Introduction to Gothic Horror and the Victorian Era

The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death, on 22 January 1901. During the Victorian age, Britain was the world's most powerful nation. Queen Victoria led the country alongside her husband Prince Albert whom she married in 1840. Between 1840 and 1857 the Queen and Albert bought 9 children into the world. 'Victoria was deeply attached to her husband and she sank into depression after he died, aged 42, in 1861. She had lost a devoted husband and her principal trusted adviser in affairs of state. For the rest of her reign she wore black.' (The Royal Household, 2008/09). Her devastation and depression reflects the passion, horror and darkness in a strong culture of Gothic that became a popular theme in literature in this time. 

Gothic horror became most popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Victorian gothic fiction novels traditionally combine elements of romance and horror. Spiritualism is a belief that the dead can communicate with living beings which was a popular trend throughout the 19th century. With the great interest in the dead and beyond, supernatural phenomenons like bumps in the night and voices in the wind were spooky parts of everyday life that became themes in literature written in this era. Combining passionate love, horror and the uncanny is a recipe for a Gothic Horror story. 

Throughout my second term as a makeup designer and artist (in the making!), I will be studying characters prominent in the gothic horror genre and adapting the style into the modern world through transformation and application of modern products and techniques. From our book list for this term, I have decided to study Great Expectations which was written by Charles Dickens in the 1860's but was set in the early 1800's just before Queen Victoria's coronation. This allows me to look at styles around this era and create my own interpretation.