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TRABALHO FINAL - LITERATURA FANTÁSTICA - GOTHIC

Guilherme Perez Felisbino

INTRODUCTION

This analysis aims to discuss how Gothic literature has influenced other genres such as
horror with its theme. The goal is to understand the roots that define the Gothic and how it
can be used in multifaceted ways across various mediums. It also seeks to examine whether it
is still possible to define the Gothic as a genre or if it has already transcended such
boundaries.

EXPLORATION

Originally emerging in the late 18th century, Gothic literature was characterized by
elements such as eerie settings, supernatural occurrences, psychological exploration, past
pervading the present, and an emphasis on emotions and the sublime. Over time, the genre
expanded its influence and found its way into other creative expressions.
The Gothic genre began as a literary movement with notable works like Horace
Walpole's "The Castle of Otranto" (1764) and Ann Radcliffe's "The Mysteries of Udolpho"
(1794). These early novels set the foundation for the genre's key elements and motifs,
including haunted castles, mysterious family secrets, and tormented protagonists. The
movement emerged as a deliberate departure from the dominant aesthetic principles of
Neoclassicism, seeking to challenge and subvert its norms and ideals. Neoclassicism, which
prevailed during the 18th century, emphasized order, reason, balance, and rationality. It drew
inspiration from classical antiquity, emphasizing clarity, symmetry, and adherence to strict
rules.
In order to oppose Neoclassicism, the Gothic sought the sublime, this concept often
involves encounters with forces or phenomena that surpass human understanding. As Fred
Botting explains, "The sublime in Gothic fiction points to the limits of human knowledge and
the terror of encountering what exceeds the rational" (Botting, 2013). These encounters can
take various forms, including encounters with supernatural beings, confrontations with the
unknown, or descriptions of overwhelming landscapes. Gothic authors employ the sublime to
create a sense of dread, fascination, and allure towards the forbidden and dangerous. Angela
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Wright argues that "The sublime landscapes and settings in Gothic literature act as symbolic
spaces, reflecting the psychological states of the characters or the themes of the narrative"
(Wright, 2007). These landscapes, such as decaying castles, dark forests, or tumultuous seas,
serve as atmospheric backdrops that intensify the psychological experiences of the characters
and readers alike.
Moreover, the sublime plays a crucial role in exploring human psychology and the
darker aspects of the human mind. Jerrold E. Hogle suggests that "The sublime in Gothic
fiction often delves into the depths of human emotions, desires, and fears, blurring the
boundaries between the conscious and the unconscious" (Hogle, 2002). This exploration of
the human psyche heightens the emotional impact of the narrative, while also challenging
conventional perceptions of reality.
With that in mind, it is possible to affirm that the sublime is the most essential
characteristic that defines the Gothic, such a feature allowed it to adapt how the feeling can be
evoked on the reader. However, creating the sublime is not an easy task, Edmund Burke
explores on "A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and
Beautiful" the roles that astonishment, safety ,and fear plays, as well as the difference between
natural sublime and sublime in art.
Whatever is fitted in any sort to excite the ideas of pain, and danger, that is to say,
whatever is in any sort terrible, or is conversant about terrible objects, or operates in
a manner analogous to terror, is a source of the sublime; that is, it is productive of
the strongest emotion which the mind is capable of feeling. (BURKE,1757, p.36)

The sublime is a quality that evokes a sense of astonishment, fear, and even terror. It
is associated with vastness, power, and the overwhelming presence of something beyond
human comprehension. Burke suggests that the sublime arises from experiences that are both
awe-inspiring and potentially dangerous. H. P. Lovecraft illustrates the creation of this feeling
well in his writings, for example, in Dagon (1917) the sublime is created by the stench, visual
description and horrors that are beyond humans. While the horror deviates from some motifs
defined in the gothic literature, it still relies on the same concept to develop its atmosphere.
While H. P. Lovecraft stays true to the feeling that gothic evokes, his writings differ in
the manner that the terror is created, the Gothic tries to approximate to the natural, which is
the purest form of fear that humans as animals may experience as recognized by Edmund
Burke (1757). The Horror developed by Lovecraft drifts away from the natural and expands
by making use of the cosmic as a source of fascination and fear.
Burke further emphasizes the role of fear in the sublime. He argues that fear, when
experienced from a position of safety, can be pleasurable. This pleasure stems from the sense
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of relief that follows the realization that one is not in immediate danger. The sublime,
therefore, involves a delicate balance between fear and safety.

No passion so effectively robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as
fear. For fear being an apprehension of pain or death, it operates in a manner that
resembles actual pain. Whatever therefore is terrible, with regard to sight, is sublime
too, whether this cause of terror, be endued with greatness of dimensions or not; for
it is impossible to look on any thing as trifling, or contemptible, that may be
dangerous. There are many animals, who though far from being large, are yet
capable of raising ideas of the sublime, because they are considered as objects of
terror. (BURKE,1757, p.53)

Lovecraft does make use of the safety required to create his desired atmosphere. In
Dagon (1917), the character after getting stranded has more than 4 days without occurrence of
a real danger, thus the feeling of safety is generated in order to lever the terror and fear that
will strike afterwards. The Gothic elements are ever present in Lovecraft, and these same
elements may be carried over to other literatures or mediums.
The Gothic genre has evolved from its origins in literature to become a pervasive and
influential theme across various art forms. Its dark and mysterious atmosphere, exploration of
human emotions and fears, and fascination with the supernatural have made it a rich source of
inspiration for artists, architects, filmmakers, musicians, and fashion enthusiasts. The
enduring appeal of the Gothic lies in its ability to evoke powerful emotions, challenge societal
norms, and explore the depths of the human psyche.

REFERÊNCIAS

BOTTING, Fred. Gothic. Routledge, 2013.

BURKE, Edmund. A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and
Beautiful. Oxford University Press, 1999.

HOGLE, Jerrold E. The Cambridge companion to Gothic fiction. Cambridge University

Press, 2002.

PUNTER, David. The Literature of Terror: A History of Gothic Fictions from 1765 to the
Present Day. 1982.

WRIGHT, Angela. Gothic fiction. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2007.

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notes
the vastness (space, void) in lovecraft as opposed to vastness in the gothic - vast landscapes,
big buildings

Edmund Burke need a better quotation on sublime in nature and sublime in arts