In this course we will examine various forms and texts of Gothic literature, first from Europe and the United States, and then later as part of a global tradition. From heroes, villains, and naïve women in peril to looming castles, graveyards, and dark dungeons, the wildly popular gothic tradition, in its various incarnations, represents many of the political, social, and philosophical conflicts of the 18th and 19th centuries. Questions of gender, race, class, and sexuality are played out within the walls of the medieval castle, questioning relationships between humans, science, religion, and nature. In addition to 18th and 19th century examples of Gothic fiction, we will also read a variety of 20th and 21st century interpretations of the genre—from Southern Gothic to literary horror—which will allow us to track the historical evolution of the genre of fear.

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