Gothic Literature
A darkened room and a secret passage, a beautiful heroine in a flowing nightgown, candles that go out and doors that mysteriously open are all trademarks of the gothic literature tradition. Dark and stormy nights where a young woman is trapped in an unfamiliar place with individuals who have nefarious purposes are the norm and unfortunately for a heroine in a gothic novel, it is unlikely that she will make it out of the story unscathed. So ingrained are the icons and stereotypes of the gothic tradition that they are still found in horror or suspense to this day, as well as those which parody the style. In works of gothic literature, there are characteristics which clearly classify the novels into the genre and without these trademark criterion, the novel cannot be claimed to be part of the gothic branch of literary works. Both Ann Radcliffe's The Italian and…...

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Works Cited:

Austen, Jane. Northanger Abbey. Mineola, NY: Dover, 2000. Print.

Broadwell, Elizabeth. "The Veil Image in Ann Radcliffe's The Italian." South Atlantic Bulletin.

(40:4). 1975. 76-87. Print.

Burke, Edmund. A Philosophical Inquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful. University of Adelaide, 1757. Print.

Contact in Canadian Literature: The Use of Gothic Elements in the Negotiation of Cultural Differences between Settlers and Indigenous Nations Introduction
Common elements of gothic literature include mystery, fear, omens, curses, preternatural settings, gloomy atmospheres with a hint of being haunted, some dimension of the supernatural, romance, an arch-villain, nightmare situations, anti-heroes and ladies in distress (Mulvey-Roberts; Smith). Popular examples on both sides of the Atlantic include works by the Bronte sisters, works by Poe, and Shelley’s Frankenstein. The gothic was a popular genre form in the 19th century. It was romantic, vibrant, dark, brooding, frightening, exciting, and visceral. It resonated with readers because after a century of Enlightenment (hyper-emphasis on reason and naturalism), the romantic era had ushered in something desperately needed: feeling. Thus, authors of the 19th century, like Duncan Campbell Scott and Pauline Johnson, found elements of the gothic genre to be a useful way to explore and express…...

Relationship of "The Old English Baron" and "Vathek" to 18th Century English Gothic Fiction
The rise of Gothic fiction in English literature coincided with the advent of the Romantic Era at the end of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th century. Gothic masterpieces such as Shelley's Frankenstein, Lewis's The Monk, and Stoker's Dracula would capture the imagination by fueling it with the flames of horror, suspense, other-worldliness and mystery. These elements are significant because the Age of Enlightenment had been characterized by a cold, objective, analytical focus on nature and humankind. It had been based on the concept that reason was sufficient to explain all events in the world and in fact all creation. Yet as Shakespeare's Hamlet reminded readers, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, / Than are dreamt of in your philosophy" (Shakespeare 1.5.167-168). Part of this interest in the Gothic was inspired by…...

The lack of rights within marriage that makes women basically "property" to the man is obviously central to this story, as indicated by the way in which Maria is imprisoned. There are a variety of ways in which this most disturbing of issues is addressed in the book. Women who are married loose control over their own bodies, and are required to submit to caresses to which their soul does not consent. One woman in the madhouse is, in fact, there specifically because she could not tolerate her husband's caresses. "she had been married, against her inclination, to a rich old man,... In consequence of his treatment... she had... lost her senses." (1.39) Not only is a woman prone to institutionalized rape, but she also has no right to require the man to remain as he was before they wed. Maria declaims bitterly of how her husband deteriorates into a…...

The very description of the dog conjures up an image of a massive dog, wearing a studded and dangerous collar, salivating in wait for any evil attempt at entering the castle.
The mastiff old did not awake,

Yet she an angry moan did make!

And what can ail the mastiff *****?

Never till now she uttered yell

Beneath the eye of Christabel" (Coleridge)

Christabel fails to heed the warning of the mastiff, and so, her fate is sealed. The image of the mastiff is cruel and powerful, and yet, Geraldine's power is even stronger, for she can keep the mastiff still and keep the warning from registering with Christabel. Thus, her evil is powerful indeed, more powerful than the other gothic motifs in the poem.

8. The dead mother is yet another important motif in the poem. She adds to the tragedy of Christabel's life, and Coleridge makes it quite clear Geraldine is far more powerful…...

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References

Ashton, Rosemary. "The Life of Samuel Taylor Coleridge." University of Alberta. 1996. 15 March 2007.  http://www.ualberta.ca/~dmiall/Gothic/Christabel.htm 

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. "Christabel." University of Virginia. 1999. 15 March 2007.  http://etext.virginia.edu/stc/Coleridge/poems/Christabel.html 

Hogle, Jerrold E. "Christabel' as Gothic: The Abjection of Instability." Manchester University Press. 2005. 15 March 2007. http://journals.mup.man.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pdfdisp//MUPpdf/GOTH/V7I1/070018.pdf

Gothic Cathedrals and Light
From the end of the 12th century for at least two centuries architecture underwent a revolution known as Gothic. Much like classical architecture, changes in building paralleled changes in culture. Gothic works tended to be tall, inspiring, and meant to withstand the ravages of time. Structural improvements were massive, and even though this era only lasted 200 years, it would have a profound effect on any building style from then on. The epitome of the style was, of course, the cathedral, which was meant to convey humanity's communication with God. The technological improvements that allowed arches, high ceilings, and massive glass works were specific to the larger than life view of the Church, and to inspire the peasantry when attending special services (Frankl, 2001).

Gothic art and architecture is a Medieval movement that evolved out of omanesque art, in the mid-12th century, in Europe. It spread throughout Europe…...

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REFERENCES

Cahill, T. Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Beginnings of the Modern World. (New York: Anchor Press, 2008).

Charles, V. Gothic Art. (New York: Parkstone Press, 2008).

Erlande-Brandenburg, A. The Abbey Church of Saint-Denis. (Paris: Societe Internationale de Diffusion et d'Etdition: 1990). Retrieved from:  http://saint-denis.monuments-nationaux.fr/ 

Fitchen, J. The Construction of Gothic Cathedrals. (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1990).

This type of fluidization announces the Renaissance and is probably an expression of the new opening that the society goes through as it comes out of the Middle Ages. A greater creative expression in literature or painting, for example, had to be matched by a similar trend in architecture.
Another interesting comparison with the previous Gothic styles is the fact that, in the past, the Gothic style was used almost exclusively for religious constructions, notably churches. With the Flamboyant Gothic, numerous secular buildings, either town halls, castles or individual houses are built in this style, more appropriate for the expression of an individual home.

Ornament seems to be the common denominator for most of the constructions that were created in a Flamboyant Gothic style starting with the middle of the 14th century and all the way into the 16th century. The preference for ornament over the simple construction elements has made…...

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Bibliography

1. A history of the Gothic period of Art and Architecture. 1995. On the Internet at retrieved on December 4, 2008http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Arts/Architec/MiddleAgesArchitectural/GothicArchitecture/GothicArtArchitecture/GothicArtArchitecture.htm.Last

2. Flamboyant Gothic. 1910. On the Internet at retrieved on December 4, 2008 history of the Gothic period of Art and Architecture. 1995. On the Internet at http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Arts/Architec/MiddleAgesArchitectural/GothicArchitecture/GothicArtArchitecture/GothicArtArchitecture.htm.Last retrieved on December 4, 2008http://www.oldandsold.com/articles10/architecture-9.shtml.Last

Flamboyant Gothic. 1910. On the Internet at retrieved on December 4, 2008http://www.oldandsold.com/articles10/architecture-9.shtml.Last

William of Occam formulated the principle of Occam's Razor, which held that the simplest theory that matched all the known facts was the correct one. At the University of Paris, Jean Buridan questioned the physics of Aristotle and presaged the modern scientific ideas of Isaac Newton and Galileo concerning gravity, inertia and momentum when he wrote:

...after leaving the arm of the thrower, the projectile would be moved by an impetus given to it by the thrower and would continue to be moved as long as the impetus remained stronger than the resistance, and would be of infinite duration were it not diminished and corrupted by a contrary force resisting it or by something inclining it to a contrary motion (Glick, Livesay and Wallis 107)

Thomas Bradwardine and his colleagues at Oxford University also anticipated Newton and Galileo when they found that a body moving with constant velocity travels distance and time…...

Skin Shows: Gothic Horror and the Technology of Monstrosity by Judith Halberstam
The Gothic Tradition

Judith Halberstam discusses many different facets of the Gothic tradition in the first chapter of her book entitled Skin Shows: Gothic Horror and the Technology of Monstrosity. For the most part, this chapter is extremely dense and fragmented. The author spends the bulk of it discussing several different aspects of the Gothic, and telling the reader about things that she "will" discuss. As such, she covers a range of topic, yet none of them are done so in an amount of depth that will help the reader to understand the significance of these points.

Still, there are some basic points which she manages to make clear. She pinpoints the Gothic tradition as stemming from 18th century literature, and believes that this tradition has gone on to change media and reproduce itself within the medium of film. In…...

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References

Halberstam, J. (1995). Skin Shows: Gothic Horror and the Technology of Monstrosity. Durham: Duke University Press.

Portrayal of Gothic Femininities in "The Monk"
Written by Matthew Gregory Lewis in 1796, "The Monk" is a classic novel that is from Gothic literature. Female figures are used as symbols in many parts of the story, and the idea "gothic femininity" can be seen several times throughout the story. The setting fits with the Gothic theme as the story's beginning takes place in a mysterious church in Madrid, and the two main characters are both women. Leonella and her niece Antonia have come to the church to hear a great priest named Ambrosio speak, and what follows becomes both a romance and a tragedy. While waiting for Ambrosio to speak the two women tell their stories to a pair of men, Don Lorenzo and Don Christoval, and this conversation starts a chain of reactions that changes many lives. Lorenzo falls in love with Antonia, but she desires the priest Ambrosia,…...

It is interesting, however, that Coleridge chose to describe two women in a homoerotic situation since lesbianism was practically unheard of at the time whereas male homosexuality, though illegal, was at least recognized. It's even more interesting in the face of Coleridge's history of unease with women (Grossberg 152).
The two main characters in this piece are Christabel and Geraldine. Geraldine's appearance coincides with a mysterious sound that is never identified, and is but one indication of her supernatural origins. It has been suggested that Geraldine is the first appearance of a vampire in literature, though she is referred to as a witch in the text itself. She has a strongly homoerotic connection to Christabel, one of Sir Leoline's, the baron who owns the castle where the poem takes place, daughters. Christabel is enchanted by Geraldine, whether literally or figuratively, though she is terrified as well. Essentially Christabel and Geraldine…...

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Works Cited

Abrahms, M.H. (ed). "Introduction to the Gothic." Norton Anthology of English

Literature. London: W.W. Norton, 2000.

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. "Christabel." British Literature 1780-1830. Ed. Anne K.

Mellor and Richard E. Matlak. Boston: Heinle & Heinle, 1996. 721-729.

Music, Art, Literature Trends
From impressionism to pop art, jazz to hip hop, science fiction to beat poetry, artistic, musical, and literary expressions have varied considerably between 1870 and 2005. The period between the end of the nineteenth century to the current day can be generally described as the modern and postmodern eras. The beginning of the modern era, during the final decades of the nineteenth century, coincided with the Industrial evolution. Along with fascination with modern technology and optimism for the future came simultaneous disillusionment. However, modern technological advancements have made such widespread creativity possible. Social and political trends have also influenced creative endeavors, and vice-versa. Art, music, and literature are more accessible and more possible to create than they ever were in the past. The modern era has been characterized by an overall flourishing of the expressive arts, but some trends have a more lasting significance than others. For…...

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Rock music became more than just a musical trend; it also characterized the rise of the teenage culture, symbolized rebellion, and influenced political and social attitudes. Furthermore, rock and roll remains a viable creative endeavor today, and is also internationally popular, which is why the trend is so important. Beyond rock and roll, electronic music and hip hop are recent significant musical trends. Electronic music has been around for decades, and reached a peak with the advent of the rave. Electronic music remains a vital force in the industry, and has also impacted the development of hip hop. Hip-hop is yet another musical trend that coincides with social and race-related realities in the United States. The genre is so important because it represents American urban culture.

Among the literary trends between 1870 and the present day, the most significant ones include post-colonialism, science fiction, beat poetry, and horror. Post-colonial literature such as the works of Joseph Conrad brought awareness to the problems associated with the colonialist mentality. Post-colonial fiction put a human face on the very real political, social, and economic issues of the modern world. Realism was a major literary method used by post-colonial authors, who depicted their worlds with stunning detail. With the modern fascination with technological advancements, science fiction became a highly significant literary trend to emerge during the twentieth century. Science fiction originated in the early twentieth century when Orson Welles' reading of H.G. Wells' novel the War of the Worlds shocked the nation into believing that aliens had indeed attacked the United States. Science fiction literature strongly influenced television and film, too, and is responsible for the popularity of both Star Trek and Star Wars. Related to but different from science fiction, fantasy writing also emerged during this time and gave rise to the writings of J.R.R. Tolkein, whose works recently spawned motion pictures.

Another significant literary trend to emerge during the middle of the twentieth century was beat poetry and beat literature. Beat poetry was completely free verse and free form, in sharp contrast to earlier, more structured forms. Moreover, beat poetry was far more abstract than previous works. Just as modern art was becoming more abstract and expressionist, so too was literature. Another key literary trend to emerge during the past century was horror fiction. While horror derives from earlier Gothic literature as well as from science fiction, the horror genre has had a huge impact on modern literary expression. Authors like Stephen King have become immensely famous by making people afraid, and his works as well as the works of countless other horror writers have impacted the plots and themes of films and television shows.

role of religion in the history of European society is a tumultuous one. Christianity, from its obscure beginnings in the classical age, eventually took the reins as the centerpiece of philosophical, literary, and scientific thought. It is true that religion, often, tends to justify actions that might objectively be perceived as incongruous to the established faith. It has historically been the case that when traditional forms of worship become threatened, morally questionable methods are undertaken to strengthen the order. This is certainly the case with Christianity. Since the birth of the Catholic Church in the Roman Empire, Church officials have actively attempted to make their privileged positions in society impervious to assault -- this process has progressed for centuries and, indeed, tens of centuries. For many years this single faith dominated nearly every aspect of European society and was a strong force in maintaining the status quo. However, the…...

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Works Cited:

1. Haney, David P. "Christianity and Literature." Malibu, Winter Vol. 54, Iss. 2, 2005.

2. Mill, John Stuart. "Utilitarianism." Reason and Responsibility. New York: Wadsworth Publishing, 1999. Pages 571-77.

3. Shelley, Mary. "Frankenstein." The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Seventh Edition, Volume 2. New York W.W. Norton and Company, 2000. Pages 905-1033.

4. Wilde, Oscar. Literary Criticism of Oscar Wilde. Lincoln: Bison Books, 1968. Page, 233.

What Jane Eyre Does for MeJane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte, has a unique ability to engage me and evoke strong thoughts and emotions largely thanks to its depiction of complex characters, themes and symbols. Jane Eyre is a very large and long storyso there is room in it for the author to explore reality on various levels. We see Jane as a young girl and what it is like to go through the sort of trials she has to experience being essentially an orphan without a loving mother or family. We see her at her boarding school, and then as she grows up and has to learn to fend for herself as a tutor at Mr. ochesters house. It is a story that plays with genre (gothic romance), mystery (who or what is in the attic and why is Mr. ochester so strange), and the coming-of-age drama (we see Jane…...

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ReferencesBronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre.

The unusual event of resurrection is a theme particularly apparent within the stories "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "Ligeia." In the latter story resurrection occurs after the Lady Rowena's corpse finally resurrects itself into the form of Lady Ligeia. In the former story "resurrection" actually occurs when the Lady Madeline, after recovering from her cataleptic state, manages to escape from her tomb. In two of Poe's stories certain unusual and grotesque events occur that are unique to those tales. The story "illiam ilson" contains a doppelganger theme, which is unique to it. In the story "The Masque of the Red Death" the uniquely violent and unusual event is the characters unknowingly making an unfortunate encounter with the personification of the Red Death disease while they are busily engaged in their festivities.

Bizarre forms of death are a pervasive feature in Poe's short stories. Nowhere is it more pervasive…...

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Works Cited

Poe, Edgar a. "Ligeia." E.A. Poe Society of Baltimore. Oct. 23, 1999. Retrieved April 16, 2007:

 http://www.eapoe.org/works/tales/ligeiab.htm 

Poe, Edgar a. "The cask of Amontillado." E.A. Poe Society of Baltimore. Nov. 22, 1998. Retrieved April 16, 2007:

 http://www.eapoe.org/works/tales/caska.htm

To write a good thesis about this, you have to first put together what you know about early America and its approach to religion.  Obviously, the American colonies were initially established, in part, as a way for people to freely practice certain religions.  That said, they were extremely restrictive, with punishments for people who did not adhere to societal norms.  Many undesirable behaviors were not just considered undesirable, but labeled as sin.  The most dramatic example of this could be found in the witch hysteria that overtook some of the colonies and the executions and general destruction that happened surrounding....

A Comprehensive Examination of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird: Exploring Themes, Characters, and Symbolism

1. The Injustice and Innocence of Mockingbirds: A Literary Analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird

2. The Power of Empathy and Perspective in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird

3. The Complexities of Race, Class, and Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird: A Critical Examination

4. To Kill a Mockingbird: A Timeless Tale of Childhood, Loss, and Social Inequality

5. The Role of Symbolism in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird

6. Mockingbird as Metaphor: The Destruction of Innocence and the Burden of Empathy

7. The Evolution of Scout Finch: The Journey....

I. Introduction
A. Hook: Have you ever wondered about the mysterious allure of gothic fashion?
B. Background information: Explain what gothic fashion is and its origins.
C. Thesis statement: This essay will explore the elements of a gothic wardrobe and the reasons why it has captivated individuals throughout history.

II. Elements of a Gothic Wardrobe
A. Dark colors: Discuss the significance of black as the predominant color in gothic fashion.
B. Layering: Examine how layering allows gothic fashion enthusiasts to create a dramatic and mysterious look.
C. Fabrics: Analyze the importance of materials such as velvet, lace, and leather....

1. The Evolution of the Gothic Genre: From its Origins to Modern Interpretations
2. The Influence of Gothic Literature on Popular Culture
3. Gender Roles and Representations in Gothic Literature
4. The Role of the Supernatural in Gothic Fiction
5. Gothic Tropes and Stereotypes: How Do They Shape Our Understanding of the Genre?
6. The Gothic as a Response to Social and Political Realities
7. The Gothic in Film: Adaptations and Themes
8. The Psychology of Fear in Gothic Literature
9. The Subversion of Traditional Themes in Contemporary Gothic Fiction
10. Gothic Spaces and Settings: How Architecture Shapes the Narrative.
11. The Gothic Heroine: Subverting Conventional Female Archetypes in Gothic....