Tag: sherlock holmes

Gothic Tropes in The Hound of the Baskervilles

I have written before about how detective fiction (and the mystery genre more broadly) emerged out of the Gothic. I even touched briefly on this particular book. But today I want to give a much more in-depth examination of the Gothic elements in Arthur Conan Doyle’s celebrated Sherlock Holmes novel The Hound of the Baskervilles, first published in serialized form in 1901–2.  Continue reading Gothic Tropes in The Hound of the Baskervilles

Snakes in Gothic Literature

As reminders of our baser animal nature and the wild power of the natural world, animals frequently play an important role in Gothic literature. I have previously written posts on the roles of cats and dogs. Now I want to focus on one animal that had been particularly feared throughout history: snakes. Associated with deception, temptation, and sin, snakes make powerful symbols of abstract evil, in addition to the connotations they already hold as genuine objects of fear in the real world. Below are a few classic works that derive their horror from deadly snakes or serpents:

photo of red snake
(Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash)

Continue reading Snakes in Gothic Literature

Dogs in Gothic and Horror Literature

Man’s best friend can also be his worst nightmare.… Most of us love dogs. They make great pets, as they can be playful, affectionate, and truly loyal companions. But when you remember that they are descended from wolves, you can’t help recognizing that, somewhere deep inside, even the most precious puppy retains a bit of the wild animal, a bit of the predator. And it is this aspect that makes dogs such a popular subject in horror literature. As we just passed from the Year of the Rooster to the Year of the Dog on Friday, according to the Chinese zodiac, I figured this would be an especially appropriate time to celebrate the creepiest canines in horror. Continue reading Dogs in Gothic and Horror Literature

Is Sherlock Goth???—Detective Fiction and the Gothic

Is Sherlock goth???

(I stumbled on this lovely image by @Pencil_Fangirl on Instagram)
(I stumbled on this lovely image by @Pencil_Fangirl on Instagram)

I talk a lot about how modern horror fiction and paranormal romance have descended from the classic Gothic novel. Well, detective stories are yet another example of a popular genre that rose up from this immensely fecund area of fiction. Many of the earliest detective stories were written by authors of Gothic fiction, or otherwise incorporated Gothic elements. In fact, detective fiction is a relatively young genre, and its origin is generally accredited to one of the greatest gothy patriarchs of all—Edgar Allan Poe. Continue reading Is Sherlock Goth???—Detective Fiction and the Gothic