Goth
The Goths were a Germanic people divided into two main branches: the Ostrogoths and the Visigoths. For centuries, they played a significant role in challenging the Roman Empire. According to their legend, recorded by the 6th-century Gothic historian Jordanes, the Goths originated in southern Scandinavia. Led by their king, Berig, they crossed the sea in three ships and settled on the southern Baltic coast after defeating local Germanic tribes, including the Vandals. Tacitus noted that the Goths of this era were known for their round shields, short swords, and strong loyalty to their kings.
Under Filimer, the fifth king after Berig, the Goths migrated southward from the Vistula region and eventually reached the Black Sea after several adventures. This migration occurred in the late 2nd century CE and likely caused disruptions that pressured other Germanic tribes to challenge the Roman Empire along the Danube during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Throughout the 3rd century, the Goths launched frequent raids into Roman territories in Asia Minor and the Balkans. By the reign of Emperor Aurelian (270–275), the Romans abandoned the trans-Danubian province of Dacia due to Gothic incursions.
The Goths later divided into two groups: the Visigoths, who lived between the Danube and the Dniester rivers, and the Ostrogoths, who settled in present-day Ukraine. For more detailed accounts, see the histories of the Ostrogoths and Visigoths.
Gothic Novel
The Gothic novel is a genre of European Romantic fiction characterized by a mysterious and terror-filled atmosphere. It flourished in the 1790s and has seen numerous revivals since.
Named for its inspiration from medieval architecture, Gothic novels typically feature settings like castles or monasteries with hidden passages, dark battlements, and secret rooms. The genre began in England with Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto (1765), which was immensely popular. Ann Radcliffe, author of The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794) and The Italian (1797), refined the genre with her atmospheric storytelling.
A more sensational branch of Gothic fiction, emphasizing horror and violence, thrived in Germany and was introduced to England through works like Matthew Gregory Lewis’s The Monk (1796). Other notable Gothic works include William Beckford’s Vathek (1786) and Charles Robert Maturin’s Melmoth the Wanderer (1820).
Classic horror tales such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897) are rooted in the Gothic tradition but delve deeper into existential and psychological themes. Though early Gothic romances eventually waned due to their excessive plots, Gothic elements continued to influence major authors like the Brontë sisters, Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Charles Dickens. In the 20th century, the term “Gothic” was also applied to modern paperback romances with similar themes.
Romanticism
Romanticism was an intellectual and artistic movement that emerged in the late 18th century and flourished through the mid-19th century. It was a reaction against the order, rationality, and materialism of Enlightenment and Neoclassicism, emphasizing emotion, imagination, individuality, and a connection to nature.
Key characteristics of Romanticism included a heightened appreciation of nature’s beauty, a focus on emotion over reason, introspection, and a fascination with the supernatural and the mysterious. Romanticism celebrated the exceptional individual, often portraying the artist as a creative genius. It drew inspiration from folk traditions, medieval culture, and exotic themes.
Literature
Romanticism in literature began in the 1790s with the publication of Lyrical Ballads by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Wordsworth’s description of poetry as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” became a manifesto for the movement. In Germany, early Romantic writers like Friedrich Hölderlin, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Novalis explored themes of mysticism and the supernatural.
The second phase of Romanticism, starting around 1805, emphasized cultural nationalism and historical awareness. This period saw works like Sir Walter Scott’s historical novels, as well as the poetry of John Keats, Lord Byron, and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Gothic literature, such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, also flourished during this time.
Visual Arts
In visual arts, Romanticism emerged in the late 18th century with painters like William Blake and Henry Fuseli, who focused on visionary and dramatic themes. Romantic landscape painting thrived in England with J.M.W. Turner and John Constable, emphasizing the sublime in nature. In France, Eugène Delacroix became a leading Romantic painter, known for his expressive brushwork and vibrant use of color. Caspar David Friedrich in Germany created haunting landscapes imbued with mystery and spirituality.
Music
Romantic music emphasized individuality, emotion, and experimentation. Pioneers like Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert bridged the Classical and Romantic eras. Romantic composers, including Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, and Hector Berlioz, explored innovative forms like nocturnes, lieder, and concert overtures. Romantic opera reached its peak with Giuseppe Verdi in Italy and Richard Wagner in Germany, whose works epitomized the grandeur and emotional intensity of the Romantic spirit.
The Romantic movement profoundly influenced literature, art, and music across Europe and continues to shape cultural and artistic traditions today.