One of the defining features of Gothic literature is that it engages with the taboo—those subjects and behaviors so far outside the accepted norms of society that to even mention or hint at them stirs up fear and anxiety. Exactly what is considered taboo varies from culture to culture and changes over time, but one of the strongest taboos that you’ll find in almost every culture (although often defined differently) is that of incest. Sexual relations between family members are in many places prohibited by law and by religious code, in addition to being against social custom. But perhaps more so than any other crime, incest has the tendency to arouse strong feelings of disgust and discomfort. It is precisely these emotions—along with shock and horror—that writers of Gothic literature have sought to induce by including incest in their fiction. Continue reading Gothic Tropes: Incest