The Origins of Gothic Literature
“The Origins of Horror Literature” is a weekly series by West 10th’s Editor-in-Chief Travis Schuhardt during the month of October, explaining how the Gothic and Horror genres developed, offering recommendations on which classic Gothic tales and modern horror stories to check out, and discussing some horror-themed journals to submit your writing to during the Halloween season.
October 14th. Truly the midst of the Halloween season. And there’s no better way to get into the spirit of the season than a deep dive into the murky, terrifying territories of Gothic Literature and Horror Fiction. Each week, we will be exploring the surprising history of Gothic Literature, and recommending modern day horror stories to keep you up at night.
Many people believe the Gothic genre began and ended with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and this is simply not the case. The first tale that truly sparked an interest in the Gothic — and defined a lot of what we consider Gothic today — was written by a man named Horace Walpole and was called The Castle of Otranto.
Before we talk about the story, however, you need a little context. Horace Walpole was born in the early 18th century, and, if you were to go to London around that time, you would see very few medieval-looking castles, and those you would see would have fallen into disuse and disrepair. Buildings constructed in the Medieval Era were windowless and uncomfortable, cold and dank; if you were a member of the nobility in the 18th century, very reasonably you would want to live somewhere warmer, more comfortable. Many members of the nobility, were they to own a castle from their ancestors, would even tear them down for parts to build other residences.
Horace Walpole did not own a castle. One day, however, he decided that he wanted one. Thus, he began constructing his own castle. He called it Strawberry Hill House, and built it in the medieval style, but differed slightly in that he included stained-glass windows that you might see in churches. This style laid the foundation for a Gothic revival in the architecture of London.
But what does this have to do with literature? Well, whilst living in Strawberry Hill House, Horace Walpole, as the story goes, had a nightmare about a floating suit of armor that took place in the house that he lived, a Gothic-styled Castle. So, when he went to write down his dream and turn it into a novel, he wrote a story that took place in a castle that involved ghosts haunting suits of armor, as well as other supernatural elements. These elements came to define the Gothic genre of literature, all the way to today’s modern Gothic, informing even series like Scooby-Doo.
The spooky terrors that come to mind when we all think of Halloween night — the ghosts, the ghouls, the castles, the monsters — all sprouted from the nightmare of one man, living in his fake castle in the 18th century.
If you’d like to check out The Castle of Otranto, you can find the entire book online at this link:
I, personally, would not recommend the read, as it can be a bit slow and confusing, but it is there if you’d like to see the origins of the Gothic genre.
Reading Recommendation: As for stories I would recommend to get you in the Halloween mood, Brian Evenson’s short story No Matter Which Way We Turned is a spooky, quick, two-page read that’s great to share around a campfire or even in your room by candlelight if you’re looking for a scare, or to be just a little unsettled. If you read it, let us know what you think!
Places to Submit: Don’t think we’d leave you out to dry with no places to submit. Check out these places to submit your Halloween-themed or horror writings!
1. If you’re interested in writing Folktales, or have a great local horror story from back home, try here:
https://www.nosetouchpress.com/call/
The requirements are 4,000-8,000 words and submissions open November 1st and run until January, so you have all of Halloween season (and beyond) to inspire you.
2. If you’re already sitting on a horror story or some dark fiction that just needs a little touch up, then I’d recommend submitting to LampLight:
https://lamplightmagazine.com/submissions/
Up to 7,000 words; submissions open on October 15th and close December 15th. This publication does publish reprints, meaning if you already have a horror story posted somewhere, say a blog of sorts, you can still submit here as well!
3. You can submit your poems, short stories, and artwork to us starting today! Click the submit tab to find out how. This is not a horror or Halloween themed submission; just send us your best! We’re open until mid-December. Hope to see your work there!
Thank you for reading, be sure to subscribe and check back every week for stories, poems, reading recommendations, and places to submit your work!
All historical information in this article comes from the NYU class “Gothic Literature.”