the Best of Gothic Literature

[Draconysius]

What terrifies you before dawn, yet eases you before slumber?
Here will be listed the greatest of gothic literature from
those that adore it.

~My Choices For the Greatest Five

1."the Castle of Otranto" by Horace Walpole
This is the novel believed to be the first work of gothic literature ever written.
It is only about one hundred pages in length, but still a wonderful read.

2."the Italian" by Ann Radcliffe

3."the Monk" by Matthew Gregory Lewis
When this novel debuted in the late 1700's, it received negative response
from all reviewers, due to its extremely morbid content. It may have been its
infamy that gained its readers, but it remains one of the greatest classics.

4."Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley
This is one of the most popular works of gothic literature. Whether you consider it
to be or not, it is still a great classic that you can find almost anywhere for a small
price.

5."Dracula" by Bram Stoker
Another classic -this novel is the very birthrite of sir Bela Lugosi. The novel is
much more interesting and exciting than most of the films; don't hesitate to read this.

[nuksaa]

I would add "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson. The 1964 classic "The Last Man On Earth" is based on the book. The movie stars the beloved Vincent Price. A really excellent read.

[Sobeh]

I find this and this to be eminently useful to anyone truly interested in this genre of literature.

I also really dig the following:

Originally Posted by Ann B. Tracy, The Gothic Novel 1790-1830: Plot Summaries and Index Motifs

"The world of Gothic fiction is characterized by a chronic sense of apprehension and the premonition of impending but unidentified disaster. The Gothic world is the fallen world, the vision of fallen man, living in fear and alienation, haunted by images of his mythic expulsion, by its repercussions, and by an awareness of his unavoidable wretchedness....Gothic heroes and heroines are on their own, stumbling alone, sometimes in foreign countries, through appalling complexities of decision and action, obliged to find their own solutions or go under; estrangement from family ties is their normal condition....Protagonists are frequently orphans, or they are foundlings or adopted, their family origins mysterious."

As for books themselves, those first five are very influential and as such probably hit a large number of nails on the head; I'd have to look books up in order to add to that list!

[A Simple Poet]

Sobeh:

That is probably the best and most succinct definition of the genre that I have seen in quite awhile. I suppose I should find a way to acquire that book for my library.

But I'll take this thread a bit farther...cited above are examples of CLASSIC gothic fiction. Can you name me 5 contemporary (even 20th century) examples? Or do they only exist in Lovecraftian horror stories?

[Twisted Ducky]

All of those novels sound very interesting and worth reading. I will be sure to raid the local bookstore in a mad hunt to find them, I've been in need for some good literature for some time now.

[Godslayer Jillian]

The book most worth reading:

Hyperion. You have no idea how the saga changed my way of viewing life.

If you want bone-chilling literature by this author, read either Song of Kali (very graphic) or The Hollow Man (that book really changed my life! More than Hyperion)

Or, if you like Greek stuff, graphic stuff, science fiction, and Shakespeare, you should read Ilium and its sequel Olympos.








I LOVE DAN SIMMONS

[Sobeh]

H.P. Lovecraft might count as a modern Gothic novelist, or Faulkner. Southern Gothic and New American Gothic seem to be the genres producing modern works. The International Gothic Association (IGA) has some great links for this kind of thing.

[DrenchedInGin]

Wonderful list - and I quite agree.

May I also humbly contribute M R James to the list? His writing will always mean gothic literature to me. Possibly I'm a little biased - An Episode of Cathedral History gave me nightmares.

(Edited to add the URL for the Ghosts and Scholars website: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pardos/GS.html. Good midnight reading.)

[Wise Child]

If you're into Southern Gothic, Sobeh, I'd recommend checking out The Little Friend by Donna Tartt - if you haven't already, that is. It starts with a little red-headed boy hanging from a tree, when his baby sister grows up she decides to find his killer, and all sorts of japes and craziness ensue. I felt a little cheated by the end, but it's so well-written the rest of the book still makes it well worth a go.

[Goth Blonde]

Nothin' but SUE (A Series of Unfortunate Events )

[Godslayer Jillian]

Umm... why are you saying that's gothic? Is it because you saw a T-shirt of the movie in Hot Topic?

[roserougesang]

I do enjoy the Unfortunate Events book (hell, I've even got two of the books on iPod audiobook) but they are nowhere near being classified gothic literature.

Try Le Fanu's Carmilla or Frankenstein.

By the way Jillian, would Portrait of Dorian Grey be within the 'gothic' genre?

[DrenchedInGin]

Originally Posted by roserougesang

By the way Jillian, would Portrait of Dorian Grey be within the 'gothic' genre?

I don't know if it technically fits within that genre or not, but I think it certainly has that gothy feel to it, with it's exploration of the concepts of hedonism, brutality and beauty as anti-moral, and the wonderful supernatural element. Good call! I love that book.

[Godslayer Jillian]

Well, Oscar Wilde was a Meterialist in the Victorian era, and the Victoria style exists now mainly as a fashion style among rich goths.
The story has a dark enough plot and is very cynic.
Whatever it is, it's been my favorite classic of all times.
I really don't reccomend it to anyone.


READ IT, PEOPLE!!

[DrenchedInGin]

Full of the most wonderful quotes:

We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.

All art is quite useless.

(From the Preface.)

Well, The Picture of Dorian Grey is listed on The Literary Gothic and that's good enough for me!

(As an aside, wouldn't it be fun to have a 'Dorian Grey' type portrait done of oneself? Mine would probably wear an expression of intense embarrassment from all those foot-in-mouth moments...)

Jillian, I'd love to browse your bookshelf. I suspect we share a lot of similar tastes.

[Goth Blonde]

Originally Posted by Godslayer Jillian

Umm... why are you saying that's gothic? Is it because you saw a T-shirt of the movie in Hot Topic?

I never saw it on a T-shirt-no-, but I dont find it goth. It's just that they're the only books worth reading at my age.

[DrenchedInGin]

Originally Posted by Goth Blonde

I never saw it on a T-shirt-no-, but I dont find it goth. It's just that they're the only books worth reading at my age.

If you like this type of thing, have you ever read anything by Diana Wynne Jones? 'Charmed Life' is terrific.

[Goth Blonde]

No... 1.I'm not 8. Two(my two button won't work).It's not at that age level.

[maggot]

Why not just type twelve?
At 12, I was reading much more advanced literature than that. At 13, I was reading full adult-sized novels (things roughly 600 pages) and political satire (like '1984')

[DrenchedInGin]

Originally Posted by Goth Blonde

No... 1.I'm not 8. Two(my two button won't work).It's not at that age level.

*wince* The Force is strong, in this one.

It was sarcasm, child. We know how old you are. Sarcasm can be your friend, it can be taken as a gentle hint.

There is a lot of excellent literature around for people of your age level, some of it even neatly falls into the gothic category, if that's something you're interested in. Here's a chance to broaden your horizons!

How about Edith Nesbit? Read any of her stuff? She was writing late 19th - early 20th century. I have a bit of a thing about her, she was an incredible woman in many ways and I was raised on her writings.

She wrote several series, ostensibly for children but like all the best kids' writing, it is also designed to be enjoyed at an adult level. If you enjoyed the Lemony Snickett books you could certainly handle her writing style.

She also wrote a number of very dark short stories for adults that certainly have a gothic feel. I love The Power of Darkness, especially.

[A Simple Poet]

*wince* The Force is strong, in this one.

Gin, you SLAY me. I found this both simaltaneously appropriate and ridiculously humorous at the same time.

Yes, to Dorian Gray being Gothic.

No, to Lemony Snicket (although it seems it might have the tendencies to lean that way ... doesn't it. But not quite).

[nuksaa]

Originally Posted by Godslayer Jillian

Hyperion. You have no idea how the saga changed my way of viewing life.

Definitely and he followed it up with equally stimulating Endymion. And I would have to throw in the book I mention before "I am Legend" for 20th century Gothic.

[Draconysius]

I just saw the most TOTALLY gothic movie EVaR!!! It was haunted Mansion and it was so kewl! I mean dewd it took place in sum run down old mansion involvd ghostes and had themes about society! It even had a whole BLACK family lolz! Therefore, it is gothic!!! :| That's the logic of some people, you know. *cough*

[LadyTsepish]

Two books to add:
Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (Don't judge this book by it's cover, please)

[Draconysius]

Here's another to add: "the Plucker" by Brom
It's basically a tale about a child's jack-in-the-box getting abandoned and fighting with different emotions. "Am I forgotten? Does he love me anymore?" Eventually, hehas to fight for the boy's life against a malicious spirit from an African doll. It's in a very storybook-esque structure, but it isn't for children. Do give it a chance.