Gothic

What Is Gothic?
 Learning Objective
To develop an understanding of what is meant by the term ‘gothic’.

Success Criteria
• To respond intuitively to gothic images and ideas.
• To analyse the conventions of Gothic Literature.
• To create my own gothic texts making use of conventions.
Snap
Pair the images according to shared traits.
A World of Gothic
The word ‘gothic’ can refer to:

• a medieval style of architecture

characterised by pointed arches
and ornate stone-masonry;
• a gloomy, morbid style of
fashion and make up
dominated by the colour black;
• a gloomy, morbid genre of
music popular in the
early 1980s;
• a genre of literature focused on
terror that was first popularised
in the 18th century by Horace
Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto.
Etymology
The Goths were an East Germanic
tribe who helped to bring about the
fall of the Roman Empire, ushering
in the Medieval period.

They had a fierce reputation as

being violent and barbaric.
However, despite initially practising
paganism, they converted to
Christianity during the 4th century.
 Gothic Sense
Gothic with a capital G - proper noun
Refers to a specific genre or movement, e.g. Gothic literature.

gothic with a lower case g - adjective

Describes something as being gothic in a general sense.

Even without having been taught it, people tend to have

a sense of what ‘gothic’ is and are able to recognise it.

Which of these fonts could be described as gothic?

Font 1 Font 2 Font 3 Font Font 5 Font 6

4
Extension: Are you able to explain what makes them gothic?
Gothic Literature Timeline
Click the year to reveal more information.

1764 1794 1816 1818 1886

1886
1818
1764
1794
1816
The Strange
The
Duringconventions
Walpole’s
Ann Radcliffe’sCase
a stormy
The of
Castle
The Dr
ofJekyll
night in an and
of Mysteries
Gothicism
Otranto of–is
old old
Udolpho
mansiondarkison
credited as
a the
Mr Hyde
buildings,
being
roaring
banks the
ofisLake
a classic
spooky
success
first Gothicexample
goings-on
Geneva,
and introduces
novel of
and
Lordbut
Byron vulnerable
Gothic
‘the –explained
a man
Victorian –Gothic,
heroines
sensibilities
supernatural’
described are
as sothe
stretch
'mad,well
whereby
badtheme
back of
established
terrifying,
and
to the
dangerous
Darkthat they
apparently
Ages.
to know’
doubling
–are
The ripe
paranormal
sets pre-dating
hisfor
emergence parody
friends
plotof abyFreud’s
points
the Jane
literary Austen
challenge
have genre
a logicalin
of writing
coincidesa
ideasaof
Northanger
with
explanation
ghost split
story.
revived inpersonalities.
Abbey.
Results
interest
the end.
include
in Medievalism
The Vampyre and a
growing
and Frankenstein.
public fascination in the supernatural.

Sub-genres include gothic horror and vampire

fiction, which are still going strong today…
 Gothic - My Definition
Based on what you’ve learnt so far, write a definition of what ‘gothic’
means to you. Use the word bank to help you.

dark vampire past mystery shadow

black gloomy genre terror Medieval

settings belief violent death castle

blood mist stormy morbid monster

supernatural Christianity psychology

 Gothic Conventions
Watch this video and see what features of Gothic fiction
you are able to identify. Organise your ideas under the
following headings:
• settings
• characters
• themes

Despite the fascination with death and decay,

gothic conventions are prevalent in 21st-century
popular culture.

In groups, see how many modern-day examples of

gothic texts you can come up with.
Make Your Own
Design a…

Gothic Setting Gothic Monster or Villain

Draw your creation

Use your word banks and
and then annotate it with
thesauruses to help you.
detailed descriptions.
Death and Destruction: The End
In order to demonstrate your understanding of what is
meant by ‘gothic’,

either or
create a gothic mood board. write a gothic spell.