Black Classic: A Discussion on Gothic Novels in Britain

Author: Li Weifang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: In the history of Western literature, numerous influential novel genres have emerged. One of the most influential and unique among them is the Gothic novel popular in England during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In short, the Gothic novel is a genre of horror and supernatural fiction, a distinctive form of historical romance, and a fantastical representation of past history and exotic cultures. Through various cultural and political reflections, it holds significance for modern readers. These novels typically feature medieval castles, monasteries, ruins, or wilderness as their settings, depicting extraordinary stories filled with mystery and terror, driven by persecution, murder, or other events stemming from the pursuit of personal desires or property disputes. In these novels, everything is exaggerated to an extreme, leaving no room for anything ordinary, commonplace, or mundane, hence the alternative name "black novels." Due to the "black" nature of Gothic novels, they have always been placed on the fringes of non-classical literature in the history of world fiction, receiving relatively low evaluations. In both Western and Chinese literary criticism, they have faced varying degrees of neglect and disdain. However, as a form of novel writing, they have had a profound influence on European Romantic literature.