Introduction to Victorian Gothic Literature :

The term “Gothic” was first used in conjunction with a Medieval style of ornate and intricate
architecture that originated in France around the 12th century. It wasn’t until the Romantic era in the
late 18th century that the word was applied to literature. The first mention of Gothic literature
appeared in English writer Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto, published in 1764. Walpole applied
the word in the subtitle, “A Gothic Story’’. Gothic literature is a genre that emerged as one of the early
forms of Dark Romanticism in the late 1700s, a literary genre that emerged as a part of the larger
Romanticism movement. Dark Romanticism is characterized by expressions of terror, gruesome
narratives, supernatural elements, and dark, picturesque scenery. This fictional genre encompasses
many different elements, and has undergone a series of revivals since its inception.

In the latter half of the eighteenth century, the Gothic movement was eclipsed by the
emergence of realism as a literary style. The beginnings of realism roughly correspond with the
beginnings of the Industrial Revolution in England. The vast and rapid social change which
industrialization brought spurred many authors to discard the fantastic trappings of Gothic fiction and
focus instead on the realistic. By the time Queen Victoria took the throne however, the Gothic
movement was enjoying a resurgence. But instead of the dark and stormy nights and abandoned castles
that had characterized earlier Gothic literature, Victorian Gothic Literature took some of the most
recognizable themes and tropes and transplanted them to a more familiar setting. Victorian Gothic
literature often included the same focus on the supernatural and spiritual, but left the conclusions more
ambiguous, leaving the readers to question whether the thrilling events of the story have rational
explanations or are indeed the results of supernatural activity. One of the most interesting aspects of
the Victorian Gothic genre is the commentary on science and human nature. Mary Shelley's
Frankenstein, one of the earliest examples of Victorian Gothic literature, was inspired by a conversation
about the natural philosopher Erasmus Darwin who was said to have reanimated dead tissue using
electricity. At Shelley's time, science was still an emerging field, and one that many people viewed with
some level of distrust. This is evident in Shelley's Frankenstein, where the efforts of one scientist go
horribly wrong, and wind up causing huge amounts of destruction. Also evident in this story is the
innate belief that human nature is weak and easily swayed to evil. From this belief stems the view
shared by many early Victorian Gothic writers that science is too powerful a tool for our meddling
human hands. Shelley's other works, "Mortal Immortal" and "Transformation" also display this attitude,
as do Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Body-Snatchers" and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Though the Victorian Era has long since come and gone, the Gothic literature which it gave birth
to continues to terrify and entertain audiences. Whether it is in the beloved tales and poems of Edgar
Allen Poe, The Adventures of Everyone's Favorite Gumshoe: Sherlock Holmes, or the countless
renditions of Count Dracula and Frankenstein's monster, these stories have staying power.