10 Classic Gothic Books and Stories That Defined the Genre

Gothic books and stories are an important part of literary historyand several are genre-defining titles. The term is often vague, but, in essence, gothic stories provoke fear in the reader. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean horror either. Many terrifying books that are not classified as horror are classified as gothic because of their frightening themes.

Gothic narratives can be identified in several ways. For example, being set in a cold and mysterious location like a castle, presenting a supernatural or paranormal threat, or delving into the inner workings of a character’s psyche. Many of these classic books and short stories have also inspired the best gothic horror films and TV shows, although the original literature always stands out.

10

Frankenstein (1818)

Written by Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley Frankenstein is the original science fiction story, and its incredible romance is often considered the launching point of the genre. The creation of Victor Frankenstein’s monster has greatly inspired literature and broadcast media over the years, and there are also two next Frankenstein films scheduled for release in 2025.

Frankenstein is a title that stands out in Gothic literature because of its eerie imagery and haunting narrative, but most importantly because of the titular character’s iconic experiment. Shelley’s groundbreaking novel presents the monster as a figure who represents an ethical debate about who deserves to have the power of life in their hands.

Although the monster is to be feared, he is also tormented by a conscience that never asks, a quality prominent in the most iconic depictions of FrankensteinIt’s the monster of horror movies. Frankenstein and its monster are staples of the gothic and science fiction genresand they are so remarkable that there are even comedies in the story, like Strange Sciencefor example.

9

The Telltale Heart (1843)

Written by Edgar Allan Poe

Many Netflix audiences are familiar with Edgar Allan Poe The Fall of the House of Usherone TV show based on several of his novels and poems, including probably his most famous work, The revealing heart. The revealing heart is a powerful and horrific story about a nameless man who slowly loses his sanity as he recounts the murder of his neighbor and the burial of the old man’s remains beneath the floorboards, only to constantly hear the beating of a heart.

Poe’s language and imagery are impressive throughout the tale, and he creates a tense and disturbing atmosphere with each line. The revealing heart is a brilliant gothic story because the narrator’s psyche is so erratic that it’s hard to know what to believe, and the shocking details of how he dismembers his neighbor and is tortured by a noise in his head are very horror-coded. Edgar Allan Poe inspired several horror films, but this particular title is memorable because of how disturbing his narration is.

8

Wuthering Heights (1847)

Written by Emily Brontë

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë is a defining title in both Gothic and Romantic literatureand the touching but strange love triangle between Cathy, Heathcliff and Edgar proves it. There are several Wuthering Heights adaptations that are worth watching too, each of which offers a unique insight into the Earnshaws and Lintons who grew up on the Yorkshire Moors and struggled to choose love and social status.

The romance between Cathy and Heathcliff, and later Edgar, is even more impactful across generations. The non-linear narrative adds detailed layers to Heathcliff’s point of view especially.

It’s very scary when Heathcliff digs up Cathy’s grave and hugs her decomposing corpse, but this also represents his never-ending love for her in life and death, which is a very gothic image. The biopic of Emily Brontë Emilywhich is partially fictional, investigates the author’s writing Wuthering Heightsand it’s definitely worth checking out to better understand how her novel changes the gothic genre.

7

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886)

Written by Robert Louis Stevenson

Novel by Robert Louis Stevenson Strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and a fascinating take on the classic story of good versus evil. The disturbing events of the book focus on Jekyll’s attempts to keep his unbalanced side under control, although this often fails, and the two sides of the man’s personality are at constant war with each other.

Jekyll’s laboratory is a great gothic setting as it is where he prepares the serum to try and stop Hyde’s inner demon from taking over. Stevenson’s work has resulted in several Jekyll and Hyde movies and TV shows, but with some interesting twists.

For example, the BBC series stars James Nesbitt as a descendant of Jekyll, while the 2023 Hammer title Doctor Jekyll the gender swaps villains. Strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and a fantastic narrative that delves into deep psychological themes, but it also awakens fear in its readers, especially because Jekyll cannot physically or mentally escape his worst enemy.

6

Dracula (1897)

Written by Bram Stoker

Dracula and one of the most notable vampire stories of all timeand Bram Stoker’s characters are iconic literary figures who have transcended the source material. The best Dracula The films are only possible because of Stoker’s 1897 novel, which follows lawyer Jonathan Harker staying at the titular count’s castle.

Stoker describes the vampire’s house in Transylvania as extremely Gothic, from the architecture to the interior decoration, which sets a mysterious tone. Everything in the place is dark and full of gothic images.

Of course, Van Helsing’s attempts to stop the Count are barbaric and the perfect fodder for creating some of the best monster movies of all time. Dracula is an integral title in Gothic literature, especially as is one of the first plays to portray vampires as eternally young and not as a shell of what once was a person.

5

The Turn of the Screw (1898)

Written by Henry James

Henry James’ Turn of the screw is an incredibly scary classic horror novel. The ghost story follows Miles and Flora’s new housekeeper, who believes that the orphanage is haunted when she sees two enigmatic figures appear throughout the land of the large rural property.

Turn of the screw highlights themes of class and gender, particularly through the treatment of the two brothers. There is still some debate over whether James’s novel counts as Gothic fiction, but literature is often a matter of opinion, and many consider it to be because of its references to titles such as Jane Eyre and The mysteries of Udolpho.

The supernatural elements of the story are shockingand even if they don’t seem directly threatening, they are absolutely dangerous and deadly, as proven by the play’s shocking climax and the many Turn of the screw adaptations, such as The Haunting of Bly Manor.

4

We Always Lived in the Castle (1962)

Written by Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson is best known for titles such as The Haunting of Hill Housebut an even more gothic work of hers is We always lived in the castle. The final novel of the late Jackson’s writing career is a surprising mystery tale which focuses on sisters Merricat and Constance and their lives after the suspicious deaths of their family.

The pair live with their uncle in an imposing house on the outskirts of a local village, a very gothic setting. Even the characterizations are quite gothic too, and Constance’s agoraphobia is comparable to that of Miss Havisham from Great expectationsanother legendary Gothic figure in literature.

The novel’s themes of isolation and madness are prominent throughout, and Merricat’s troubled mindset and fantastical powers are a great reflection of this. We always lived in the castle is a perfect horror book to read in the fall, filled with tension and suspense that are also ideal qualities in gothic literature.

3

The Bloody Chamber (1979)

Written by Angela Carter

The Bloody ChamberThe titular entry in Angela Carter’s 1979 publication of short stories, is a Gothic interpretation of the French folktale Bluebeard. The play is narrated by the recent teenage bride of a wealthy nobleman, whose three previous wives died under unusual circumstances.

The Bloody Chamber themes of innocence and sexuality are directly linked to its gothic label, especially the image of a white lily. The narrator loses her virginity surrounded by the flower and later discovers that they are also linked to the death of the Marquis’s deceased spouses.

The Bloody Chamber also uses many horrific, distorted visuals that represent control, such as the Marquis’ pornography collection and his disturbing makeshift memorials to his wives’ corpses. Carter’s iconic tale could easily be a fantastic pulp horror film, but surprisingly, this particular tale has yet to be adapted for the screen.

2

The Romance of the Forest (1791)

Written by Ann Radcliffe

The Romance of the Forest by Ann Radcliffe beautifully combines romance and horror to create a riveting gothic tale. The book centers on a young woman, Adeline, who is forced to join Monsieur Pierre de la Motte and his wife, who flee Paris to escape their creditors.

Adeline fits the description of a damsel in distress, but she is also compassionate and strong when needed, and the relationships she forms with various characters highlight this. Her many suitors, and those she also falls in love with, make Adeline a sought-after heroine.

The majority The Romance of the Forest is set in a desolate, ruined abbey surrounded by a remote foresta hauntingly gothic setting that encapsulates the tone of the book well. The Romance of the ForestThe aesthetic, both in its descriptions and characterizations, is very gothic, but its love story doesn’t impact that.

1

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891)

Written by Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray and a fabulous gothic mind reading of legendary writer Oscar Wildeand it is also the author’s only complete novel. The story focuses on the portrait of the titular character, who sells his soul so that the image of beauty disappears, rather than his own actual appearance.

The Picture of Dorian Gray It’s scary and strange, and as Dorian lives an endless life, the portrait begins to reflect his many mistakes. After launch, The Picture of Dorian Gray it was not considered Gothic literature, but opinions around it have changed in recent years.

The idea of ​​Dorian having an alter ego has been compared to Dr Jekyll and Mr Hydeand The novel’s themes of sinfulness and gluttony are two central elements of the Gothic genre. Adaptations are minimal and the titular character has been interpreted in a few ways. For example, the book Dorian Gray is different compared to Terrible Pennybut the show still highlights why The Picture of Dorian Gray is such a defining title in Gothic literature.