The Gothic Genre

The Gothic Genre• In Literature the word gothic refers

to a mode of Fiction dealing with the supernatural or horrifying events.

• The term gothic also refers to a kind of atmosphere linked to spirits The gothic genre was popular in England in the late18th century and the first two decades of the 19th century.

The settings of a gothic story are usually in a ruined castle or abbey, emphasising mystery and horror. Fire can be associated with sins.

The Weather

Strange and mysterious Occurrences

Significant Number 3

Links to Christian Holy trinity & Greek mythology.

Age of Discovery

Medicine/Theory of Evolution

Imperialism

Power over distant lands & people

Industrial Revolution

Mass Production

Science Vs Religion

H G Wells 1866-1946 The Red Room was written

by Herbert George Wells In the late 19th century. He is perhaps most famous for writing ‘The Time Machine’, ‘The Invisible Man’, and ‘The War of the Worlds’. These novels have all been used in recent Hollywood film adaptations.

The Red Room

• Consider symbolism, and explain how

the title contributes to the gothic atmosphere?

Character Analysis

• The Red Room is written in first person narrative. The story opens with the dialogue of an extremely confident twenty eight year old protagonist, whose character is portrayed as pompous and arrogant. The character, expresses an adamant belief that ghosts and any other ideas which connect to the supernatural simply do not exist.

Character Analysis

• It is interesting to note that the characters in H. G. Wells short story do not have names, but instead they are identified with a strange or thought provoking description. ‘The man with the withered arm’ ‘ The man with the shade’ ‘The old woman’. All of the characters are mysterious and add to the suspense. It is not clear what type of relationships these characters have with each other since they don’t seem to interact.

The man with the Shade

• When the man with the shade enters the room the hinges of the door creaks emphasising the oldness of the building. This is parallel to his aging body which the narrator describes as ‘more bent’ and ‘more wrinkled’ supported by a stick. The fact that his eyes are often covered suggests that he has something to hide. He is also said to have red eyes, a rather demonic and terrifying feature.

Task

Choose one of the characters below to write a short character analysis. Think about their appearance, action, and what they say.

• The twenty eight year old• The man with the withered arm• The old woman• The man with the shade