I’ve written before about the Vampire Literary Canon—some of the most popular works that cemented the vampire’s place as literature’s favorite monster. But before vampires worked their way into novels (like Bram Stoker’s Dracula), novellas (like J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla), or even short stories (like Polidori’s “The Vampyre”), many of the earliest appearances of these creatures in Western literature occurred in poetry. Below are a few of my favorite examples of early vampire poems:
It is now September, and I know for many of you that means it’s time to go back to school. It’s become a yearly tradition for me to put together a reading list of Gothic works you may encounter on your English syllabus. So far, I’ve done my initial Back to School Reading List of Gothic novels, a Short Story Edition, and a Drama Edition. Now it’s time to tackle poetry! Here are a few of the darker poems you may come across in class: Continue reading Back to School Reading List: Poetry Edition
What does Poe’s most famous poem have to do with an Australian horror film from a few years back? More than you might think. “The Raven” and The Babadook utilize similar plot lines to explore the inescapable nature of grief after the loss of a loved one. (Warning: This post contains spoilers for the movie The Babadook.)
Most of you are likely familiar with “The Raven,” Poe’s 1845 poem that first skyrocketed him into literary fame. The poem is told from the perspective of an unnamed speaker who mourns for his lost love, Lenore. One night, a raven comes in through his window and answers all of the speaker’s questions with one word: “Nevermore.” At the end of the poem, the speaker acknowledges that the raven is still sitting above his door, and his soul will be under its shadow forever. If you’d like to refresh yourself on the details, you can read the full text of “The Raven” here.
Somewhat more niche is The Babadook, a debut horror film written and directed by Jennifer Kent, which made waves among horror fans when it was first released in 2014. The story features a single mother named Amelia, whose husband died the same night she gave birth to her son Sam. Years later, Amelia and Sam discover a mysterious pop-up book that features a terrifying creature called the Babadook. Though Amelia initially dismisses the Babadook as fictional, it soon begins to take over her mind, showing her visions of violence and causing her to act erratically. Amelia finally confronts the Babadook, and the end of the movie shows the monster now somewhat docile, living in her basement. Amelia visits occasionally to feed it. Continue reading Grief: The Raven and The Babadook
Last year, I wrote up a list of five death- and graveyard-themed poems to ponder as you enjoy a solitary stroll through someone’s final resting place. Now that graveyard picnic season has come once again, I figured it was time to add to this list. When researching for my previous post, I discovered that the tradition of graveyard poetry was far more robust than I had previously realized, and I kept finding more poems that I wanted to share. As before, my collection contains works by a few of the pre-Romantic “Graveyard Poets,” as well as a couple of poems by later Romantic poets. Enjoy!
The day has finally come! Here at The Gothic Library, I’ve been celebrating all month—taking my faithful readers through a tour of ghost stories, horror films, and haunted houses. Today I want to explore some of the literature surrounding the holiday itself. Below are a few works from the past three centuries that celebrate or take place during this spookiest of nights: Continue reading Halloween in Literature
There’s something about goths, graveyards, and poetry that just seem to go together. Well, part of that is because, long before there were any goths, a number of poets frequented graveyards, viewing them as the ideal setting for melancholy contemplation. This trend was popularized in the eighteenth century by a group of pre-Romantic English writers who became known as the Graveyard Poets. The tradition was continued by the Romantics, who have had a significant influence on popular gothic aesthetic and sentiment, and it has since been revisited by many writers into the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Below are five of my favorite poems that were written or take place in a graveyard:
Who says love poems need to be all rainbows and sunshine? Sometimes death and decay can be just as romantic. If you’re tired of sappy hallmark cards and sickly sweet phrases written on candy, consider sharing some of these creepy classics with your loved ones.
I’ve been nominated by Emma at Wandering Words for the 3 Days, 3 Quotes Challenge! Thanks for the nomination–I’m really excited about this, as it is my first blogging challenge ever! First, the rules:
The Three Rules:
The quote I’ve chosen for Day One is from Book One of Paradise Lost, the 17th-century epic poem by John Milton:
“The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.”
Continue reading It’s All In Your Mind–3 Days, 3 Quotes Challenge: Day 1
One of the many stereotypes of the gothic subculture involves reading poetry and brooding in a corner. While the brooding isn’t entirely necessary, poetry is a great way to indulge in your daily dose of darkness. Here are just a few of my absolute favorite gothic poems:
1) “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe
The works of Edgar Allan Poe were some of my first gateways into the realm of gothic literature. Poe is regarded as a leading patriarch in the American gothic tradition. He helped to popularize the genres of both horror and mystery with his numerous short stories. But for me, the true gothic beauty of Poe resides chiefly in his poetry. Now, I’m sure you’re all familiar with “The Raven,” so I figured I’d introduce you to one of my other favorite poems of his. “Annabel Lee” is a hauntingly beautiful poem about two of Poe’s favorite things: a beautiful woman and death. In fact, many of Poe’s poems and stories involve the death of a beautiful woman, perhaps influenced by the early death of his young wife, Virginia. “Annabel Lee” tells the story of a man and woman who were so in love that the angels in heaven grew jealous and took the woman away. The poem has an ethereal cadence that works beautifully put to music, as in this electro dance cover by one of my favorite musicians, Psyche Corporation:
You can also read it for yourself here.
