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Gothic era

Movement
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Period of poetic and artistic style associated with Gothic culture, architecture, and symbolism

Detailed Definition
The Gothic era in poetry refers to the period, roughly late 18th to early 19th century, when literature embraced supernatural themes, medieval settings, and heightened emotion. Poets employed dark imagery, ornate language, and psychological intensity to evoke mystery and terror, aligning with broader Gothic art trends.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Horace Walpole’s “The Castle of Otranto,” Gothic era blends medievalism and terror; In Ann Radcliffe’s “The Mysteries of Udolpho,” Gothic era uses sublime landscapes; In Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “Christabel,” Gothic era employs supernatural seduction; In John Keats’ “La Belle Dame sans Merci,” Gothic era merges beauty and death; In Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights,” Gothic era explores passionate revenge; In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Gothic era collapses psyche and architecture.
Additional Notes
A literary period characterized by ornate description, religious and supernatural imagery, dramatic emotion, and an aesthetic of darkness and mystery. Gothic poetry often draws on medieval settings and folk horror. Related to Romanticism, which absorbed many Gothic elements. Contrasts with Neoclassical restraint. Learners should note how Gothic excess and emotion differ from Romantic sublimity despite their overlap.
Also Known As
Medieval Gothic Gothic age High Gothic period High Middle Ages (Europe)
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