GOTHIC Horror
Gothic horror is a literary subgenre that emerged in the late 18th century, blending supernatural terror with emotional intensity, psychological depth, and moral ambiguity. It evolved from Gothic fiction, which itself was rooted in Romanticism’s fascination with the sublime, the irrational, and the medieval past.
Origins and Notable Works
The Castle of Otranto (1764) by Horace Walpole is widely considered the first Gothic novel. Early Gothic horror often featured haunted castles, family curses, and mysterious manuscripts.
By the early 19th century, Gothic horror had expanded. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) redefined the genre by introducing scientific horror and moral complexity. Edgar Allan Poe condensed Gothic elements into short stories, emphasizing psychological torment and architectural decay. His works, like The Fall of the House of Usher, became foundational to American Gothic.
The Victorian era produced some of the most iconic Gothic horror texts. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897) combined vampirism with imperial anxiety and sexual repression. Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) explored duality and moral conflict. Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla (1871) introduced lesbian subtext and highlighted Victorian fears surrounding female empowerment.
Gothic Tropes in Bram Stoker's Dracula
The Haunted House or Castle
Example: Castle Dracula
Jonathan Harker describes the Count’s home as “a veritable prison,” with no exits except the windows. The castle is filled with locked doors, shadowy corridors, and a crypt beneath the chapel where Dracula sleeps in boxes of earth.
The Ambiguous Hero
Example: Count Dracula
Dracula is aristocratic, mysterious, and morally ambiguous. He speaks of his noble lineage and laments the decline of his “great races.” Though monstrous, he’s also seductive and self-destructive—his desire to conquer England ultimately leads to his downfall.
The Damsel in Distress
Example: Lucy Westenra
Lucy is repeatedly victimized by Dracula, falling ill and sleepwalking under his influence. Her transformation into a vampire—preying on children—subverts the trope, turning the innocent victim into a monstrous threat. Mina also fits the trope but resists it, using her psychic link to Dracula as a weapon against him.
Atmospheric Weather
Example: The Storm in Whitby
When Dracula arrives in England, a violent storm wrecks the Demeter. Mina reads a newspaper account: “One of the greatest and suddenest storms on record has just been experienced here.” Fog, thunder, and unnatural winds follow Dracula’s movements, heightening suspense and mirroring emotional chaos.
Madness and Psychological Horror
Example: Renfield and Jonathan Harker
Renfield, confined in Dr. Seward’s asylum, consumes living creatures to absorb their life force. His lucid moments and violent outbursts blur the line between prophecy and insanity. Meanwhile, Jonathan fears he’s losing his mind in Castle Dracula, writing, “God preserve my sanity… I may not go mad, if indeed I be not mad already.”
Supernatural Intrusion
Example: Vampirism and Shape-Shifting
Dracula can transform into a bat, wolf, mist, and dust. He controls weather and animals, and casts no reflection. These supernatural elements disrupt the rational world and symbolize Victorian anxieties surrounding sexuality, and foreign invasion. The vampire women also embody supernatural seduction and danger.
Forbidden Knowledge
Example: Van Helsing’s Occult Expertise
Van Helsing blends modern medicine with ancient, secret knowledge. He warns Seward, “We must have all the knowledge and all the help which we can get.”