Research on Gothic settings...

Research states that Goths where first formed in what we now know as Sweden, however their king led them to the southern area of the Baltic Sea. They then separated into two groups called the Visigoths (West Goths) and the Ostrogoths (East Goths) because of where they ruled. It was centuries until, during the Renaissance period, the word ‘Gothic’ was discovered by the Europeans and used as a word to describe the unusual architecture of the Greco-Roman culture. It was due to novels having settings of these unusual architectures that the idea of Gothic literature came about. Gothic literature was at its prime during around 1765 to the mid 1800s and it falls under the romantic literature category.

The setting of a gothic novel is highly important as it introduces the atmosphere of gloom, mystery and suspense but also links the decaying, ruined and deteriorating scenery to relate to the idea of a once successful world. Gothic settings usually feature mediavel aspects and ruined/derelict buildings which shows the interest that the authors at the time had for Gothic architecture which has rubbed off into their literature. I found out that the main settings in gothic literature feature a setting in a decaying and mysterious castle where the main action takes place. Linked to the castle, there is often an ancient prophecy to create anxiety and allow questions to form in the readers minds. Also, creating an atmosphere of mystery and suspense helps unravel the fear of the unknown. Omens, portents or visions may occur which may link to future events or be purely to scare.  There are often supernatural events such as ghosts or inanimate objects. Also, emotion is raised in a way that each event has more emphasis that would do in an ordinary novel; anger and sadness are often key emotions. Women in the book also may be threatened by a male whose characteristics are overpowering and impulsive which often leads to the setting of a woman in distress so that the readers feel sympathetic. Also, the vocabulary used helps create the gothic setting in a novel.

"The early Gothic novels conform pretty much to a pattern. The settings are black forests, haunted castles, ruined abbeys and mouldering tombs." (Preu, 1958)

:):)