Gothic Literature Background Questions

Gothic Literature Name:__________________
Global Literature: Europe Unit

1. What was the Industrial Revolution? How did Romantic writers react to these changes?






2. What unrest was occurring around the world from the time of 1750-1837? How did this inspire “revolutionary” authors?






3. What was the Enlightenment? What did the thinkers of this time believe?






4. Who was Jean-Jacques Rousseau and what were his ideas surrounding the “state of nature”?







5. What was “sensibility” during romantic times? How were emotions valued in society? Why would this inspire Gothic works?





6. How was the imagination valued during the romantic era?






7. What were the Romantics’ views on how people should interact with nature? Why did they feel this way? What were they reacting to?






8. Why were Romantics so interested with the lives of children?





9. How did the idea of sleep and dreams inspire Gothic writers?





10. What places and time periods were Gothic writers especially obsessed with? Why were they interested in these?








11. How did Gothic and Romantic writers influence our views of the Middle Ages?





12. Who was the first “Gothic” author? Why were his works considered “Gothic”?




13. What are the key elements of a Gothic story or novel?








14. What is an “Anti-Hero”? Give an example of one from Gothic Literature? What makes this character an “anti hero”?




15. How did vampires and monsters emerge in Gothic Literature? Who were some famous ones and why?







16. How were women portrayed in Gothic Literature?







17. What was a “tradebook” or “chapbook”? How did these help spread Gothic literature to the masses?