Theme Of Gothic Literature

Along with the start of the Gothic period in the 1760s, came many stories and poems inspired by this theme. This includes “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelly, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robbert Louis Stevenson, and “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. These stories and poem come to mind as representations of gothic literature as they are all monumental breakthroughs during its time. This is shown in the darker tones and theme that is used in each story and poem. They all shared common elements such as gloomy settings, intense emotions, and somehow always involving sadness or death. Frankenstein portrays a dark shady story with lots of deep meanings and references to other real-life problems. As it follows

Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is intense emotions that are depicted in each of the stories and poem. “I wept like a child. "Dear mountains! my own beautiful lake! how do you welcome your wanderer? Your summits are clear; the sky and lake are blue and placid. Is this to prognosticate peace, or to mock at my unhappiness?" shows a child crying lost and scared in the dense forest (Shelly, 75) This is another way of showing that people that are lost and always feel fear are never gone as knowing that there is something unknown can drive someone mad. “And every tongue, through utter drought, Was withered at the root; We could not speak, no more than if We had been choked with soot” depicts intense emotion by how nature will not always provide and the desperation of survival is close when in danger (Coleridge, Line 54-58). This follows the element of intense emotion as life is something people would protect with crush acts. "I never saw a circle of such hateful faces; and there was the man in the middle, with a kind of black sneering coolness—frightened to, I could see that—but carrying it off, sir, really like Satan” shows the evil within all people and how it can be drawn out through our actions (Stevenson,4) 4). The intense emotion shown in this quote shows that the hate in our hearts and the corruption that fills us may overtake our body and can be the voice

As the literary elements are not just some coincidence that is shown between the writings of these stories and poem. This bridges the relationship between the writers and their works of art but, even with all the similarities it always comes with differences. This is shown in each book with the way they show the gothic element. As The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is very upfront about its elements while in Frankenstein has the deeper meaning. Also in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, you had to read between the lines to understand the meanings. This bringing the gothic style through its many variations throughout