January 7, 2018
Differences between Gothic and Horror (and Science Fiction)
Categorizing a work of fiction might initially seem like an easy task. There doesn’t seem to be anything complicated about, say, Stephen King’s The Shining. It is a horror novel; just as Bram Stoker’s Dracula belongs to the Gothic genre (kind of; more about it in a moment), or C. L. Moore’s “Vintage Season” to the science fiction genre. But there is a vast number of works that seem to be awkwardly placed in the no-man’s-land between genres. What would, then, be the differences between Gothic and horror fiction? Or Gothic and science fiction?
The question might initially seem pointless to you. Surely, one might say, the differences between Gothic and science fiction novels are huge. However, that’s not true. As Brian Aldiss has argued, science fiction is “characteristically cast in the Gothic or post-Gothic mode” (1986, 25). In other words, both science fiction and the Gothic deep down use similar conventions and are predicated on similar fears.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, one of the most famous works of the Gothic canon, is also considered to be the first science fiction novel – and for good reason. How would you categorize Frankenstein? Is it a Gothic novel, a horror novel, or a science fiction novel? And why?
A Genre or a Mode?
The term “genre” is ubiquitous, and most people understand what it refers to. People might talk about “the Gothic genre”, “the horror genre”, or “the science fiction genre”. However, things become complicated once you begin to realize that
- there can be significant genre overlap. For instance, as I mentioned above, Frankenstein can be seen as a Gothic as well as a science fiction work.
- the process of categorization can become problematic if instead of inclusion we work with exclusion. That is, instead of trying to see whether a work belongs to, say, “the Gothic genre”, we attempt to prove that it doesn’t.
Here’s an example for the latter issue to help you understand what’s going on: If I asked you whether Bram Stoker’s Dracula belonged to “the Gothic genre”, you would most likely say yes. After all, it’s a story with a castle, with supernatural creaturesWhether the vampires in Dracula should be seen as supernatural creatures or not is an interesting predicament. See more below, in the section "Gothic, Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction Cheat-sheet", with a sense of dread and threat lurking in the air, and with issues related to patriarchy. Okay, fair enough. But let me ask you this: would, then, Hamlet be a Gothic work? After all, it features a castle, a ghost, fear and threat, and – most definitely – issues related to patriarchy. And yet we instinctively think of Hamlet as something different from Dracula.
The problem of genre can be mitigated by using the term “mode” instead. That is, by choosing to treat the Gothic as a broad area, which indeed encompasses the horror as well as the science fiction “genres”. It goes without saying that they, too, should be treated as modes. In the next section, we’ll take a closer look at theory.
The ontological differences between gothic and horror (and science fiction)
One of the cornerstones of my academic research on the Gothic is the concept of ambiguity. Let’s take a look at Tzvetan Todorov’s definition of the fantastic, to see why it is important for talking about the differences between Gothic and science- or horror fiction.
In a world which is indeed our world, the one we know, a world without devils, sylphides, or vampires, there occurs an event which cannot be explained by the laws of the same familiar world. The person who experiences the event must opt for one of two possible solutions: either he is the victim of an illusion of the senses, of a product of the imagination – and laws of the world then remain what they are; or else the event has indeed taken place, it is an integral part of reality – but then this reality is controlled by laws unknown to us …
The fantastic occupies the duration of this uncertainty. Once we choose one answer or the other, we leave the fantastic for a neighboring genre, the uncanny or the marvelous. (1973, 25)
If you feel confused by Todorov’s terminology, the list below might help you. As I’ve told my students, it’s the “know your enemy” method of differentiation between Gothic, horror, and science fiction.
Gothic, Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction Cheat-sheet
Is your enemy…
- a supernatural entity and there’s no doubt about it? Then you’re dealing with horror fiction.
- Note: if the supernatural essence of a character is not treated as such, you are dealing with fantasy fiction: there are orcs, there’s nothing special about it. For more on this, take a look at my post on Tolkien, Todorov, and Gothic ambiguity
- a previously unknown entity, but one the presence of which can be explained in some natural way? Then you’re dealing with science fiction.
- an unknown entity and you’re unsure what’s going on (including whether you have not gone insane)? Then you’re dealing with Gothic fiction.
A Matter of Having a Continuum
Of course this is only a starting point. But it is precisely the concept of a mode that allows us to take into consideration the idea of a continuum. A novel can be both Gothic and science fiction; it can be both horror and science fiction; it can be both Gothic and horror.
I asked you earlier whether you would categorize Frankenstein as a Gothic novel, a horror novel, or a science fiction novel. To deal with the differences between Gothic fiction and the other modes, we would have to answer this: is Frankenstein’s creation a supernatural creature or not?
Works Cited
Aldiss, Brian W. Trillion Year Spree: The History of Science Fiction. London: Victor Gollancz Ltd., 1986.
Todorov, Tzvetan. The Fantastic: A Structural Approach to a Literary Genre. Translated by Richard Howard. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1973.
5 Comments
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It’s the first time someone explained this in a way I understand it, thanks
I like science fiction, have zero interest in horror, don’t like gothic – except that I read my share long ago.
The minute something ‘supernatural’ crops up, I’m out of there. Unless it’s aliens, in which case I allow a lot more leeway (A Case of Conscience, James Blish, is a typical example).
I think, for me, it has to do with whether I think it MIGHT be real, or someone is writing stuff that can’t (angels and demons having children). Start a character with second sight – I can’t follow or believe or suspend disbelief.
I like Tolkien, and some Terry Pratchett. So I’m probably not completely self-consistent, and maybe it just has to do with the quality of the storytelling (I’ve always loved Frankestein – but only the original).
We all have our limits and our likes.
That’s absolutely the case – that we all have our personal preferences. It’s one of those entirely subjective factors that isn’t quantifiable.
Really good information text. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for your comment and kind words 🙂