Gothic Literature and the Sublime
Gothic and the Subconscious
The Gothic is a literary movement that explores terrifying experiences in
ancient castles and ruined abbeys. It is associated with the macabre, the
mysterious, and the pleasurably terrifying. At its core, the Gothic speaks to
the subconscious, as its key themes are psychological projections - the
expression of fears, desires, and anxieties.
One of the central figures in Gothic literature is the Byronic hero, named
after the English Romantic poet Lord Byron. The Byronic hero is a variation
of the Romantic hero-archetype, characterized by an unconventional
relationship with societal norms. These characters are not idealized
individuals; rather, they are flawed, arrogant, ruthless, and manipulative, yet
remarkably smart and charming.
Horror vs. Terror
The Gothic genre distinguishes between two related but distinct concepts:
horror and terror.
Horror
Horror is the revulsion felt after witnessing or experiencing something
frightening. It is the visceral reaction to the horrifying.
Terror
Terror, on the other hand, is the dread and anguish felt before the horrifying
experience. It is the anticipation and apprehension of the impending danger
or threat.
The Sublime
The concept of the sublime was developed by the philosopher Edmund
Burke. He argued that a sublime experience is one that evokes a sense of
insignificance in the face of the vastness or power of nature. One of his
examples is the experience of storms, in which an individual feels utterly
small and powerless in the face of the violence of nature.
