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Genres 101: Today’s Lesson "Horror"
Filed in Genres 101 , The Quirky Lover Posted on March 2, 2011 @ 1:24 pm
9 comments
I want to thank everyone for the awesome feedback on these posts! It’s fun learning and sharing the info with you!
For the next little while, I’ve decided to stick within the Speculative Fiction category because there just so many levels, that I feel it needs special attention. Today, I want to focus on Horror. The first thing that comes to mind, for me, under this title is Stephen King. For me he embodies the dark, scary stories that are synonymous with horror. What I was surprised to learn through my research is that a) horror , though created long ago, was a genre revived in the eighteenth century, largely with a female audience in mind and written by women and b) one of my fave types of literature, the Gothic novel, also falls within the realm of horror.
To me, horror seems to have similar characteristics to Fantasy, with elements of vampires, witches, ghosts, and, of course, the devil. The differentiation comes in the intent of the author to invoke fear in the reader. Throughout my university courses that I’ve taken over the last year, some of the names mentioned as writers of certain horror novels keep re-appearing. But they also show up in popular fiction as references to what others have/should read. For instance, The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole was an e-book I just added to my collection recently after reading Sarah MacLean’s Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord. With names like Poe, Shelley, Stoker included as horror fiction writers, it appears I need to look at this genre with a wider view!
Overall, according to Wiki, horror “provokes a response, emotional, psychological or physical within each individual that causes someone to react with fear. In order for that response to be elicited there are different techniques used, such as unreal figures (phantoms, mummies, etc.), or more real situations and figures (serial killers). The whole horror genre is built up upon people’s fear of the unknown and anxieties.” This is why I don’t like Stephen King so much; he scares the pants off me! But, in my true oxymoronic literary tastes, I love the gothic version of horror: throw in a castle, a stormy night, Gargoyles, etc. and you’ve got me!
Gothic is the subgenre of horror that has the most facets to it, I think (but I’m totally biased here). With elements like grotesquery, doppelgängers, and the others I mentioned above, gothic novels are dark, edge of your seat reads. There is a distinction from ‘normal’ horror, of course, with romantic aspects within the gothic text. These novels were also used to offer social commentary on excesses, “gender hierarchy” and so on. Recently, I’ve become a big fan of Michelle Zink’s novels, which bring the modern reader back to Victorian times but involve many of the elements used throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth century gothic novels.
From the gothic format, there are further subgenres, like Southern Gothic, with authors such as Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner, and Charlaine Harris, to mention a few. There’s another I’m particularly proud of: the Southern Ontario Gothic, featuring writers like Robertson Davies and Margaret Atwood, whose books line my own personal collection. Illustrating similar “prominent features” and “stock characters” of traditional work, the difference here would be the setting of the story.
There’s a Paranormal subsection in horror, identified by legendary beings such as Bigfoot, El Chupacabra, The Mothman, and the Loch Ness Monster, but also featuring ghosts, werewolves, etc.. Again, these would be in tales meant to highlight the creatures in horrific ways…and for my money, Nessie is a gentle herbivore (just sayin’).
Last in the Horror subgenres is Splatterpunk. Described as horror with “graphic, often gory, depiction of violence” it appears to be horror times a thousand. It brings to mind the Saw movies and others of that ilk. Clive Barker would be a perfect fit here, I believe
Overall, I will still not consider myself a fan of Horror per se, but it’s good to know the source and the evolution of this genre. Today’s assignment: Are there other authors that would fit any of these dscriptions that we may be surprised at? Have I missed any big names here?
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I think you have provided an awesome breakdown of the horror genre and its various sub-genres. I had never heard of Splatterpunk but when you mentioned the Saw movies I totally understood the definition. I have always been a fan of Gothic horror and Paranormal horror. It is interesting to see so many other sub-genres that I might like to try.
Stacie
GeishasMom73 on twitter
Good post. I learned more today from Genres 101. I don't read much horror. But I do love Poe! Thanks for the summary.
I didn't know that Gothic was a sub genre of horror. I have read a lot of Gothic novels.
I can't manage much horror. Iz a sensitive kitty who only wantz tha luv 😉
I'm not a fan of horror writing & I could never bring myself to see a true horror movie. But good writing is good writing whatever the genre.
marypres@gmail.com
I started out as a horror reader (back in my teens). I am now starting to dabble in it again. I am not sure where this falls, but there are a lot of "health" related horror books out there now. Pathogens. Usually resulting in zombies!!! Wayne Simmons is a good example. He has a book called "Flu" that is good.
@Stacie – I don't think I ever thought of Gothic as horror but, really, it is meant to scare so I guess it does fit…
@LSU – The more I'm exposed to Poe, the more I love his darkness 🙂
@Estella – I've also read that the mystery novel as we know today stems from the Gothic books of old. I'll have to delve into that for a future lesson, lol.
@Chelsea – That's ok! Horror isn't for everyone…especially that Splatterpunk, UGH!
@marybelle – Well said!
Thank you for this informative post! This is one of those genres that I know so precious little about…but that I think I'm growing to really love (Sophie Littlefield's Aftertime? LOVE).
@Alisha – I think for most people, it's that adrenaline rush you get when you're scared. Kinda like bungie jumping into a book. I'll have to check out Littlefield now…