The original use of the term `Gothic' was applied to a group of novels, including Mary Shelley's `Frankenstein', written between the 1760s and 1820s. These novels usually employed some or all of the following characteristics, which seem demonstrative of the original use of the term `Gothic': An emphasis on portraying the terrifying, a common insistence on archaic settings, a prominent use of the supernatural, the presence of highly stereotyped characters, barbarism as opposed to elegance, and the attempt to deploy and perfect techniques of literary suspense. In this way, although it does not fall into the defined period of original Gothic, Bram Stoker's `Dracula' could be seen as conforming to this original framework. For example, upon his recent arrival in Dracula's locality, Jonathan Harker states, "...the crucifix is still round my neck. Whether it is the old lady's fear, I do not know, but I am not feeling nearly as easy in my mind as usual. If this book should ever reach Mina before I do, let it bring my goodbye". This extract builds tension and suspense, hinting at future events such as his mental illness and seclusion, and displays the superstition and folklore employed in archetypal Gothic literature. The principal figures within Gothic works were the wanderer, the vampire, and the seeker of forbidden knowledge, all of which may be found within the Victorian examples of Gothicism to which I make reference. However, as with the characteristic change of genre over time, the concepts of `Gothic' and `Terror' have become intertwined in literary history, leading to misconceptions and difficulties in definition.
Even within the original Gothic category the differences between works was great, each possessing extremely different aspects and values, although they are still generally grouped together within a homogenous body of fiction. However, the definition of this homogenised group is not the only literary use of the term...