Little Miss Scare-All: Type O Negative and the Art of Being a Beautiful Weirdo
The ‘Goth Girl’
Frankenstein and the convergence of the literary and the filmic
Student Spotlight 04
ANATOMY OF THE TRADITIONAL GOTH
CRONENBURG AND THE NEO-GOTHIC
Carmilla and Laura Skreepetta
THE ARCHITECTURE OF ELDEN RING
A Gothic Reading of Gabriel García Márquez’s A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings
Gothic Through The Ages (476AD-2025)
In The Field
Ogival Arches
WITCHCRAFT AND SPIRITUALITY SOCIETY
The Cabinet of Dr Caligari
Written by Lauren Machin
Goth makeup has long been a way for those in the community to outwardly express their rebellious attitudes and their love for all things macabre. Despite being a music-based subculture, the self-expression of a Goth through fashion and the diverse medium of makeup is what many (both in and out of the culture) recognise as one of the most significant parts of the culture. There is no one way for a Goth to style themselves, but this article touches mainly on the ‘trad Goth’ style and briefly what came after, especially in online spaces.
The inspirations of Goth makeup can possibly be traced back to Theda Bara, a famed American silent film actress and one of cinema’s earliest sex symbols. She was the first in Hollywood to be referred to as ‘The Vamp’. Here, a ‘vampire’ referred to women who preyed on and metaphorically sucked the life force out of men (“vampire” derived from a poem by Rudyard Kipling, which was written due to Kipling seeing a painting depicting a woman sexually abusing an unconscious man). Bara was partly responsible for fuelling the rising popularity in roles based on female sexual domination, which also links to the popularity of sexual liberation and BDSM communities within Goth spaces. Bara’s makeup was integral to her seductive, vampiric image and she was frequently photographed with her eyes lined with dark kohl – a makeup product with origins in Egypt, as early as 3100 BCE.
Siouxsie Sioux from the influential British rock band from the post-punk era was said to be partly inspired by 1920’s silent films and actresses such as Theda Bara for what became her signature look, which unintentionally helped to pioneer the traditional style for Goths all over the world. Siouxsie helped lay the groundworks for what people now reference as the “tradGoth” style, which is recognisable by its angular, cool toned contours, bold and eccentric eye makeup, and dramatic lips. Many Goths at the time of its emergence did not subscribe to just black and white colour palettes when decorating their faces – due to the nature of what the subculture was based in, all that mattered was creating a look with what was available to them: be it red lipstick or blue eyeshadow, or a full face using a just a black eyeshadow. In a later interview, Siouxsie stated about her makeup, “That look came from having no money and enjoying dressing up. It was just a fun thing. It was never `my image’. Also, it was a reaction to when I was growing up, and women were supposed to be all blonde hair, gold suntan and pink lips. It was a real blackand-white opposite of what was considered attractive. I was kicking against something I found really oppressive.” Goth makeup has always been rooted in rebellion against the mainstream – this coincides with the alternative far-left politics of the subculture and the common experience for Goths of finding comfort in the unique and obscure.
The creation of the trad look has allowed for many more iconic visuals to spawn. Many substyles both within the Goth umbrella, such as cyber-Goth, romantic Goth, mall-Goth and further afield in separate subcultures. For example, those styles underneath the separate emo umbrella like the scene-kid style. Scene aesthetics borrowed from the accessible mall Goth style and the more colourful, rave-ready look of cybergoths to flourish into a unique style recognisable from a mile away, a style wholly reminiscent of the Myspace era and arguably part of the most iconic wave of culture originating in online spaces.
Some might argue that the extreme surge in the so-called “e-girls” and “e-boys”, mostly left behind in the 2019-2020 internet zeitgeist, was a modern interpretation of the mall-Goth culture. Both having almost nothing to do with actual Goths, mall Goth culture (and, for the most part, e-girl culture) was for those who wanted to engage in the aesthetics, and the style yet did not pursue any of the wider ‘requirements’ to be considered “Goth or “alternative”. That’s not to say that this was true for all people who partook in this “alternative” trend. For many, the engagement in a more obscure style than what was mainstream at the time is what lead them to become more radical and passionate with their beliefs, and significantly more open with music and film, finding themselves and their own styles by researching in to the originals behind their mismatch of styles: bold Gothic eye makeup and lacy corsets; Kandi bracelets and overly stickered selfies; old band tees and striped long sleeves.
for at the stroke of midnight the Doctor makes his rounds.
He does not come to you; he walks down each and every street and if you require him, you open your door in a soft manner to politely invite him in.
As he passes, step to the side and he will enter.
He is a wordless man –if he even is a man–but his touch is undeniable and his knowledge is unquestionable.
He is no god, but most are convinced he can heal all illnesses.
As for me, I am not sure. Anything is possible.
With the Doctor, everything is possible.
The Twilight Phenomenon
We’ve all heard of itthe vampire love story that ruled millions of teen girls’ lives in the early 2000s.
by Kat Hall
Twilight was everywhere – in fanfiction (on Wattpad and A03), within thousands of gifs and edits and quotes on Tumblr… and now, twenty years later, the fandom is still as strong as it ever was.
In October 2005, the first book – ‘Twilight’ was released, and by November, it had reached #5 on the New York Times best seller list. This was closely followed by the optioning of the movie rights in 2007, and the release of the first film, in November 2008, only two years after the book had been published. A news report from November 2008, issued by The Columbian pronounces “Move over, Harry Potter, with your geek-chic glasses and too-darling affectations. We’ve progressed to vampires. Yes, vampires”.
While some didn’t quite understand the obsession, plenty couldn’t resist the temptations of these beautiful supernatural creatures (played so wonderfully by Kristen Stewart-Bella and Robert Pattinson-Edward); the allure of the misty and mysterious Pacific Northwest-depicted in Catherine Hardwicke’s iconic blue tint that the first movie has now become
known for, and the absolutely stellar soundtrack, with Paramore writing “Decode” specifically for the first instalment of the series, and the pivotal song “Eyes on Fire” by Blue Foundation (which recently had a comeback on social media, with people recreating the iconic “hoa hoa hoa” line ). The grungy, emo, Gothic mystery and allure of the film series - especially the first one - lives on, with fans of the books and movies dedicating fan sites, collecting merchandise and rewatching and rereading like never before.
Maybe I’m biased as a Twilight mega fan myself, but I truly do think the franchise is one of the most impactful in cinematic history.
The whole Twilight lore is also fascinating to me, and one that begs to be studied… from the idea that the 2001 9/11 terrorist attacks caused the creation of Twilight (The butterfly effect theory proposes a chain of events that describes how Gerard Way, lead singer of the band My Chemical Romance was influenced to start the band after witnessing the attacks - which then lead to author Stephanie Meyer being inspired to write the story of Twilight), to the many humorous and now legendary quotes that are a result of the film’s impeccable writing.
And even now, twenty years after the first book was published and 18 years after the first film was released, brands still want to collaborate with the series and create new merchandise for Twilight fans. For example, in November, Crocs will be releasing special edition Twilight shoes… complete with croc charms with Edward and Bella’s faces on - and yes, I will be trying my very best to acquire them, even at their steep asking price of £70… (hey, there’s always Christmas, right?)
Fandoms have always been alive within modern history, and especially more so within the twenty first century - with the creation of the internet and social media - and whilst sometimes they
can be incredibly toxic and even bordering on dangerous, most of the time they are able to provide a sense of community, especially among teenagers during a time that is already hard enough. I’m grateful for my obsessions with specific pieces of media (and my continuing obsession also) and think it’s incredibly important to have these passions.
The Twilight fandom is one that I believe will last a long time, and just as Edward and Bella will live forever, as immortal vampires, so will the impact of the series.
Okay, I think it’s time to watch Twilight again.
BLACK NO. 1
Type O Negative were a Gothic metal band formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 1989. The group consisted of front man Peter Steele, who was famed for his height and vampiric appearance, alongside his band mates Kenny Hickey, Josh Silver, and Johnny Kelly. Type O Negative became known for their mix of heavy riffs, black humour, and lavish, melancholic melodies. Their music merged the sound metal, Goth, and alternative rock, often combining deep emotional themes with a sharp sense of irony, helping them carve out a unique place in the 1990s alternative scene.
“Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)” is a model example of what they did best. On the surface, it’s about that classic Goth woman, pale, mysterious, dressed in all black, a troublemaker. But underneath, you can feel sympathy. Peter Steele doesn’t just tease her; he understands her. The song showcases the perception of what Goth was, whilst giving the listener insight on this Little Miss Scare-All character. She has a sense of humour and vulnerability.
Back then, Goth culture was about finding beauty in the stuff everyone else wanted to ignore, death, fear, corruption. And Type O Negative made that feel powerful. They turned it into an identity, one that celebrated difference. In the presence, that spirit’s still alive. You see it all over social media and in real-life, people using fashion, makeup, and music to show exactly who they are, even if it goes against societal expectations.
Overall, “Little Miss Scare-All” acts as a time-capsule, it sets the scene of what the Goth community were like in the 90’s. The song captures a moment when being different wasn’t just accepted; it was a rebellion. Type O Negative didn’t just reflect Goth culture, they shaped it. Their music still reminds us that there’s power in standing out, and that sometimes, being a little scary is just another way of being completely yourself.
Little Miss Scare-All: Type O Negative and the Art of Being a Beautiful Weirdo by Maddie Wardle
LYRICS
I went looking for trouble
And boy, I found her
She’s in love with herself
She likes the dark
On her milk-white neck
The Devil’s mark
Now it’s All Hallows Eve
The moon is full
But will she trick or treat?
I bet she will
She will
(Happy Halloween, baby)
She’s got a date at midnight
With Nosferatu
Oh baby, Lily Munster
Ain’t got nothing on you
Well, when I called her evil
She just laughed
Well, cast that spell on me
Boo bitch-craft
Yeah, you wanna go out cause it’s raining and blowing
You can’t go out ‘cause your roots are showing
Dye ‘em black
Ooh, dye ‘em black
Black, black, black, black number one
Black, black, black, black number one
Little wolf-skin boots
And clove cigarettes
An erotic funeral
For which she’s dressed
Her perfume smells like
Burning leaves
Every day Is Halloween
Yeah, you wanna go out cause it’s raining and blowing
You can’t go out cause your roots are showing
Dye ‘em black
Ooh, dye ‘em black
Black, black, black, black number one
(She dyes ‘em black)
Black, black, black, black number one
(Black number one)
Loving you
Loving you
Love, loving you
Was like loving the dead
Loving you
Loving you
Love, loving you
Was like loving the dead
Loving you was like loving the dead
Loving you was like loving the dead
Loving you was like loving the dead
Was like loving the dead
Was like loving the dead
Was like loving the dead
Sacre bleu
Loving you
Loving you
Love, loving you
Was like loving the dead
(It was like fucking the dead)
Loving you was like loving the dead
Loving you was like loving the dead
Loving you was like loving the dead
Was like loving the dead
Loving you, loving you
Loving you, loving you
Loving you, loving you
Was like loving the dead
Was like loving the dead
Was like loving the dead
Black, black, black, black number one
(She dyes ‘em black)
Black, black, black, black number one
(Black number one)
Ooh yeah
Black, black, black, black number one
Black, black, black, black number one
THE
A discussion and critique surrounding the misrepresentation of Goth women in animated television and film.
The edgy, darkly inclined and slightly sadistic animated female character has existed as a troupe within Western cartoons since the 1980s, with Lydia Deetz from the Beetlejuice animated series being arguably the first.
And whilst a lot of these characters are drawing inspiration from the music subculture ‘Goth’ that emerged from the late 70s post-punk era, mostly recognised for its music (think Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy, and most iconically The Cure). As well as its fashion, showing characters in all black, with dark makeup and hair. It rarely goes past surface level and is often a stereotyped reduced version of the Goth subculture, with creators not bothering - or thinking it’s unnecessary - to do research into Goth before labelling their characters as such.
Within this short essay, I want to discuss a few female animated characters from the 1980s-2020s who are labelled as ‘Goth’ within their show or by its consumers. And finally, I want to come up with an answer to the question: who is the best ‘Goth girl’ in animated television? I will be using a 1-10 scale throughout to rank the characters based on whether they listen to Goth music, consume Gothic media (literature, film, etc) or dress Goth (including but not limited to: trad-Goth, cyberGoth, Gothabilly, Gothic Lolita, etc).
Written by Faith Williams
GOTH VS GOTHIC...
The first character I want to talk about is one I referenced earlier, Lydia Deetz from the animated series Beetlejuice that ran from 1989-1991. The show was a spin-off from the 1988 film ‘Beetlejuice’, though the characterisation of Lydia in the TV show is vastly different from the film. Lydia is upbeat, relatively personable and bubbly. She is also quick-witted, so she doesn’t fit into the typical
troupe we see often where the ‘Goth’ character is monotone and depressedwhich is a great contrast. She loves the macabre and spooky and follows a dark aesthetic for her outfits, makeup and room décor. The first episode of season one opens with her mother redecorating Lydia’s room into warm, bright colours, and when Lydia asks, “Where are my skeleton curtains?”, her mother simply says, “Every day can’t be Halloween”, to which Lydia says, “It is for me.”
Once Lydia has set her room back to normal, there is a short scene where in the background there is a poster that seems to read ‘Vamp’ and has a subject posed similarly to the character Nosferatu or Dracula. Dracula the novel by Bram Stoker is a classic piece of Gothic literature, and the adaptations of such are considered Gothic films. This tells us that Lydia has an interest in and engages with Gothic media. Another instance where a piece of Gothic literature is mentioned is during Lydia babysitting her neighbour’s child, she tells the boy to eat all his food so that he’ll “grow up big and strong, like Frankenstein”. Though we can assume Lydia is really thinking of Frankenstein’s Monster, rather than the scientist Victor Frankenstein, this reference again shows her interest in Gothic media, either referencing Mary Shelleys 1818 novel Frankenstein or one of its many film adaptations.
For her outfits Lydia is typically seen with her black hair tied up into a big bunch at the top with pieces spiking out, purple eyeshadow, black/red lipstick and a red spiderweb patterned shawl/dress type. Though dark, her makeup doesn’t show any specifically Gothic traits. Her skin tone is white, which is unlike her parents, and if this white tone was only used for her face we could assume she is painting her face white, which would be a signature of Goth makeup. But since its seen all over her body we can say she is just naturally pale.
Thinking about all the elements I’ve discussed I’d say Lydia is definitely Gothic, but not Goth. We don’t see her have any interest in Goth music in the series, but she does dress reasonably alternatively, following a dark aesthetic, and does have an interest in Gothic media. Considering this, I would give Lydia a 5/10 for her representation of a ‘Goth girl’.
PIERCINGS, FISHNETS & BOOTS...
For the next characters I want to discuss we are jumping into the late 1990s, starting with the character Andrea from the series Daria, which aired in 1997. Andrea is a side character and reasonably irrelevant in the show, since she doesn’t have a lot of screentime. But she’s instantly recognisable as a Goth character, her makeup is clearly inspired by 1980s Goth makeup. More specifically, it seems like a reference to Siouxsie Sioux, and her hair looks backcombed
and styled into a Robert Smith style do. She’s seen wearing multiple piercings, fishnet gloves, long beads and cross necklaces, long black skirts and chunky black boots - her look overall seeming very reminiscent of 1980s traditional Goth.
Though she does fall into the stereotyped personality of these darkly inclined characters, being quite sadistic towards her teachers and classmates, having a constantly negative attitude, and having no empathy for others. The only representation I can find of her potential interest in Goth or Gothic outside of her clothing is her poetry. Andrea performs a piece of dark poetry she wrote which feels very much like a satirised Edgar Allen Poe (a Gothic poet) piece, with her final line being “I’m here. But where are you? Sure, I see your body. Anybody home in that rotting bag of flesh?”. From this I would give Andrea an 8/10 for her representation of a ‘Goth girl’. Visually she is a perfect representation of 80s trad Goth, and she shows an interest in Gothic poetry, though I wish we could’ve seen more of her within the show and seen her with some Goth music referenced.
Next up in the 90s is Serena from MTV’s Downtown, Serena is the focus of interest and affection for nerdy main character Alex, who is drawn to her because of her Goth aesthetic. Usually, you would expect such a character to be given the same stereotypical nonchalant personality and sadistic traits to be a perfect edgy character crush for teenage boys watching, but Downtown takes her character in a completely different direction, making her kind hearted, empathetic, a cool friend and a relatable teenage girl who struggles to find a guy who won’t treat her terribly or fetishise her due to her fashion. The show is able to represent these issues in a really powerful way, because Serena herself is based on a real Goth woman from the 1990s, Melody Henry, who they interviewed before creating the character. In her interview she expressed her discomfort for the preconceived notions people would create about her based on her appearance, saying she would get comments like ‘hey baby come suck my blood’.
In regard to the characters interest in Goth or Gothic media, in one episode, whilst Serena is recounting her activities that day, she says she picked up some Dead Can Dance tickets, which confirms her interest in Goth music. Visually, Serena is more of a 1990s Goth, with long layered purple/black hair, dark eye makeup, piercings, black lipstick, and she wears long dark skirts, layered jewellery and oversized jackets. Considering all these points I am giving Serena a 10/10 for her representation of the ‘Goth girl’, she subverts stereotypes in all the right ways but is also shown to listen to Goth music and dress to the Goth aesthetic, whilst also being an empathetic and kind character.
The final 90s characters I want to discuss will be brief, and that’s The Hex Girls from the 1999 film, Scooby Doo and the Witch’s Ghost. The three girls in the band The Hex Girls are self-proclaimed ‘Eco Goths’ in the film and also seem to have been labelled as Goths within the online fandom. The label Eco Goth seems to have been coined by the film and wasn’t an existing label. When I researched it, apparently their band is supposed to be ‘Gothic rock’, but I can’t hear any inspiration from 90s Gothic rock bands in their song, visually all three girls do have a dark aesthetic and I’m also glad to see some representation for POC alternative girls within the band, but nothing comes across as Goth to me. Rather, they all have a dark aesthetic, drawing imagery like bats and witchcraft, and one of the members (Thorn) is a wiccan. Personally, I would give The Hex Girls a 5/10 for their representations of ‘Goth girls’, because I do feel it is a misrepresentation calling themselves ‘eco-Goths’, as this label was created in the show and isn’t based in the real subculture. But the fact they are all part of a ‘Gothic rock’ band which is great representation for young Goth girls and shows community.
Moving onto the 2000s, I want to talk about two very popular ‘Goth girls’ talked a lot about online, Raven from Teen Titans and Gwen from Total Drama Island. Both these characters get extremely oversexualised, despite both being teenagers, and neither characters are inherently Goth as neither of them are shown to listen to Goth music or wear any visible Goth clothing/makeup.
Although both have a dark aesthetic, and although Ravens is more due to the fantasy elements of the show, her visuals (a dark cloak and pale skin - this could potentially be likened to Victorian Gothic) and personality represents her powers and how she is scared to hurt others, and so in turn she prefers to keep to herself and push others away. Whereas Gwen has a much lighter look, with teal and black short hair, and a mini skirt with tights and chunky boots, her makeup is pretty simple with just teal blue lips to match her hair… nothing screams Goth to me.
We do know Ravens room is filled from top to bottom with books, so there is a potential that she could read Gothic literature, however it is never shown to us. Overall, I would give Gwen a 2/10 for her representation of the ‘Goth girl’ (there’s really nothing Goth about her), and I would give Raven a 4/10 as the peaked shape of her cloak could be a reference to Victorian Gothic, and the widow’s peak style popular amongst Goths and made iconic by Vampire media. I feel as though these two have become the face of the fetishisation of the animated ‘Goth girl’ due to their appeal to the teen male audience, and due to nostalgia, they are constantly being brought up by men who claim to want ‘Goth gfs’.
The last character I want to mention from the 2000s is Onyx from the series Trollz, which aired in 2005 to 2006. Onyx has what I would consider a 90s Cyber Goth look, she uses chunky hair accessories to tie her bright purple hair in two bunches, has lots of piercings and jewellery, purple lipstick and wears almost exclusively black and purple. In the show, Onyx is explicitly called Goth, though in one episode she writes that her favourite music genre is punk rock, making her more of a 2000s punk rather than cyberGoth. Though she does show some interest in Gothic media, being a big fan of poetry and writing her own, which, similarly to Andrea, feels very reminiscent of the works of Edgar Allen Poe but satirised.
Surprisingly, whilst Onyx has a cynical and edgy personality, she is one of the most kind and caring out of the five main characters, she plays guitar, and in her official character description it says ‘She’s the least willing to compromise what she thinks to please others and that’s why her friends love her. She’s Onyx. Deal with it.’, which I think is a really wonderful narrative to show young girls. Despite not showing an interest in Goth music, Onyx dresses similarly to the cyberGoth subculture, and shows an interest in Gothic media through her poetry. She also contrasts the stereotypical Goth character by being a great supporter to her friends. Because of these points I would give Onyx a 5/10 for her representation of the ‘Goth girl’, though I wish they had her write that her favourite music was Goth, rather than punk rock, considering they had already labelled her as a Goth character.
Finally moving onto the 2010s, first I want to talk about Mavis, from the 2012 film Hotel Transylvania. Mavis is Dracula’s daughter (therefore a vampire herself), meaning she is inherently written into a piece of Gothic literature, though this is a satirised version of such. She wears a tight black dress, with mesh sleeves and red and black stripey tights. Mavis also has black lipstick and minimal black eyeshadow. I would say the part of her look that is most likened to the Goth subculture is her fringe, which is cut into a triangle shape. This look was adopted into the Goth scene inspired by the widows peak shape, arguably inspired by the looks seen in vampire media, but originated from a hat women would wear whilst in mourning, called a widows cap. But she isn’t shown to have any interest in Goth music. Mavis is another character that has become extremely oversexualised online and has, similarly to Gwen and Raven, become the face of this ‘Goth girlfriend’ men are claiming to want online. I would give Mavis a 6/10; she is definitely Gothic, but she isn’t Goth, though she does push against the ‘Goth girl’ stereotype extremely well, being a super bubbly and extroverted character.
My other 2010s character I want to discuss is another side character, Clair from the Monster High film Ghouls Rule, which also came out in 2012. Similarly to Andrea, Clair has a very 1980s traditional Goth makeup look and lip piercing, though her fashion seems to be more of a modern twist, wearing a skull jumper with denim shorts, stripey tights and chunky heels with a black and blue bob haircut. She is the first human in the film to stand up against the prejudice towards the monsters, and this shows her character as being empathetic and kind to all. There’s no signifier that she listens to Goth music or likes any Gothic media, and therefore I have to give Clair a 4/10 for her representation of the ‘Goth girl’. her makeup is probably the most accurate representation of traditional Goth that we have looked at so far, but due to her being a small part in the film, we don’t find out much about her, and therefore, she has no other Goth traits.
The final character I want to look at is Kat from the 2022 film Wendell and Wild. Descriptions of this character in articles online flick back and forth between calling Kat a Goth and a punk. Visually, Kat looks like a modern spin on a 70s punk. This is emphasised through the soundtrack, which features a wide selection of Punk music, such as the band X-Ray Specs, but no Goth music. Though she also reminds me a lot of the stylisation of Onyx, the character I mentioned earlier, with the hairstyle and piercings, which I love. Again, like I mentioned when discussing the Hex Girls, POC are extremely underrepresented within animation and especially alternative POC women, so I think Kat is an amazing representation of the punk subculture. Rather than the Goth, she is cynical and edgy but she isn’t gloomy; she is confident and passionate. Because of these elements I would give Kat a 6/10 for her representation of the ‘Goth girl’ as she emphasises no negative stereotypes and instead is creating a new and authentic representation for young Punk girls. With Goth being a post-punk subculture, the two are intrinsically linked.
THE
My final verdict is that Serena from MTV’s Downtown is the best representation of the ‘Goth girl’ troupe in animated media. She is shown to listen to Goth music, which is the most important element to be a Goth, as well as dressing in 90s Goth fashion. She also subverts the gloomy Goth stereotype and shows a representation that is confident in herself and her beliefs, is kind-hearted, stands up for herself against fetishisation from men, and forms great bonds and shows lots of love towards other women in the show, despite being introduced as a love interest for the main character. Serena is also a great representation, as she is based on a real person, meaning there has been a lot of care and consideration put into the creation of her character and being a good representation of the experience of a woman being a part of the Goth subculture in the 1990s.
f all the gothic novels in the history of literature, it can be said that none have permeated the culture as successfully or as enduringly as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. First published in 1818, it has spawned countless adaptations, reimagining’s in culture and influenced a myriad of novelists, artists and film directors aesthetically and thematically. With the upcoming release of the latest adaption, Frankenstein (2025), it’s a good time to examine the novel, Shelley’s vision and its representation within popular culture more broadly.
The original novel has become somewhat of an icon of Gothic literature.
The story of an eccentric, brilliant, and somewhat narcissistic scientist and his earth-shattering invention has connected pretty uniformly amongst those even vaguely interested in gothic literature. Part of the novel’s success, not necessarily critically but as a work of fiction, is undoubtably down to the tackling of grand themes such as existentialism, God, mortality and morality. Victor Frankenstein is a compelling protagonist because of his hubris. Endlessly ambitious, but also egotistical, Frankenstein ends up creating a sub-human creature, named the ‘creature’ in the novel, and sets off a cataclysmic series of consequences. It can even be said that the novel is somewhat allegorical for the creation of art. The idea of a lonesome creator, creating a work of art which then, once finished, ceases to be in your control is an interesting one and is perhaps a conscious point on Shelley’s part. Part of what is also so fascinating about the story is Shelley’s deconstruction of the ‘great man of science’ trope and even the mad scientist, which have both since appeared within popular culture ad infinitum. Films like Back to the Future (1985) and television shows like Rick and Morty, have used the presentation of the mad scientist, who’s somewhat roguish, to guide their plots and message. Much has been written before about Shelley’s interaction with the trope, often starting with the contention that Shelley’s condemnation of Victor
Frankenstein’s work essentially boils down to his overreaching aspiration. There is certainly something to be said for this perspective. It is true that the conflicts in the novel derive from Victor’s aspiration and overwhelming arrogance. Truthfully though, we can never really know what Shelley’s intentions were here. I would certainly hold that she invites the reader to, yes start from this point but, moralistically analyse Victor’s actions from here on out. Throughout the novel, I would argue that Victor’s ambition is only the start of his shortcomings. His complete abdication of responsibility for the creature is perhaps his greatest sin.
There’s no telling what Shelley’s intentions were here, but I think it’s interesting to speculate. Is Shelley commenting on a sort of classical religiosity? Through this lens, which is an interestingly popular reading of the novel, with the Prometheus references and allusions throughout, it’s difficult to see how Victor isn’t at least the main villain. The initial sin of the novel is Victor’s experimentation, how his ambition exceeded any limits cosmically imposed upon him. He also is completely unaware of the perils of his creation. But I also think that the societal condemnation on Shelley’s part in the novel. It seems to me that there’s an ongoing thematic dichotomy between perception and reality. The conflict can be related to the creature’s transi-
tion from a curious and good-natured creature, for it is ultimately the public mistaking him for a monster that turns him into one. It’s tragic that the creature is never seen for who he is initially and is instead judged solely on his appearance.
How the new adaptation will tackle some of these themes, whether there will be changes to the story to adapt to a more modern audience, or whether there will be an effort made to remain loyal to the novel remains to be seen. In a moment of a couple important literary adaptations, namely accompanied by Hamnet (2025) (directed by Chloe Zhao) and this film, it certainly will be interesting to see what place in cinematic history this adaptation will achieve. Director Del Toro’s vision for the film should be interesting to analyse in due course. It of course won’t be the first adaptation of a classic story Del Toro has undertaken. He adapted Pinocchio in 2022, to critical acclaim and an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Taking on Frankenstein is no doubt a different beast, but judging by history, he may just pull it off critically and commercially.
Written by Miles Farrow
Illustrated by Alana Bailey
An Interview With
AMALIE ATKINS
Text & Photography . . .
FAITH WILLIAMS
This is my first time interviewing someone that I didn’t know prior, and also the first time that I’ve especially picked someone to photograph and interview for the theme of the issue… do you know what the theme of this issue is? Or is it self-explanatory from the open call I put out?
I mean sort of but not really.
So our theme for the issue is ‘Gothic’, covering the architecture, literature, fashion, etc… like everything!
Oh that sounds cool!
I wanted to begin just by asking you, what does Goth or Gothic mean to you? And do they mean the same thing to you, or would you think of them differently?
Personally, I would think of them as different things, like I would think of Gothic as being either a descriptor of certain periods of time or movements, like Gothic architecture. But then Goth I would think of as being the music-based subculture from the late 1970s.
What’s your opinion on music-based subcultures in the current age? I feel like there’s a lot of discourse about labels, and whether someone looks the part or whether they listen to the right music, specifically online… so basically I’m asking your opinion on that, whether you have any experience with it yourself, or what your viewpoint is?
My opinion on that would be, obviously, because it’s based on music, that if you listen to the music, then you’re part of the subculture, and if you interact with the subculture around the music, then that would mean you are in it. But I definitely think that it’s important if you consider yourself to be in a subculture based around music, that you interact with what’s currently going on in the subculture as well as the traditional stuff. I don’t think that people need to dress a certain way, because that’s kind of stupid, like “if you don’t dress this way then you’re not Goth” That’s not really true, you can dress however you want.
“the whole point is not to conform to what other people’s standards are of what they expect or want you to look like.”
Yes, absolutely, I think that’s a really great point.
I think especially in the online community, people will call you a poser for anything. They throw the word around all the time, mostly the trad Goth makeup look gets a lot of attention, which is wonderful, I love that! But there are people who have their own style, and I think that should be more appreciated. And I’ve even talked to people online who say “oh politics don’t matter”.
AMALIE
“I don’t think we can ignore the politics of the Goth subculture, because it has come from the punk and the post-punk scene, it’s always been very progressive and anti-establishment.”
Yeah, I’ve seen a lot of that recently Especially, I think – well, I wasn’t alive obviously – but in the 80’s, people have said it was very conformist, and even if you just wore a pair of Dr Martens you’d be considered to be worshipping the devil, and so the whole point is to sort of not conform to that. So I can see where people are coming from when they say, “you’re not really Goth if you dress like everyone else does, because you’re not really challenging the status quo”, I just think people should be able to dress how they want regardless. Absolutely, I think your perspective holds a lot of truth. What would you say drew you to the Goth subculture? And/or can you explain what your first experience with it was? If you remember?
Ooh that’s a hard question I feel like when I was writing it I was trying to think what I would say got me into alternative fashion, but I can’t put my finger on it.
Yeah I don’t know, I think it’s just like seeing Goth characters in media and stuff, um or not even Goth characters, just people that were like more of a dark aesthetic on the internet, like the Gothic aesthetic was something I very much liked.
I used to really like Gothic Lolita style, and I used to really want to dress like that, but I do feel like I already listened to alternative music when I was growing up, but then I just kind of thought ‘Oh, you can just choose to be Goth’, then one day I was like, ‘what Goth music can I listen to?’ And now I’m obsessed with Goth music, so that’s kind of how it happened, I guess! I just thought that would be cool if I did that… I’m gonna do that!
I think that’s really cool, now you’ve started at UCA, what do you think about the alternative fashion scene? I know you are or have been a member of the Alt Fashion Society. Do you feel like there’s a pretty strong community here?
I haven’t been here for very long, but there aren’t a lot of people in the alt fashion society, it’s like a nice quiet society that I go to, it’s quite chilled out, this week we fixed our clothes and did DIY stuff, then last week we painted some patches, which was cool. I like how people from a lot of different fashions come here; we have a few Goths, a couple of emos, and we’ve got someone who dresses Jirai-Kei. I’ve seen a lot of alternatively dressed people around here, more than I have probably ever, which is awesome. But I am also very shy, so I don’t really talk to anyone.
AMALIE
I do feel like at UCA we have a decent amount of people who dress alternatively, but I don’t think they play into it, except they’ll kind of do an alt theme at the student union every now and again.
Yeah, I definitely think there should be a Goth night.
They did one once, because I went to it, but I don’t remember how successful it was, which is why maybe they wouldn’t do it again. But even the local pubs and stuff, I think they should be promoting more to alt students.
Absolutely, there’s a big audience for that here.
Because they have bands play, and stuff like that, but they don’t advertise it enough, because that’s definitely something that people at UCA would want to go to, and live music in itself forms community.
Yeah, that would be really cool, I think emo night was a good thing to have, but I personally thought that a lot of the music wasn’t specifically emo, and they just had emo as like the marketing, to have an alt night. I feel like they should’ve just called it ‘the alt night’ because they were playing nu metal, which is great! But it’s not emo.
I know what you mean, I always think that, I’ve been to three of the emo nights and each time I’m cringing thinking this is not emo… what are they playing? They play like a couple emo songs and then it’ll be like a pop-rock boy group.
It was fun though, I was the resident makeup artist for my friends and my flat for emo night, I was dressing everyone up.
That is really sweet. The last question I had was whether you have any tips for people who are interested in the Goth subculture but are unsure how to begin their journey. Any initial fashion tips or music recommendations?
If people are new to it, then I would recommend finding a playlist online, just basically introducing them to what Goth music sounds like.
“I remember when I first listened to it, I was really confused, like I had heard a lot of different songs from different artists. And I was thinking, what do these songs have in common? Why are they all Goth?”
So I think it would also help if they first read up about how it began. I think it would’ve made a lot more sense if I already knew the history before I was going into it.
Also, in terms of fashion, I would probably try to avoid buying the trendy items, like the stuff that’s glorified on social media – unless you have the money. I would recommend, just starting with basic black clothes, long skirts, fishnets, tops that you can cut up and rip and stuff like that would be cool. I also try to shop things with a lot of black lace, because that’s something that I’m really into. And you can always buy things to use as materials for sewing and stuff, I think everyone should learn to sew, it’s a very useful skill.
I think that’s everything from me, thank you so much for your time today Thank you!!
CRONE NBURG AND THE NEO-GOTHIC
WRITTEN BY JACK FROGGATT-COOPER
The Gothic as a subgenre has often been defined in mainstream culture through its architecture, gloomy castles and supernatural monsters and spirits. However, the true origins and intentions of the Gothic go far beyond simply aesthetics. It’s characterised by its obsessions with death, phobias, good versus evil and even romance. The primary idea behind the Gothic, however, could be to represent the fears of the contemporary society in physical manifestations. Whether that be the
CRONE NBURG
blood sucking immigrant Count Dracula, or the heretical scientific creation of Doctor Frankenstein, Gothic literature has always made ‘real’ the fears of the society it was made within.
Beyond its timeframe from the mid18th century to the end of the 19th century, the primary ideas and tropes behind the Gothic have still found its way into modern art, twisted and recontextualised to represent a whole new slate of fears for the modern age. The neo-Gothic moves beyond the aesthetics
of old buildings and graveyards, instead utilising the isolating spaces of today. Yet, with the fusion of horror and sciencefiction elements, it still retains its Gothic core.
This is evident in the work of Canadian horror director and writer David Cronenberg. Jean Renoir said that “A director makes only one movie in his life. Then he breaks it into pieces and makes it again.” If this is true, then the movie Cronenberg makes is one of fear, anxiety and identity. Specifically, the fear
of your own body, of new technology and the anxieties that stem from the tension between the human and the unhuman. This is already aligned with the concerns of the Gothic and to explore these themes, Cronenberg twists a lot of Gothic tropes found in many of its seminal texts into something that propels it into the modern age – and here the neo-Gothic is born.
Cronenberg’s most infamous film is The Fly (1986), a body horror starring Jeff Goldblum as Seth Brundle, an eccentric scientist who accidentally fuses his DNA with that of a fly. What follows is a tragic, horrifying descent as Seth loses all sense of humanity and further isolates himself from the woman he loves, Veronica (played by Geena Davis).
FL
One of the Gothic tropes that Cronenberg plays with throughout The Fly is the idea of Science vs. Religion. Originally, one of the main ideas Gothic literature responded to was the boom of Darwinism, notably the publication of On the Origin of Species in 1859, which threatened the religious order of the time by suggesting that humans evolved through natural selection and were not created in God’s image. As Victorians began to question the religious texts that they had taken as gospel, some turned towards this new way of thinking, whilst others rejected it. This tension found its way into Gothic texts, like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which questions if life can be created in the scientific, or if true life lives beyond in the religious.
In The Fly, Cronenberg responds to the new digital boom in a similar way. The 80s introduced the personal computer, video
FLY
game consoles, the Walkman, CDs and camcorders to everybody’s homes. The anxieties around this invasive new technology are present in The Fly’s cautionary tale of when science goes too far. In fact, it takes it even further in the films gruesome climax, where Brundlefly (the now horrific amalgamation of Brundle and fly) Is then fused with the teleporter itself, and he emerges partly Brundlefly, partly the technology that chained him. Electrical wiring and tubes hang from the monster; no part of Seth remains. Except, as he crawls towards Veronica, who can’t find the strength to shoot him, he grabs her shotgun and points it towards his head. The last remnants of Seth come through, the rest consumed by his obsession with technological breakthroughs. The Fly makes real our fears of technology invading our private lives, to the point where it takes over our bodies.
DEAD RINGERS
Two years later, Cronenberg would make his next film, Dead Ringers (1988), which follows two twin gynaecologists (both played by Jeremy Irons) who take full advantage of the fact that nobody can tell them apart. The most apparent Gothic motif here is The Double or the Doppelgänger, seen most famously in Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, where Dr Henry Jekyll manages to create a serum that separates his good and evil traits, with him able to carry out his repressed evil deeds as the barbaric Mr Hyde. The novella comments on the duality within us all: good and evil, public and private perception, civility and barbarism. This battle within ourselves is extrapolated to the physical ‘splitting’ of Jekyll and Hyde, making real our fear to control ourselves. The novella was also written at a time when sex was considered a repressed desire, and homosexuality was not even thought about. Around the time the novella was written, the Labouchere Amendment was published, which criminalised homosexuality. There is a reading of the text which expands on this anxiety, as Hyde becomes a conduit for Jekyll’s repressed desires. Perhaps the fear reflected at the time is that these feelings could be harboured deep within us all.
In Dead Ringers, the identical twins
DEAD RINGERS
become a physical manifestation of the Gothic double motif. The two are entirely codependent on each other to survive, as Elliot, the more confident and cynical brother, seduces women who come to the clinic. When he gets tired of them, the women are passed to Beverly, the shyer and more passive of the two, whilst the women remain unaware of the switch. Duality defines them, as their personalities remain at odds whilst their appearances are identical. Together they are a toxic whole. They share professions, an apartment, and lovers. And as in Jekyll and Hyde, their psyche becomes externalised throughout, as Cronenberg explores the fragmentation of their shared identity and bond. When one twin starts to decline, the other promptly follows: such as when Elliot starts taking the same drugs as his brother, synchronising their decline.
As Jekyll and Hyde shows a man attempting to separate himself in two, Dead Ringers shows two ineluctably becoming one and instead destroying each other in the process. In the 1980s, the HIV/AIDS outbreak created a new wave of anxiety around sex and intimacy. There’s a chance that Dead Ringers reflects this anxiety, by making real the fear of becoming too close to those you love.
HISTORY OF VIOLENCE A
In 2005, Cronenberg would create his first film with soon-to-be longtime collaborator Viggo Mortensen (along with Ed Harris, William Hurt and Maria Bello) on A History of Violence, an adaption of the 1997 DC graphic novel. In the film a diner owner (Mortensen) becomes a local hero after he foils an attempted robbery but soon must face his past enemies to protect his family.
Another pillar of the Gothic is the idea of the ‘ghost’, a physical manifestation of the past coming back to haunt the characters. This doesn’t have to be an actual spectre, but often the antagonist of Gothic literature does represent the past of the protagonist in various ways.
For example, in. Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Count Dracula himself is an embodiment of the past. He represents a violent, feudal history that challenges the 19th century modernity. One of the protagonists, John Harker, first meets Dracula at his castle in Transylvania, where he is held hostage, and eventually escapes. During this time, Dracula begins to invade England, threatening Harker’s friends and partner, Mina. Dracula, then, also comes to represent a fear of the “other”, or immigration, which had come to threaten the British Empire in the 19th Century.
A History of Violence deconstructs the idea of the American Dream through the antagonist representing the protagonist’s violent past. Tom Stall and his family are almost a caricature of American ideals: a large house in a small town; honest, quiet, hardworking jobs; a loving, peaceful marriage and life. However, when Tom must kill two robbers that attempt to steal from his diner, he becomes somewhat of a local hero and celebrity. This causes a mysterious man, Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris), to track him down to expose his violent past. As it turns out, Tom Stall is actually Joey Cusack, a former mob hitman.
The film explores how the American dream is rooted in a dark and violent past, that has been covered up and hidden. It’s very much about the horrors that live just beneath the civil surface, another inherently Gothic trait. And as in the conclusion of many Gothic texts, the past cannot be escaped and until you truly confront it, you cannot run forever. As Cronenberg is Canadian, he was able to interrogate these American values and the past it was built on as an outsider looking in. And in the early 2000s, a post 9/11 America began to interrogate its identity and values. A History of Violence makes real this interrogation.
HISTORY VIOLENCE
D
There are many more ways that Cronenberg uses the neo-Gothic in his work than have been described here. The ‘castle’, a place of loneliness and isolation that reflects its inhabitants mental state, is used frequently. Brundle’s dilapidated lab-apartment or the Twins clinic are perfect examples. The high, overwrought melodrama and romance stories of Gothic literature also finds its way into the relationships present in the film, again namely The Fly. All Cronenberg’s films carry the neo-Gothic in one way or another, in the sense that he always places his own fears, or the fears of those around him, into the physical world. And through making that, or through watching it, perhaps we can finally overcome them.
DC
Illustration by VICKY HUCKER-BROWN
Illustration by ANNA LEBEDEVA
The Architecture OF ELDEN RING
Elden Ring is FromSoftwares first open world. It combines eleven different areas each with their own distinct architectural style. Here, I will be focusing on the role Gothic architecture has played in the design of Elden Ring’s standout dungeons. Unlike other FromSoftware games, Elden Ring combines open world exploration with classic “Legacy Dungeons”, which are contained spaces (for example Stormveil Castle) where the player progresses to a boss fight. There are typically many routes to go through the dungeon which often twist, turn, and overlap each other.
Gothic architecture is a consistent style throughout Elden Ring, shaping the derelict and abandoned atmosphere surrounding the environment. Here I will examine Jean Bony’s definition of the ‘Technical Bases of Gothic Architecture’ and see it through a lens of level design.
The Rib Vault
‘One of the most obvious features is the use of ... the rib vault’.
The Rib Vault is the convergence of four arches with connecting pillars below. This gives the illusion of greater height along with generally guiding the player upwards which is generally the direction of progression in Elden Ring.
Arches
‘Another typical feature is the pointed shape given to all the arches and present everywhere in the structure’.
The vast majority of arches in Gothic architecture come to a point, this acts as a literal arrow pointing upwards reenforcing the direction of progression.
Height
‘A deliberate insistence on height, which affects all the proportions of the building.’
The focus on large structures places a contrast between the viewer and the building making it seem even more grand and the viewer yet more insignificant.
Shadows
‘The size of the windows, the brightness of light in this interior are particularly striking; and that skeletonization of the structure’
This is used particularly in Elden Ring and game design as a whole where lights and shadows are used to guide the player to the next part of the dungeon.
Stormveil is the first area where the player feels the drastic difference between the dying nobility of the “Lands Between”. During the first few hours of gameplay the player explores the post-apocalyptic world following a war called the “Shattering”. There are few if any settlements outside of the larger cities, mostly limited to small campsites and ruins. The first few hours of gameplay are spent traversing a barren landscape full of hostility. The transition into Stormveil is a difficult uphill battle against several enemy encampments, but around you, you see the immense grandeur of Castle Stormveil – this contrast combined with the ascent up increases the environmental tension. This effect is used constantly in Elden Ring by drawing contrast between areas. It makes each area distinct in the mind of the player, creating a memorable environment.
Each encounter in Elden Ring requires an analysis of the environment. The player must take in key information and see what attacks would be best; in a wide-open area with many enemies, wide “area of effect” attacks are beneficial, but in a cramped corridor, faster, narrower attacks are best. The visual style of any given environment plays a key role in how the player disseminates information. For example, Flying Dragon Agheel is encountered in a wide arena covered in flames. Before the player even encounters the Dragon, they see the flame-scorched environment and can infer a difficult enemy is incoming.
Another area which takes the Gothic style to its logical extent is Crumbling Farum Azula, the penultimate dungeon in Elden Ring. In order to reach this area, you must literally turn back time and wake to find yourself in an immense floating temple. The design of the temple is straight out of the 15th century, with walls scattered with sculptures of beast men and dragons alike – the original inhabitants of the Lands Between. This area is foreshadowed throughout the whole game with large pieces of the environment having fallen off and into the ground below, teasing something larger to the player. This area shows best FromSoftware’s skill in environmental design. Each area has its history carefully decided, and the architecture reflects this and subtly tells the story of the world, and the original inhabitants of the area you are in.
Text by Mariam Hassan
Layout by Harvey Franklin
Written by Sean Kuang
Illustrations by Doodles Cave
Through The Ages (476AD - 2025)
As I write this in 2025, the term “Gothic” is typically used to describe a cultural/ aesthetic movement defined by leather, vampires, Victorian aesthetics and black eyeliner.
But where did this term “Gothic” come from?
How does it relate to the movements of Gothic culture, media, literature, architecture, and the ancient medieval peoples?
In these next few pages I will try to untangle this mystery and find the links between it all...
Ancient Goths
We often use the fall of Rome in 476AD to mark the end of “Ancient History” and the beginning of “Medieval History”, AKA “The Dark Ages”. It’s no coincidence that the people who toppled the Romans are referred to as “The Goths”. They were a collection of various Germanic people and tribes who had been driven into Roman lands by the Huns and Alans. They had their own language, alphabet, and most importantly their own kingdoms. After the fall of Rome, they ruled most of Italy and Spain as the Visigoth and Ostrogoth Kingdoms. They didn’t last long though as Italy was soon re-conquered by the Byzantines, and Spain conquered
by the Umayyad Caliphate. With how advanced and wealthy the Romans were compared to their European contemporaries of the same and following eras (Vikings, Goths, Germanic tribes), their collapse did in many ways set western Europe backwards in science, tech, centralized power and legal institutions. Thus began years of medieval wars as factions tried to fill the power vacuum of Rome. Still, this overall narrative is often a misconception, as Europe after the Romans continued to advance forwards, with the Goths adopting Roman law and customs even if they didn’t have the same wealth or territorial glory. But no-one talks
Gothic Architecture
Although the Ancient Gothic identity and culture disappears from history by the 7th century, a movement called “Gothic Architecture” pops up in the 12th and 13th century. Ironically, structures erected under the Ancient Gothic Kingdoms of the 6th and 7th century are categorised as “Romanesque” Architecture. So how do we define “Gothic Architecture?”
Romanesque architecture is defined by thick walls, round arches and small windows, whereas Gothic architecture is defined by exterior buttresses, pointed arches and huge stained windows. The Tower of Pisa would be “Romanesque”, and the Notre Dame “Gothic” for example. Artistically, Gothic Architecture tends to be far more Surreal, more Ethereal, more Otherworldly. Classical churches were more simple and practical in design, whereas Gothic Cathedrals were designed with very strange, unconventional shapes and patterns. Think of Canterbury Cathedral, all the sharp edges, the proportions of the building and how tall it is compared to its width, all the huge stained glass windows, together it
creates a supernatural vibe. It broke conventional rules for architecture at the time, purposefully to evoke the wonder, the godly power of kings and gods. Oftentimes these design choices make the buildings feel uncanny, defying practical logic. It’s no coincidence this style of sculpture and architecture greatly influenced horror media.
It’s worth mentioning the context of what we call “The Dark Ages”. All the sharp lines and pointed shapes make it feel scary, eerie, perhaps a reflection of what it was like to live in the “Dark Ages”, a time of constant war, plague and famine. A time where Islam was going through its golden age, when it had taken Sicily and all of Spain, and a time where India and China were the centre of global trade, while Europe was a poor backwater of small Christian states. It’s worth mentioning the influence of Islamic architecture, from which the rib vault and pointed arches originate. This may have come from the rise of Islamic Spain or the crusades which preceded the movement. The Notre Dame hosted a rally for the 3rd crusade, after all. Even so, through turbulent times Europe erected
about the legacy of the Ostrogoth high courts. What’s important to remember is that they are often characterised as barbarians, and are remembered for destroying the glorious Roman Empire, sacking and conquering Rome, and sending Europe into “The Dark Ages”. Their association with kickstarting the medieval age is what their name has been reduced to in modern culture, and how they were viewed in the Victorian era. Their rebellious nature and the shift to the status quo they lead will come to define their name.
incredible Gothic structures, which became more popular from the 11th to the 16th Century.
Of course, this “Dark Age” would be preceded by “The Enlightenment” where Europe would lead the world in many fields and have another golden age. This term of “Dark ages” was commonly used by 19th century historians, who would have had a Eurocentric bias. Although the dark ages may have been a time of weakness for Europe, the backwardness is often overstated by those who romanticise the Romans and the Enlightenment. The “Dark” shift in history that defines the term “Gothic” comes from this view of European history.
By the time of the late medieval period (14th - 16th century), the term “Gothic Architecture” was a rebellious one, as it had become the popular style as classical Romanesque architecture was phased out. A new revolutionary Gothic artistic movement took over the Romanesque style of European buildings, like how the Goths took over Rome.
Gothic Literature
Those 19th Century historians who used the term “Dark Ages” to describe the medieval age had a specific view of history, as they grew up in a world where Europe was king, colonizing and enslaving the rest of the planet. Europe was leading the industrial revolution (fuelled by exploiting Indians in Bengal and African slaves), and so the medieval era would have been seen as a particularly dark, barbaric period in history. This point of view is important to understand as we look at Gothic Literature. With the coming enlightenment, there comes its problems, and the disillusionment with the modern day. And so, stories with a medieval setting become exciting, interesting, where stories revel in the perceived to be dark and brutal era. With what we know about medieval torture and the spectacularly gruesome ways they carried them out, and the belief in the supernatural that led to witch trials, this inspired mystical stories with magical elements, and aesthetics of decaying, creepy Gothic architecture. Viewing the ruins of medieval times from the 1800s would be the basis of Gothic stories. Gothic literature is defined by what are known as “Gothic Themes”, like dark medieval imagery and supernatural horror. While many works of literature with Gothic themes preceded it (some might call Macbeth a Gothic story), the first story to call itself Gothic is “The Castle of Otranto - A Gothic Story, 1764”. Being set in a haunted castle, this work is cited as the first in the genre, influencing later works from Edgar Allan Poe, as well as Frankenstein and Dracula.
It’s interesting to note who this great originator of the genre was. Horace Walpole was the son of a British PM, Robert Balpole, and lived all his life with lavish wealth. He admired Gothic Architecture, and built “Strawberry Hill House” in 1749, a fabulous mansion with Gothic style features all over.
After having a nightmare where he saw a ghost when he was staying in this very house, he was inspired to write the story.
It’s also interesting how Gothic aesthetics became romanticized in these stories. Perhaps this was due to how scientific and logical the world was becoming (Darwin 1859), when the world map was becoming drawn up and when the industrial revolution was progressing. This fear of and love for the dark ages both define the Gothic. The disillusionment with modernity is an important aspect of Goth culture, so it is interesting to see that the author felt this way about colonial Britain:
“What is England now? – A sink of Indian wealth, filled by nabobs and emptied by Maccaronis! A senate sold and despised! A country overrun by horse-races! A gaming, robbing, wrangling, railing nation without principles, genius, character or allies.”
- Horace Walpole, 1773, criticizing the East India Company
Frankenstein also happens to share this anti-modern view. It was one of the first and most famous examples of a story questioning modernity, written during the Romanticism and Counter-Enlightenment movements. It asks the question “Has science gone too far?”, and it so happens to be crucial to Gothic media and culture. It’s crucial to mention the tragic themes of this novel, with how Mary Shelley’s mother died of illness, and how her half-sister committed suicide, writing the first 4 chapters just after this happened. Gothic literature so often features tragedy as much as it features horror.
The Vampyre introduces themes of romance and brings the Vampires, bloodsucking creatures of Slavic folklore, to the Gothic genre. Of course, Dracula cannot go unmentioned. With thousands of adaptations and remakes, and a new one around the corner, it brought the goth aesthetic to the mainstream and continues to dominate the genre. Another aspect of Gothic literature I need to mention is how provocative it was. The Monk by Matthew Lewis was very sexually explicit for its time and was very critical of the Catholic church. Lewis was a gay man and used the Gothic genre to explore LGBT themes in his story. In a time where cultural attitudes were very sensitive for media, Gothic was a way to explore sexually explicit themes, and dark macabre themes. Once again, we see how Gothic is a rebellious movement, challenging the status quo.
Gothic literature is where all the many themes and aesthetics we associate with the word “Gothic” come into place. The word goes from a description of medieval architectural styles and post-Roman backwardness, into a distinct genre, a collection of visuals and vibes, all of which look very dark. From here is where everything else will be derived.
From here, the word “Gothic” describes an aesthetic. Although it is informed by literature and media, the point of view is very different. With the backdrop of a 1970s Britain in economic decline, post-punk acts emerged and brought bold innovations in music (The Cure, Joy Division). Metal should also be mentioned in how some of their aesthetics were also influenced by Gothic tropes (Black Sabbath, with their themes of anti-modernity in songs like “Iron Man” and “Electric Funeral”, and tragic depressive themes with “Paranoid”, and Ozzy’s Gothic outfits (RIP)). From these musical movements came the fashion, wearing all black with heavy black makeup. This look was inspired by Siouxsie Sioux from the group
Today “Gothic”, like many subcultures, has strong links to music and fashion and is largely an aesthetic term. It sticks out with its distinct features and continues to be provocative to this day. Even though the context always changes, the word “Gothic” never fails to represent a rebellious movement, a challenging of the status quo, no matter what the word is referring to for each generation, from the Goths to the Gothic.
popular over time, it grew to mainstream popularity, often being associated with the “Emo” movement. From this came real and online communities, where young people would find spaces where they could be understood and meet like-minded people.
by AUDREY KENDALL & GRACE TAYLOR
Photography
As seen on our socials, the aesthetic we use for our society is all Gothic. The decision was completely rooted in how public opinion has shaped the way spiritual practices are viewed. Once Christianity became mainstream in the British Isles (and around the world) esoteric arts were demonised and pushed into the shadows by executing practitioners and rebranding sacred holidays. A darker aesthetic and outlook on life is a rebellion against the philosophies pushed by modern day religion. Taking control of your own life and destiny by using magickal practices is rebellion as well, and that to me is why Witchcraft and Gothicism go hand-in-hand.
Magick is a mysterious practice involving thousands of different paths, containing thousands of years’ worth of lore. We try to maintain that mysterious attitude so curious individuals seek us out. The journey of discovery is what makes Magick fun and worthwhile (making wishes come true is alright too I guess).
As the society’s president it would make sense to have some sort of knowledge and experience given what we do during our sessions. I am a practicing eclectic witch of five years who’s dabbled in almost everything the craft has to offer. At our society gatherings I go over certain topics that are specified on our socials
beforehand, and I like to conclude the sessions with spells and rituals that relate to what we’ve talked about. Magick is a science of some sort, and everyone has things they’re good at, as well as things they’re bad at. But it all boils down to the simple belief that change in your life can be willed into existence.
“A world without magic was a colder place. lacking emotion and wonder, dominated by technicians without soul and specialists without heart”
Historically, particularly during the witch hunts, witches were demonized and portrayed as enemies of society and God. This powerful, “other,” and dangerous imagery
Aesthetics History
became intertwined with the supernatural and macabre elements that also define gothic culture.
Witchcraft is tied to gothic aesthetics because both symbolize rebellion, mystery, and a connection to the dark or forbidden, elements that have been historically associated with witches through folklore and literature. Gothic culture thrives on themes of
darkness, the supernatural, and the erosion of societal norms, making witches, often portrayed as powerful, misunderstood outsiders challenging the established order, a natural fit for this aesthetic
UCA Farnham Witchcraft & Spirtiuality Society
As the iris closes, the strange old man stares in concern at the camera. We snap to reality in an office. A normal office. A well-dressed man hovers around the room, reading. As he perches against a chair something doesn’t seem right. The window. Something is off. He rushes in concern towards it, and that is when you realise it. The man has... shrunk? The once dominant figure in the room is now barely tall enough to look out of the window.
And that window… something seems off. All the pieces are there, but somehow this frame of a man looking out of a window shocks us with lines. On the walls alone there are 4 lines pushing our eyes to the jolly man, now dominant again, smiling. That window, everything there makes sense, the mullions on the window and a roof of another house. But wait! When does a window of this size need to consist of 6 squares? In fact, you cannot even call them squares. Trapeziums and triangles shatter the window into something nearly unrecognizable. If that man was not looking out of it, you would be forgiven for thinking it was some strange modern art piece. The roof in the distance seems strange too, not its triangular shape as this is the only one in the frame one would not bat an eye at. Instead, the chimneys are kissing; a romantic couple sealing a wonderful night of love with a picture-perfect kiss.
Like a shot we cut back to the office. That chair, the one the man leant on, stands alone in the middle of the room, all 4 tiers of its back, like a ladder from the floor below. What is wrong with this space? Not even the shadows seem right, piercing the wall into triangle after triangle. To such extent that it leaves a star ray of light burned onto the floor, although it cannot even do that the way we would expect. Instead this star has not top, or bottom, simple 4 points, book ended with straight lines. It is here you start to ask yourself: where is the sun? We see the window, despite its strange shape, sunlight should have no issue getting through it. Yet the walls are lathered in shadow, the light parts are dark, the dark parts are light. In this chaos of confusion our man has dressed to leave and as he does, this strange world comes to light. A narrow German street, timely architecture, stone streets and metal lamps. Everything you would expect, except someone has smeared their paintbrush over it. The houses float in the street like heat waves in the desert, caving in on the giants below, giants that can look through the top floor windows on their tip toes. Light runs through the street like a headless chicken, battling with the sharp edges of the shadows. Bustling main streets clash with dingy alleyways. As we take in the space, our character hands a passer-by a leaflet.
1-2 GOTH MAKEUP
Text LAUREN MACHIN @llmchnn / @spectralpeaks
Design FAITH WILLIAMS @woodlousedude
Images Siouxsie Sioux, circa 1980
3-6
The Doctor
Text & Illustration AL @art_of_agrape
7-8 The Twilight Phenomenon
Text KAT HALL @kat4evaaa
Design HAILEY PEK @ps.haileyy Images Twilight (2008)
Dir. Catherine Hardwicke
9-12
The collage of Mina
Design and images FAITH WILLIAMS @woodlousedude Model MINA
13-14 Little Miss Scare-All: Type O Negative and the Art of Being a Beautiful Weirdo
Text & Design MADALYN WARDLE @_designbymaddie_
Images Type O Negative, Peter Steele
15-22 The ‘Goth Girl’
Text & Design FAITH WILLIAMS
Images Daria (1997), Beetlejuice (1989), Downtown (1999), ScoobyDoo! And the Witch’s Ghost (1999), Trollz (2005), Total Drama Island (2007), Teen Titans (2003), Monster High: Ghouls Rule (2012), Hotel Transylvania (2012), Wendell and Wild (2022)
23-24 Frankenstein and the convergence of the literary and the filmic
Text MILES FARROW @milesssfarrow2
Illustration ALANA BAILEY @alanabea.art13
Design AVIVA GENEVA @avivageneva
25-28 Student Spotlight 04
Text & Design FAITH WILLIAMS
Images FAITH WILLIAMS
Model & Interviewee AMALIE ATKINS
29-30 ANATOMY OF THE TRADITIONAL GOTH
Illustration PAU ORLIKOWSKA @kovvskii
31-40 CRONENBURG AND THE NEO-GOTHIC
Text JACK FROGGATT-COOPER
Design ELLA STEVENSON @ellas_art_design
41 Carmilla and Laura
Illustration VICKY HUCKER-BROWN
42 Skreepetta
Illustration ANNA LEBEDEVA
43-44 THE ARCHITECTURE OF ELDEN RING
Text & Design SAM LODGE @LodgedDesigns Image Elden Ring (2022)
45-49 A Gothic Reading of Gabriel García Márquez’s A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings
Text MARIAM HASSAN @mariamhassanfilms
Design HARVEY FRANKLIN
Image A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings, various interpretative illustrations
50-54 Gothic Through The Ages (476AD-2025)
Text SEAN KUANG
Illustrations DOODLES CAVE @d0odle_boxx
Design FAITH WILLIAMS
55-56 In The Field
Images & Design AUDREY KENDALL & GRACE TAYLOR @ankle.picz
57-58 Ogival Arches
Illustration AVA CHILLINGWORTH @avacdplayer
59-62 WITCHCRAFT AND SPIRITUALITY SOCIETY
Text & Design JASON STANDING (UCA Farnham Witchcraft and Spirituality Society) @uca.witchcraft @theskullective
