

The story of these damsels revolve around sufferings, loneliness, etc. Sufferings of women form an important part of Gothic novels. Inclusion of these elements make the Gothic novels interesting to read. Examples of such events include inanimate objects coming to life, giants walking, etc.

Such events are planted in the story to make them dramatic. The use of supernatural events is quite common in Gothic novels. The descriptions of ruins of castles in Gothic literature also give an idea about the process of decay. It basically emerged as the subgenre of Romanticism in 18th century’s England. This process is reflected in the behavior or characters. Gothicism in literature (Gothic fiction or Gothic literature) is a style of writing characterized by gloomy settings, grotesque action, supernatural elements, romance and exoticism. The stories of Gothic novels revolve around a country or royal family that is in the process of decline. The ancient curses included in these stories also make life miserable for the characters in Gothic novels. A tragic event is preceded by unlucky omens. Visions, portents and omens are the concepts quite commonly used in Gothic novels. Objects or paraphernalia which help create the Gothic atmosphere are the burial vaults, suits of armor, flickering candles, portraits, evil potions, etc. A typical Gothic atmosphere is created with the help of this element. Something that is beyond our understanding leads to the development of mystery. It is the soul of Gothic literature and governs the entire process of storytelling.

The different Gothic literature elements are dealt with, in this article. There are many aspects of Gothic literature other than terror. Human beings have a strange fascination with terror and the Gothic novels provide them (readers) with an opportunity to experience that terror, that thrill passively. Mystery and terror depicted in these novels were the factors capable of attracting attention of people and in making this form of literature popular in those times. In the nineteenth century, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu became a leading author of horror and ghost stories. The first recognized Gothic novel was Horace Walpole 's The Castle of Otranto (1764). For example, the castle was a common feature in most of the Gothic novels. Gothic literature took that further, involving horror, terror, death, omens, the supernatural, and heroines in distress. The word, Gothic became associated with this literature because of the similar settings used in the novels. The dark period of medieval times was portrayed in this literature. The Gothic form of literature was the product of socio-political conditions that prevailed in medieval Europe. His novel, The Castle of Otranto (1764) had all the ingredients that are found in Gothic novels. Horace Walpole is the novelist credited with the invention of Gothic genre.
