- Architecture
- Paintings
- Books, poems and comics
Georgians were so obsessed with the Gothic that it came in to every aspect of their life, things changed and evolved giving writers, architects and artists more inspiration and drive to create something more sinister.
It was also split into different categories -
1. Strange places
2. Clashing time periods
3. Power and constraints
4. Sexual power
5. Uncanny
6. Sublime
7. Setting
8. Industrial revolution
7. Setting
8. Industrial revolution
Strange places
Gothic horror stories or poems are usually based in a strange place, like a grave yard or a woods or even a castle or old building. They scare, entice, excite and worry people, all different types of emotions. They are usually based there because they are old, possibly have ghosts or dead people associated with them, the setting that is described or seen makes you feel scared too. Like Dracula, he has his own castle and I think it would definitely be scary to be there if you was against your own will.
Clashing time periods
We like to think we have left some thing in the past yet in gothic horror books and stories we then find out this thing has come back to haunt/get us. They also skip through periods like for example from the medieval period to the renaissance. Like Dracula, he is basically immortal, he will live forever! Also in Dorian Gray he stays young over a period of time, he goes away and comes back 18-20 years later. This happens a lot in films we see today too, it gives a suspense about the film knowing this character is back and "what is he going to do?" is in our heads.
Power and constraints We love the sinister effect of the power that the character has, we love how they control and take over the actions of a person they are targeting. We also love the thrill of knowing something is about to happen to someone. Forcing or trapping someone in a situation that they cant get out of, this is what happens in all horrors and we still read and watch these because as exciting as it is we know its not real so it doesn't feel as bad. I always think of Saw, the thrill and scare of the trap ahead that Jigsaw has created shows his power and what he uses to constrain the people in the "game" is frightening to watch.
Sexual power
People love reading about the sexual tension in books and poems, or how a certain character is attracted to a female, wanting their body and then the sinister happens. Usually in books and stories the male who is the bad person attracts the women in a sexual way, thinking this character can get what ever they want through sexual power and tension. The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli painting shows sexual power to me, the woman on the bed with the leering imp on her. Her body language shows her in a sexual way where the imp is on her chest with the look as if he owns her, it was a very inspiring painting which has been recreated so many times.
Uncanny
Writers had a motion where they would write about things that weren't real, but they had aspects where they were very real. It made the reader think it was normal but they knew it wasn't by the twist of words and imagery.
The was a quote by Ernst Jentsch, he was very popular for his essay The Psychology Of The Uncanny and has been mentioned by numerous other writers."In telling a story, one of the most successful devices for easily creating uncanny effects is to leave the reader in uncertainty whether a particular figure in the story is a human being or an automaton, and to do it in such a way that his attention is not focused directly upon his uncertainty, so that he may not be led to go into the matter and clear it up immediately."
Sublime
Paintings of landscapes which were beautifully painted, were created to show the horror of nature! The storms, mountains and rain and wind were created in paint by some amazing painters. They were called the sublime because of the beauty yet the scariness of the image.
“When pain and danger press too nearby, they are incapable of giving any delight, and are simply terrible; but at certain distances, and with certain modifications, they may be, and they are delightful, as we every day experience”
Edmund Burke’s Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and the Beautiful
Setting
The setting to all gothic horrors - books, poems, buildings are always sinister looking! Castles are big and scary, very dark places you never would know if there was a trapped door or someone lurking around the corner. Churches has the stained glass windows and they were all about heaven and hell. They had gargoils and things hanging around to keep the bad away, but they just looked scary them self too.
The settings for most books and paintings seemed to be in very dark rooms or buildings, so you cant see very well, you get the feeling of entrapment, you don't know how you got in so you don't know how you're going to get out.
I think it makes it what it is when the setting matches, it gives you the mood and puts you in the place when you see or read it.
Church's had really interesting architecture to them too, a man called Augustus Pugin designed all the interior in Westminster and it is so incredible to see. He designed all the wood work, the upholstery, metal work, stained glass windows and furniture, he went on to design more architecture and they are still around to see today.
Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution hit England in 1760 and it changed life for ever one. More work was available, more factories were popping up all over the place and the country especially the major cities were all dark and gloomy. They weren't nice places to live, the houses were all lined up on rows, the dark smoke and ash filled the streets and it became a much more sinister place to live.
People had to share houses and slept on floor, had no furniture and the water supply often got infected too. Crime rose as well as popularity in areas, the growth of people increased so much too!
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