Ugh I love this post so much. Your points remind me that, rather than only providing escapism – and nothing wrong with that, folks! – the Gothic is uniquely suited to reflect elements of real life with tools unavailable in pure realism. As a first-time consumer of Frankenstein, I was so moved by the creature's deep loneliness and by Victor's nearly unbearable remorse. It feels like Mary (if I may) used the Gothic to access those deep wells of human experience – especially those that feel too shameful or strange to name – in a way that I find is actually pretty hard to do in realism.
I've had the (scholarly unverified) impression that Gothic developed partly in reaction to the Bildungsroman, as sort of an anti-novel of education where a protagonist declines rather than develops? Did I make that up? (Also, Mitski!)
This is such a great reflection on the attraction to gothic and so on point.
Thank you!!
Ugh I love this post so much. Your points remind me that, rather than only providing escapism – and nothing wrong with that, folks! – the Gothic is uniquely suited to reflect elements of real life with tools unavailable in pure realism. As a first-time consumer of Frankenstein, I was so moved by the creature's deep loneliness and by Victor's nearly unbearable remorse. It feels like Mary (if I may) used the Gothic to access those deep wells of human experience – especially those that feel too shameful or strange to name – in a way that I find is actually pretty hard to do in realism.
I've had the (scholarly unverified) impression that Gothic developed partly in reaction to the Bildungsroman, as sort of an anti-novel of education where a protagonist declines rather than develops? Did I make that up? (Also, Mitski!)
I hadn’t ever thought about that before, but I like it! Definitely works for something like Hill House.