The Gothic Tradition in British Literature
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55544/ijrah.5.1.27Keywords:
Gothic tradition, Supernatural elements, Psychological depth, British literature, Narrative techniquesAbstract
This paper examines the Gothic tradition in British literature by tracing its origins, core themes, and historical development. It analyzes key texts and authors who have defined and transformed the genre from its emergence in the 18th century to its enduring influence on contemporary literature. Through an exploration of hallmark Gothic elements—such as atmospheric settings, supernatural phenomena, and psychological complexity—the study provides a nuanced understanding of the genre’s impact on British literary history. It highlights how Gothic fiction has shaped narrative structures and thematic concerns across various periods, adapting to reflect the anxieties and preoccupations of each era. Ultimately, this research underscores the Gothic tradition’s lasting appeal and its critical role in interrogating themes of identity, power, morality, and the unknown. By revealing the genre’s ability to evolve and engage with changing cultural and psychological landscapes, the paper affirms Gothic literature as a dynamic and enduring force in British storytelling.
Downloads
References
Brantlinger, P. (1988). Rule of darkness: British literature and imperialism, 1830–1914. Cornell University Press.
Brontë, C. (2008). Jane Eyre (M. Smith, Ed.). Oxford University Press. (Original work published 1847)
Brontë, E. (2008). Wuthering Heights (I. Jack & H. Small, Eds.). Oxford University Press. (Original work published 1847)
Du Maurier, D. (2003). Rebecca. Virago Press. (Original work published 1938)
Gilbert, S. M., & Gubar, S. (1979). The madwoman in the attic: The woman writer and the nineteenth-century literary imagination. Yale University Press.
Lewis, M. G. (1998). The monk (H. Anderson, Ed.). Oxford University Press. (Original work published 1796)
Poe, E. A. (1839). The Fall of the House of Usher. Burton's Gentleman's Magazine.
Poe, E. A. (1843). The Tell-Tale Heart. The Pioneer: A Literary and Critical Magazine.
Punter, D. (1980). The literature of terror: A history of Gothic fictions from 1765 to the present day. Longman.
Radcliffe, A. (1998). The mysteries of Udolpho (B. Dobrée, Ed.). Oxford University Press. (Original work published 1794)
Shelley, M. (1818). Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones.
Stevenson, R. L. (2003). Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (K. Linehan, Ed.). W. W. Norton & Company. (Original work published 1886)
Stoker, B. (1897). Dracula. Archibald Constable and Company.
Stoker, B. (2011). Dracula (M. Ellmann, Ed.). Oxford University Press. (Original work published 1897)
Varma, D. P. (1957). The gothic flame: Being a history of the Gothic novel in England: Its origins, efflorescence, disintegration, and residuary influences. Scarecrow Press.
Walpole, H. (2008). The Castle of Otranto (W. S. Lewis, Ed.). Oxford University Press. (Original work published 1764)
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Kapil Palaria
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
10.55544/ijrah
editor@ijrah.com | 
+91-8874396939
This work is licensed under a 