Unit 3: The Dark and the Sublime
Unit 3: The Dark and the Sublime
Gothic and Romantic Literature
Gothic and Romantic Literature
In this unit, students will explore the enduring power of Gothic and Romantic literature to illuminate human psychology, morality, and the complexities of the sublime. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley anchors the unit, providing a foundation for examining how human ambition, isolation, and unchecked desire can lead to both creation and destruction. Through psychological analysis, students will interrogate character motivations and mental states, while structuralist approaches will uncover how narrative form and recurring patterns shape meaning.
Suggested texts such as Dracula by Bram Stoker and Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë offer further opportunities to investigate themes of monstrosity, repression, forbidden knowledge, and the blurred boundaries between beauty and horror. This unit pushes students to refine their analytical writing, integrating multiple lenses to deepen their understanding of literature’s capacity to reflect the darkness (and brilliance) of human nature.
Apply psychological and structuralist frameworks to analyze characters, symbols, and narrative structures in Gothic and Romantic literature.
Understand the benefits and problems of genre-based labels and categorization in literature.
Develop advanced academic writing that integrates multiple critical lenses and effectively supports claims with textual evidence.
Begin to analyze feminist themes and perspectives in literature, recognizing the Gothic tradition as a space for subverting or challenging gender norms.
Reading Log: Ongoing personal and analytical reflections focused on key passages, literary devices, and evolving interpretations.
Sticky-Note Annotations: Close reading activity requiring students to annotate physical or digital texts with insightful questions, literary observations, and thematic connections.
Timed-Writing Exams (2+): In-class essays testing students' ability to apply critical lenses and structure complex arguments under time constraints.
👉 Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (Core)
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (poetry, sublime focus)
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Christabel by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (poetry, Gothic ballad)
Mysteries of Udolpho by Anne Radcliffe
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
👉 = Required Reading
Links to be Found:
The Psychology of Monstrosity | TEDx Talks — Explores human fears projected onto literary monsters.
The Romantic Movement in Literature | CrashCourse — A concise introduction to Romanticism’s themes and context.
The Sublime in Art and Nature | Khan Academy — Breaks down the concept of the sublime, applicable to literature and visual arts.
"Frankenstein: The Birth of a Monster" — BBC — Contextual article exploring Shelley's life and influences.
"Psychoanalysis and Gothic Literature" — Literary Theory Resource — Overview of applying psychological theory to Gothic works.
"The Gothic Tradition" — British Library — Exploration of Gothic themes, history, and literary examples.