  Romance/Love
This week: Gothic Romance Edited by: StephBee  
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I remember growing up in the mid-1980's as a teenager, I loved going to the library and borrowing books by Victoria Holt and VC Andrews. They took me to far away places, introduced me to intriguing mysteries and unexplainable events. I encountered a damsel in distress and handsome, dark anti-heroes. Ah, my first love was undoubtedly Gothic Romance. |
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Gothic literature received its start in 1764 when Horace Walpole wrote "The Castle of Oranto." Ann Radcliffe further defined the genre, giving it a sense of legitimacy when she explained the supernatural elements of the story with natural, believable, causes. She also introduced the brooding hero. What Radcliffe did though, was give the 'gothic' the twist that defines it, by showing supernatural events grounded in reality.
Gothic romances were popular in the 1960's – 1980's. They're still popular, but paranormal romances have taken over. Some of the elements in a gothic romance include:
Atmosphere:
Mystery and suspense are important to the genre as as well darkness and "unexplainable" events. The more shadows the better.
Setting:
The setting compliments atmosphere. The setting is intended to be dark, dreary, creating a feeling of claustrophia or fearfulness. The setting is usually an old castle, or a family estate, possibly near a cave, or even an old abbey. The setting is meant to emphase spooky sounds, secret passages, mysterious rooms, trapped doors, and webbed staircases. The message of the setting is to paint a place of decay and desolation.
Characters:
The heroine is usually a damsel in distress with no family or very little family. She may be forced to do things she doesn't want to or let down someone. The hero is her protector who falls madly in love with her and will ultimately save her from the villain.
Emotion:
Gothic romance "ups" the emotion – sadness, fear, passion, crying, agitation, screaming, terror and obsessive love help build absolute desperation. Emotions also include great passion, panic, grief, and perhaps this is the appeal to the young teenage girl who feels emotions tenfold, much like the gothic heroine.
Plot:
A gothic plot involves the heroine's fall from grace and her protector's efforts to save her. Complications include a powerful villain, unexplainable events (rooted in natural causes) omens, prophecies, and the fear of death.
Metonymies
This is a metaphor like rain which is used to represent something else like sorrow.
Some modern gothic romance writers include Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt.
Gothic can be a fun genre to write, but if you haven't explored it before, read a couple of books first to get the feel for it.
Have a spooky Halloween!
Next month I'll be looking at military romance. If you have a poem, static item, short story, you'd like me to feature, send me an email and a link.
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Feedback from my 18 SEP 2013 Romance/Love NL:
Doug Rainbow 
Autumn, of course, serves as a metaphor for aging and maturity. A fully adjusted, secure, comfortable romance story might be set in October. The writer might have to stretch a bit to find story elements in such a romance, but it can be done. When doubt or suspicion creeps into a comfortable old romance the story line can be quite compelling.
Sounds like the germ of inspiration here. I say keep going. Where's the setting? A log cabin? A cabin on the lake? A penthouse apartment in New York? I say run let's run with it and see what comes of this sprout!
ANN Counselor, Lesbian & Happy
I love your autumn musings. Beautifully written. Ann
BIG BAD WOLF is Howling 
Love will be crazy.
StephBee is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. Her short story, "The Watch Tower" was an Honorable Mention Winner in the 77th Writer's Digest Writing Contest. You can find it in her port. Her recent release is "Sunrise Over Brasov," Book 3 in the Moldavian Moon series. 5 Stars, Reader's Favorites. She's also an assistant den leader for her son's Cub Scout Wolf Den. |
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Romance/Love: October 16, 2013 Issue [#5942]
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