, use periods when a sentence is over, and use commas when the sentence is not over.

“The name is Bond.” He looked up. “James Bond.” Yes

“The name,” he said, “is Bond. James Bond.” Yes

“The name is Bond,” he looked up, “James Bond.” No

“The name.” He said. “Is Bond. James Bond.” No

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