Best "Classic" Gothic list

[Valancourt]

11. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Just wanted to note that Northanger Abbey is not a Gothic novel. It's more a satire on the genre, making jest of it and it's readers.

I am much surprised no one has mentioned The Monk by Matthew Lewis, Nightmare Abbey by Thomas Love Peacock, Melmoth the Wanderer by Charles Robert Maturin!

All solid and excellent classics. You must read them!

Also The Italian by Ann Radcliffe. I seem to always see her Romance of the Forest mentioned but never her The Italian. By many critics The Italian was her masterpiece of all her works. It IS an awesome novel! I myself think her Mysteries of Udolpho is her best work, but in many circles The Italian is their top pick.

While I very much enjoyed her Romance of the Forest, it's an early effort of hers and it shows. Very inferior to her later works.

Though not novels the Graveyard Poets of the 18th century whose writings frequently touched on themes of death, mortality, religion, and melancholy are exquisite wordsmiths. They are most certainly intensely gothic!

Here is a great link about them.....
http://www.litgothic.com/Topics/graveyard_school.html

Check their work out. Sublimely melancholy.