Literary fashions come and go, but some hang around longer than others, like Gothic literature which has existed ever since The Castle of Otranto in 1764. During this long while, it has spread from England, to the rest of Great Britain, and across to the continent, and off to America and Australia, filling in the gaps more recently.
The Historical Dictionary of Gothic Literature follows this long and winding path, first in an extensive chronology and then a useful introduction which explains the nature of Gothic and shows how it has evolved.
The contributors explore how the Gothic influences a range of writers including James Joyce, D. H. Lawrence, Virginia Woolf, May Sinclair, Elizabeth Bowen, and Djuna Barnes. This is the first full-length exploration of the relationship between Gothic fiction and Modernism in fiction and film.
The Gothic is wildly diverse. It can refer to ecclesiastical architecture, supernatural fiction, cult horror films, and a distinctive style of rock music. It has influenced political theorists and social reformers, as well as Victorian home décor and contemporary fashion. This Very Short Introduction captures the history of the Gothic from ancient times to the present.
Gothic art finds its roots in the powerful architecture of the cathedrals of northern France. It is a medieval art movement that developed all across Europe for more than 200 years. Leaving Roman roundish forms behind, the architects started using flying buttress and pointed arches to open cathedrals to the daylight.
