The Enduring Appeal of Gothic Fiction

Zoe Spencer

Gothic fiction is a timeless genre concerned with fear, power, and the supernatural,
offering a mirror to the deepest anxieties of society and the individual. From Dracula to Rebecca, the novels explore the darkness within us and around us and as the genre evolves, Zoe explores how its allure remains as captivating as ever.

Gothic fiction—a genre as captivating as it is enduring—has never faded in popularity.
However, it is currently experiencing a significant renaissance evidenced by Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu remake, Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming interpretation of Frankenstein, and a wave of modern Gothic novels. This revival speaks to a continued fascination with the genre’s ability to encapsulate emergent anxieties while exploring themes such as power and oppression, the corruption of innocence, the duality of humanity, the tension between conventional reality and the supernatural, and the disintegration of the human psyche.

At its core, Gothic fiction is an atmospheric genre that spans human fears, desires, and
everything in between, using a dark and often unsettling lens. But why, despite originating in the 18th century, does it still hold such power over audiences today?
Gothic fiction holds a mirror to our deepest cultural fears and provides a space to explore the human struggles we often find difficult to articulate. Societal tensions manifest through tormented characters and uncomfortable settings, forcing us to confront unsettling truths about ourselves and our relationships with others. These elements remain as relevant and compelling as ever, resonating with contemporary readers and viewers.

The Appeal of the Uncanny in Gothic Fiction

One of the salient reasons Gothic Fiction endures is its ability to tap into our deep-seated fascination with the uncanny. Freud’s concept of the “Uncanny” (Unheimlich) refers to the unsettling sensation that something is simultaneously familiar and unknown. Unlike modern horror, which often relies on explicit gore, shock value, and jump scares, Gothic horror delves into deeper, more existential fears. It captivates by focusing on the unknown—where what might be there is often scarier than what is.
Ann Radcliffe, a pioneer of Gothic fiction and author of The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), distinguished between terror and horror, noting that, “Terror and horror are so far opposite, that the first expands the soul and awakens the faculties to a high degree of life; the other contracts, freezes, and nearly annihilates them.” The Gothic genre thrives on this distinction, exploring how characters become consumed by their fear of the uncanny, the unexplainable supernatural forces that pursue them. It embraces speculation, leaving room for ambiguity and fear, ensuring its relevance across time and cultures.

Gothic Fiction as a reflection of society’s collective fears

Another reason Gothic fiction remains so popular is its ability to reflect the fears and
anxieties of its time. Like Shakespeare’s plays, which mirrored the societal tensions of his era, Gothic fiction functions as a social barometer, engaging with cultural and political shifts while using supernatural and psychological elements to evoke collective unease.

One prominent fear Gothic fiction explores is the potential dangers advanced science and the ethical transgression that may follow. As Andrew Smith, Professor of Nineteenth-Century English Literature at the University of Sheffield, told me:

“What is interesting to me is that these are texts, especially Frankenstein, which are repeatedly adapted because that anxiety speaks to our own concerns about science and experimentation. Does tampering with DNA for medical purposes create new, life-saving possibilities, or does it somehow seem unnatural?”

In Frankenstein, Victor's obsessive pursuit of scientific discovery leads to the creation of a monster, raising questions about humanity’s capacity to control the consequences of its own actions. This fear of scientific transgression has kept Gothic horror relevant, echoing works like The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) by Oscar Wilde, which critiques the consequences of unchecked moral and ethical decay.

Another enduring theme in Gothic fiction is the fear of the "other." The creature in
Frankenstein is an outsider—created, abandoned, and then shunned by society for his
monstrous appearance. Similarly, Dracula is a foreigner whose existence challenges
Victorian norms, symbolising the fear of the unknown and the unfamiliar. These characters serve as metaphors for those on the fringes of society, whether due to physical disparity, moral corruption, or fear of the misunderstood.

Gothic fiction also taps into fears surrounding loss of control, surveillance, and manipulation. In Rebecca (1938) by Daphne du Maurier, the protagonist’s life is overshadowed by the lingering presence of her husband’s first wife, whose memory and influence dictates every aspect of their household. Through its portrayal of power dynamics and psychological manipulation, Gothic fiction reflects our own anxieties about autonomy and the erosion of personal freedom.

Gothic Fiction and the Human Psyche

Beyond its cultural reflections, Gothic fiction is also an intimate exploration of the human psyche. It delves into themes of hidden identities, repressed desires, and psychological decay. A recurring theme in Gothic novels is the constant internal battle between the person we are and the person we might want to become, reflecting the sentiment that individuals can harbour darkness in excess.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) exemplifies this. Dr. Jekyll’s
transformation into Mr. Hyde symbolises the tension between the self we present to society and the self we attempt to conceal. Similarly, The Picture of Dorian Gray explores the duality of self, with Dorian’s portrait reflecting his inner corruption as he seeks eternal youth at the cost of his soul. These works suggest that the human psyche is unstable; perhaps the line between good and evil is more ambiguous than we often care to admit.

Mental Hospital of Bethlehem, 1860. F. Vizetelly 

Mental illness was often depicted as its own kind of supernatural phenomenon in Gothic fiction. Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper (1892) delves into the mind of a woman suffering from postpartum depression, illustrating how isolation and confinement can lead to psychological collapse resulting in eerie consequences. Wuthering Heights (1847) by Emily Brontë similarly examines mental and emotional deterioration, exacerbated by isolation, jealousy, and obsession.

Meanwhile, Dracula (1897) by Bram Stoker and modern adaptations of Nosferatu (1922) explore both anxieties about and fascinations with repressed sexual desire. The vampire, as a symbol of unrestrained passion and illicit longing, embodies society’s fears surrounding sexual liberation and the consequences of unleashing one’s suppressed urges. These works resonate because they speak to our own fears of isolation, trauma, and psychological decay. Whether it’s the anxiety of repression or the fear of losing control, Gothic fiction provides a way to confront and understand the complexities of the human psyche.

Women in Gothic Fiction

Women have always been central to Gothic fiction, both as writers and characters. Ellen
Moers coined the term 'Female Gothic' in 1976 to describe Gothic novels written by women that express fears of entrapment and oppression. These stories often depict women as social outsiders, forced to navigate the oppressive structures that confine them—themes that still resonate in a world still dominated by male authority.

Andrew Smith explains:

“A lot of the early Gothic writers were women and Ann Radcliffe
was the best-selling novelist of the eighteenth century. It has been critically acknowledged that the Female Gothic emerged at the end of the eighteenth century as a form in which women reflected on their social and economic hardships.
Villainous men were typically represented as sexual and economic predators that had to be fended off. The heroines were often rewarded with a socially advantageous marriage, which might sound a bit conservative to modern ears, but these are stories of social advancement and were radical for their time.”

Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), Brontë’s Jane Eyre (1847), and du Maurier’s Rebecca (1938) all explore women trapped by patriarchal structures, caught between societal constraints and their desires for freedom. These themes highlight how women have historically navigated oppressive forces in pursuit of autonomy.

Gothic settings, with their crumbling structures, mirror the emotional decay women experience as they are forced to suppress their emotions and desires. These spaces of domestic fortitude and submission appear throughout Gothic fiction, resonating in contemporary contexts where societal expectations still constrain women’s roles.

In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley explores themes of creation, abandonment, and oppression through female characters like Justine, Elizabeth, and Safie. In Dracula, Lucy and Mina embody the internal conflict between the New Woman ideal emerging in society and Victorian expectations of sexual passivity, reflecting the shifting views on female autonomy.

Gothic fiction has long provided a platform for female empowerment, allowing women to confront their fears and challenge the oppressive systems of their time. Whether as tragic heroines, victims, or monsters, these narratives offer women a space to explore and assert their voices in a genre that has consistently reflected their struggles.

Gothic fiction’s lasting appeal lies in its enduring ability to explore the darkest corners of the human psyche while addressing universal fears, desires, and moral complexities. Whether through themes of duality, repression, or the loss of control, the genre continues to evolve, mirroring society’s shifting anxieties while maintaining its dark and intriguing literary allure. From terrifying supernatural elements to the deep psychological unraveling of its characters, Gothic fiction remains a powerful tool for psychological exploration and cultural reflection. As a mirror to the human experience, it remains as compelling and relevant today as it ever was.