From haunted mansions to damsels in distress, these haunting gothic horror tropes define the genre, and have an impact on even modern stories.
Take The Violin, for instance, which I can hardly believe has been out for an entire month.
The process of editing… and editing again, and re-drafting, and crying and drinking coffee and tearing my hear out while preparing for release seemed to take forever. Between that and the fact that I spent so much time by myself in the world of Chapel Grove, it was daunting to invite others into the story and learn what they thought of it.
Exciting, too, but definitely intimidating, especially for a first-time novelist.
As such, I’m excited (and, honestly, relieved) by how much those who have read it have enjoyed it. (Need proof? See The Violin‘s page on Goodreads.)
When I started writing it, I didn’t immediately recognize that it was gothic horror. All I knew was that Saint-Saens’ composition Danse Macabre had stirred up a story within me and I craved the chance to tell it.
As the story took shape, though, I realized that it was, indeed, gothic literature, a story which would be welcomed by fans of Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
But what is this genre exactly, and what are the defining gothic horror tropes? What makes a horror novel one of the gothic persuasion?
Gothic HORROR Tropes
Atmospheric mood
Rather than the shocking and gory characteristics of other horror genre, gothic horror relies heavily on mood and tone.
Think of Lisa Simpson’s explanation to Bart when she’s telling the story of The Raven. He mockingly asks, “Are we scared yet?” and she says, “He’s establishing mood.”
The specific gothic horror tropes here are things like decaying houses, dark forests, old castles, and foreboding landscapes. Generally, unsettling places where the story takes place, along with foul, stormy weather.
Maybe it’s because I was raised in Washington state that the stormy weather of gothic horror speaks so directly to my soul.
But in short, gothic horror thrives in shadowed corners and crumbling, eerie settings.
Dramatic interior decoration
Gothic horror is about more than just the outdoor settings of the story. There’s often stormy weather, after all, so there’s a not-insignificant amount of time spent indoors, where you’ll be treated to such Gothic horror tropes as:
- Dimly lit rooms with candles flickering in the wind.
- Candelabras which cast dancing shadows on the walls
- Secret passages and hidden rooms
- Antique furniture
- Chandeliers
- Stained glass windows
- Mirrors that show what isn’t there, distorted reflections, etc
- Grand painted portraits of ancestors
- Victorian architecture
CREEPY sounds
The atmospheric mood we just talked about? A big part of it is the sounds therein.
Croaking ravens, howling winds, creaking doors, hooting owls, and even eerie silences serve to intensify the tension of these dark stories.
You can also expect things like the relentless ticking of a clock (or, alternatively, a clock stopping at a particular, dramatic time), disembodied whispers, and footsteps occurring when no one else is home.
That leads me right into the next gothic horror convention, which is…
THE Supernatural
When you think gothic horror, you should definitely think of things like ghosts, apparitions, vampires, other creepy monsters, and unexplainable events which contribute to the sense of mystery and terror.
Other gothic horror tropes in this category would include curses, haunted objects, and witchcraft, to name a few.
Dark Natural elements
Beyond just the supernatural figures inherent in gothic horror, other dark figures play heavily into both plotlines and establishment of atmosphere.
These are things like the creatures which represent supernatural omens or simply mood builders, like ravens, wolves, crows, owls, moths, rats, bats, and cats (especially black ones.)
But gothic horror doesn’t stop there: it’s deeply entwined with nature.
Readers of the genre can also enjoy such things as:
- Thick, swirling fog
- Full moons
- Creeping vines
- Overgrown nature: vines creeping up walls, trees surrounding houses, flowers growing wildly
- Storms and thunder
- Howling wind
- Heavy rain
- Rustling leaves
With me so far? Excellent.
Romanticism and melodrama
If you’ve ever dreamed of taking a break from all life’s problems and weeping openly on the moors in some out-of-the-way, stormy place, then gothic horror might be for you.
The most extreme (in my mind) example of this would be Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. It’s not my favorite read (I found it too depressing) but if you’d like the dictionary definition of this gothic horror trope, that would be the book to illustrate it.
This emphasis on heightened emotion is generally interwoven with the power of nature (see point 1: atmospheric mood, as well as the previous point of course).
Tragic love
Romantic relationships in gothic horror literature are usually doomed and/or dark, featuring themes of unrequited love, obsession, and unhealthy attachments.
If you’re looking for a fun romance, gothic horror is just not going to be your jam. There just aren’t a lot of happily ever afters around these parts.
That being said, it’s all part of the melodrama that makes the genre fun.
Psychological terror
One of the hallmark gothic horror tropes is an emphasis on the unraveling of the mind, often involving characters who experience things like insanity, isolation, and/or paranoia… among other things.
Think of a work like The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, where the whole story is a dance between the good and bad sides of one man.
Things like insane asylums and mental instability often find their way into works of gothic horror.
Haunted characters
In much the same vein as the last trope, gothic horror often features characters who are haunted by a tragic event or deep, dark secret.
That means there’s plenty of guilt and grief to go around, so if you like dark, brooding and morally ambiguous protagonists, gothic horror is for you.
For example, think of the narrator of The Raven again, pining for his “lost Lenore.” There’s a whole lot of regret in his tone which gothic horror fans feast on (maybe a bit like the vampires prominent in other works.)
Secrets and revelations
There’s often an unfolding mystery or a hidden truth that, when revealed, deepens the horror. Secrets of the past tend to resurface in Gothic horror.
Old letters, diaries, or journals appear during the course of many stories which serve to reveal secrets of the past, often uncovering hidden motives in heroes and villains, as well as previously unknown curses, or detailing tragic events which have led to the state described in the story.
Disease and decay
If you pick up a work of gothic horror, expect plenty of moss and crumbling architecture in that moody atmosphere, but also metaphorical decay, as in morals or the decline of society, as well as the decay of one’s body: i.e. disease.
Many stories of gothic horror were inspired by the fear of diseases in times past which society was largely unable to manage without modern medicine (tuberculosis and pneumonia, to name a few.)
See also: corruption of moral/societal conventions as well as oppressive figures in institutions, paranormal entities, and institutions.
Death and the macabre
Gothic horror’s bread and butter has to do with the interplay between life and death. The boundary between these is often blurred by the living coming into contact with the dead in unsettling ways, things like dark, shadowy figures and apparitions.
Tragic deaths, restless spirits, possessions, and necromancy are frequent characteristics of gothic horror.
Oh, and graveyards, lots of graveyards: often with unsettling statues with eyes which seem to watch the protagonist as they go about their duties.
Gothic horror tropes in The Violin
As a new author, most of my first readers are well-meaning family and friends who wish to be supportive of my new journey. They’re not all-weather horror fans like me.
And that’s totally fine. I knew there were many who wouldn’t be into my book at all.
It’s not for everyone.
Then again, some were worried about the gory, graphic aspects inherent in some horror genres, and aren’t really as prevalent in gothic horror.
That’s part of why I wanted to write a detailed description of Gothic horror tropes one can expect when picking up a work like this.
So, what can you expect from the violin?
At the heart of The Violin is the tale of Elise Knight, a woman who, torn by grief, sets out to do the unthinkable: resurrect her dead fiancé, encouraged onward by the mysterious Cassius McCalmont. What follows is a dark journey of obsession, love, and a deal with this showman that might be more than she bargained for.
Some of the tropes included in The Violin are:
Obsession and madness
Elise is driven by grief, but her obsession with resurrecting the dead leads her into uncharted—and perilous—territory. The line between sanity and madness blurs as she plunges deeper into her quest, embodying the gothic theme of how love can turn into obsession, which can consume and destroy.
The Supernatural
Apparitions, curses, and, of course, the power of the violin itself (and other mysterious objects) appear throughout the novel. These elements add layers of mystery and intrigue, in addition to reflecting the psychological and emotional turmoil of the main characters.
Tragic love
As described, lonely, often tragic, romance is a hallmark of the gothic genre.
Enter: William Whittaker, Elise’s departed fiance.
Elise and William’s love story is a reflection of both the beauty and the terror of a love that transcends death. As expected, it’s a tragic story, not a romance… so if you’re hoping for a happily ever after for our two lovebirds, you won’t really find it here.
It’s not a spoiler if it’s a genre expectation, after all.
Nevertheless, you might find yourself swooning with Elise at the virtues of her William. There’s a reason she’s so in love with him. Green flags all around.
The Unknown and Uncanny
All is not as it seems, and shadowy secrets intensify the events of the plot.
A Complex Female Protagonist
Many gothic horror novels feature the classic DID: damsel in distress. Elise is more than just a victim, however. She’s driven, flawed, and powerful in her own right—a classic feature in gothic literature. Her quest for love, redemption, and resurrection forms the heart of this story, as she wrestles with choices that have consequences far beyond her own understanding.
What’s different?
One detail not common to all gothic horror but essential to the story of The Violin is the haunting power of music itself. Music, in this story, is not just a backdrop but a magic all its own.
I hope this gives you a taste of the haunting world you’ll enter in The Violin. Prepare yourself for a gothic tale filled with sorrow, obsession, and an eerie exploration of life, death, and the love that binds them. I can’t wait for you to read it.
If you haven’t already, you can acquire your copy on Amazon or through a special deal at Crafty Bookstore!
Or, read more about The Violin before you commit.
Either way, thanks for sticking around to read about some of my favorite Gothic horror tropes.
Until next time, stay safe and stay spooky. 👻
Odella
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