Gothic or Romance?

[Manderley]

Just curious: What's the most important element in the novel: The gothic setting or the romantic storyline?

I don't care that much for romance, I must admit. In fact I rather prefer it when it's not too much a part of the story. It's all about the gothic atmosphere and settings for me. I'd rather have gothic with suspense than with romance any day, but since there's not that many people discussing gothic literature at all, I hope you don't mind me joining you here in this forum.

[GothicLover]

Just curious: What's the most important element in the novel: The gothic setting or the romantic storyline?

I believe that's a subjective decision that is dependent upon the individual reader's taste. I think what you are saying is that you prefer gothic novels to gothic romance novels.

The three key ingredients of a gothic romance novel, IMHO, are romance, life-threatening suspense, and a puzzle/mystery. The gothic setting (castle, spooky mansion, etc.) is frosting on the cake.

Please don't be shy about expressing your opinions on this forum. Its members have a broad spectrum of tastes, all within the gothic romance genre. They all apparently are interested in communicating with other gothic romance lovers. There may be other forums for those that prefer gothic novels without the romance element. I'm not into those, so I haven't sought them out.

[Monique Devereaux]

The gothic setting and gothic prose are more important to me over the romance.

I'm currently reading Blackwood Farm by Anne Rice which is Gothic to it's very core, but the romance element is bottom of the barrel and totally unbelievable. Maybe she was writing the romance subplot as a parody, who knows?

When I was younger I read most of Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, and Barabara Michaels. I have re-read some of their books during the past ten years. Victoria Holt to me isn't very Gothic, and Barbara Michaels isn't very romantic. Maybe it was the era in which they were written, or the fact that the quality of their writing is what keeps these books in print after 30-50 years, but to me the romance element in these books is not very noticable as it is with more contemporary writers such as Danielle Steele, Norah Roberts, Sandra Brown and their school of writing. It's there, and is an integral part of the overall plot, but the books don't come across as "love porn".

[Manderley]

Just curious: What's the most important element in the novel: The gothic setting or the romantic storyline?

I believe that's a subjective decision that is dependent upon the individual reader's taste.

I do beg your pardon, it seems my question was a trifle ambiguous. Let me rephrase it for any latecomers:

What's the most important element in the novel as far as you are concerned: The gothic setting or the romantic storyline?

[MysteryMind]

Just curious: What's the most important element in the novel: The gothic setting or the romantic storyline?

I believe that's a subjective decision that is dependent upon the individual reader's taste.

I do beg your pardon, it seems my question was a trifle ambiguous. Let me rephrase it for any latecomers:

What's the most important element in the novel as far as you are concerned: The gothic setting or the romantic storyline?

Being more interested in mystery and suspense, I do prefer the gothic setting. However, I will qualify that and say that if the romance is extremely awkward, it will detract from my enjoyment of the novel.

[fallover]

Just curious: What's the most important element in the novel: The gothic setting or the romantic storyline?

I believe that's a subjective decision that is dependent upon the individual reader's taste.

I do beg your pardon, it seems my question was a trifle ambiguous. Let me rephrase it for any latecomers:

What's the most important element in the novel as far as you are concerned: The gothic setting or the romantic storyline?

As I've said before in my other posts, I love the gothic setting. Give me castles and atmosphere any time.

[Desdemona]

I'll try almost any book that has a Gothic atmosphere so I guess that element is most important to me. Having said that, I would LOVE to read a Gothic with a great love story. That has been really hard to find for me. Perhaps I'm too picky. Either the love story is just a bunch of sex (boring because sex alone is not love) or it is one of the older Gothic romance's version of love, meaning the naive girl and the cranky older man with a secret.

My favorite is still Jane Eyre which combined both elements so successfully in my opinion. It is also one of the most passionate stories I've ever read, even though written in the mid-1800s.

[gurugoddess]

I agree with the Jane Eyre comments, but the great setting, the mad woman in the attic, which is his wife, and prevents them from winning their true love, is what makes it treat. A whole lot of obstacles, and yet love wins through in the end.

And I remember also reading someone's opinion that it is, in a way, more interesting to see someone fall in love with a man everyone deems a 'monster' and see the redeeming features of the hero, as the heroine discovers them, than some perfect, handsome playboy kind of hero.

Sort of beauty and the beast, but with more depth, because as you also say, sex is not love, love is overcoming the obstacles to be together no matter what.

And the characters being true to themselves. Jane is devout, so even though they are clearly hot for each other, she leaves him when she sees she has been duped, but does not jump at he next offer of marriage, because it is not real love.

There is also the aspect of karma--Rochester gets his wish in the end, but it comes with a price. But he is willing to pay it to find true love.

So the setting is key, the romance is also if the path of them falling in love is shown, and the love is deep enough to endure obstacles.

Rebecca by Du Maurier is a spin on Jane Eyre, of course, with the twist of him trying to murder his wife. He is guilty, but she still sticks by him. Then they find out the whole story, and he is not quite so guilty. It is not a great book, but it is intriguing and certainly atmospheric.

[Desdemona]

I agree with the Jane Eyre comments, but the great setting, the mad woman in the attic, which is his wife, and prevents them from winning their true love, is what makes it treat. A whole lot of obstacles, and yet love wins through in the end.

And I remember also reading someone's opinion that it is, in a way, more interesting to see someone fall in love with a man everyone deems a 'monster' and see the redeeming features of the hero, as the heroine discovers them, than some perfect, handsome playboy kind of hero.

Sort of beauty and the beast, but with more depth, because as you also say, sex is not love, love is overcoming the obstacles to be together no matter what.

And the characters being true to themselves. Jane is devout, so even though they are clearly hot for each other, she leaves him when she sees she has been duped, but does not jump at he next offer of marriage, because it is not real love.

There is also the aspect of karma--Rochester gets his wish in the end, but it comes with a price. But he is willing to pay it to find true love.

So the setting is key, the romance is also if the path of them falling in love is shown, and the love is deep enough to endure obstacles.

Rebecca by Du Maurier is a spin on Jane Eyre, of course, with the twist of him trying to murder his wife. He is guilty, but she still sticks by him. Then they find out the whole story, and he is not quite so guilty. It is not a great book, but it is intriguing and certainly atmospheric.

Great response. You basically summarized what I love about Jane Eyre, with much better words than my own. Thank you!

[gurugoddess]

Wuthering Heights is another interesting Gothic novel for those reasons, except that since Cathy and Heathcliff both make so many errors out of pride, their only happy ending is in the world beyond. She does not stick by her man, with the most fateful consequences for all involved.
And the thing is, she does really love him, but her youthful carelessness and fear of what the world would say destroys the very thing she loves the most.
Mr Rochester was willing to risk everything to have Jane in his life, even with a wife still living; Cathy wasn't prepared to do the same for Heathcliff, even though she was single at the time they met.
She then made her husband unhappy, and died basically tormenting herself to death over the errors she had made, rather than doing something to correct them in some way.
So this is also an example of a strong romance element essential to the Gothic setting, and vice versa. The setting is like another character affecting the romance. Not just Wuthering Heights in this case, (really spectacular scenery no matter what the time of year, especially Peninston Crag) but all the people in their social circle who contribute to their downfalls