Gothic Literature
Origins
The term ‘gothic’ was used by Horace Walpole in 1764 to describe his book, The Castle of Otranto, which is now seen as the first gothic novel. It features supernatural elements and focuses on mysterious elements of the past, which were designed to clash with Walpole’s present day, where everyone was fascinated with Science and rationality.
Dystopian Literature
Origins
An enclosed space or isolated setting
A near or recognisable future as the setting
Supernatural or undead beings
A limit on individual freedoms or free speech for characters
Heightened eroticism, sexual perversion or incest
Conventions
The influence of the past haunting the present
Conventions
Perpetual war, conflict or the threat of violence to control citizens
A helpless or unknowing protagonist that falls into trouble
A disillusioned protagonist
Changing values or beliefs in society and the doubts that come with them The uncanny - the sense that something terrifying or strange is actually familiar to us which leads to an unsettling feeling
The tyranny of leadership or government
Common themes
Entrapment and escape from ideas or places that bind us
Why do we like it?
Notable texts
Gothic literature is similar to horror films, in that it offers a ‘safe’ experience of feeling truly terrified. Apart from the sleepless nights that it may cause, it is also a clever way for writers to comment on the issues of their time. Anxieties about technology are symbolised in Frankenstein’s monster, fears about sexual promiscuity are reflected in Dracula and the savage side to mankind is explored through the likes of the Werewolf. The gothic tradition lives on in Halloween, a day on which we all pretend to be people or creatures that cause us irrational terror and enduring nightmares. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Dracula by Bram Stoker Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
Government control of necessities like food and water The false or enforced impression that inhabitants are in a ‘utopia’
Good usually triumphs over evil, with lessons learnt in the process
Common themes
Dystopian literature came to life as a result of The French Revolution, The Industrial Revolution and Darwin’s theories about evolution. Writers such as H.G. Wells began predicting bleak futures for humanity based on discoveries and attitudes at their time of writing. It then expanded in popularity due to World War I and II and the political aftermath of these conflicts.
Technology and the dangers it poses to humanity Human selfishness and the tendency to betray others The importance of art, music and literature
Why do we like it?
Notable texts
Dystopian literature speaks to our insecurities as an individual. If a government suddenly decided to change our lives for the worse, what chance do we realistically stand of stopping them? The genre has become increasingly popular in the 21st century with young people being made to feel more and more powerless in the face of rising house prices, student debt and a saturated job market. Dystopian fiction mirrors the way in which we constantly battle with things in life that seem beyond our control. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 1984 by George Orwell The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins