The Gothic Genre

'Great Expectations' is part of the tradition of Victorian Gothic novels. Gothic fiction, sometimes referred as Gothic horror, is a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. The typical motifs of a Gothic novel includes suspense, horror, fear and superstition with a taste of medievel. Gothic literature is often intimately associated with Gothic architecture, a style prevalent in western Europe from 12th through to the 15th century and characterised by pointed arches, rib vaulting and emphasis on verticality and the impression of height. The term gothic suggested anything dark, sinister and mysterious.

The novel 'Great Expectations' contains many gothic elements: 

> SUFFERING

Miss Havisham seeks revenge, she selfishly makes both Estella and Pip suffer, only to bring suffering upon herself. In the end, Estella will not love her as she has raised her to have no heart. 

Estella causes her own suffering when she chooses to marry Drummle. 

> FORESHADOWING USING WEATHER & NATURE

The mist on the marshes symbolise danger and uncertainty. From the very beginning of the novel and as interpreted in the BBC productions, there is terror right from the start as Pip is threatened by Magwitch on the marshes. From then on, the audience is warned by the appearance of mist and significantly when Pip travels to London after receiving his fortune, he has to go past mist, foreshadowing that an apparently positive development in his life may have dangerous consequences. 

> PARTING OF LOVERS 

From the very beginning, we, as the audience know that Estella and Pip belong together but Dickens creates tension within the text, Estelle appears as cold, cynical and manipulative but we do not question her love for Pip. 

> MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE

Dicken keeps us guessing, feeding us information little by little. The big reveal that Estella is actually Magwitch's daughter shocks us, this means that, Estella is ironically from a lower class system to Pip. 

Even to the end of the story, there is no real conclusion to whether Pip and Estella get together, leaving the ending in suspense and passed onto the readers' hands to decide. 

> COINCIDENCE IN EVENTS - ALMOST SUPERNATURAL IN NATURE 

Who would have thought that all these events taken place in the book and the cause of suffering and terror all originate from the one event in which a poor bride was left at the alter - all the central characters are somehow connected and important to the development of the story. 

>>>Back to defining the meaning of gothic

Gothic can be seen in different lights, varying from gothic novels to gothic architecture to gothic artwork such as paintings to clothing, objects, furniture and nature. 

The images below match my understanding of the general characteristics of the term Gothic. 

Available from: http://www.deviantart.com/art/mist-II-112097868
Last accessed: 16th Jan 2014

Gothic scenery is very important, used to achieve a dark mood. I chose a photo black and white photo of a path going into the woods. The mist is creepy, you can't see much ahead and gives you scary feeling that something sinister is waiting at the end of the road. Again, the feeling of uncertainty is evoked by the mists in 'Great Expectations'. 

Available from: http://marco-art.deviantart.com/art/Hide-and-seek-204662185
Last accessed: 16th Jan 2014 

This again, is a gothic setting. The detail on the staircase feels quite Victorian and the decaying and ageing of it reminds me of Miss Havisham's house.  

Available from: http://www.deviantart.com/art/Gothic-Revival-Chair-DETAIL-28438482
Last accessed: 16th Jan 2014

I found this, and immediately thought the pattern was very gothic, it reminds me of the detail you see in medieval churches, with the very angular arches and vertical design.

Ophelia Painting by John Everett
Available from: www.kingsgalleries.com Last Accessed: 20th January 2014

This is a very famous painting from the Victorian Era. Although bright colours are used, I feel that the actual subject of the painting is very gothic and morbid. 

Stiff pose Victorian postmortem photograph
Available from: www.mdolla.com Last accessed: 20th Jan 2014

Believe it or not this is a photograph of a corpse. It was a very popular form of art during the Victorian era. The dead were photographed so they could be remembered. Child mortality rates in the Victorian Era was high and sometimes, the only photos a family would have together were postmortem photographs. 

I find the one above extremely creepy, it is unnatural. Keeping the eyes of the dead open and propping them up with a stand is extremely twisted, dark and gothic.