English Literature GCSE
Gothic
What Gothic means in English Literature GCSE, as defined for Eduqas, OCR.
Definitions of Gothic
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
A literary genre characterised by an atmosphere of mystery and horror, and a pseudo-medieval setting. Key elements in Jane Eyre include Thornfield Hall, the supernatural events, and the secret of Bertha Mason.
A genre of literature combining horror, death, and sometimes romance.
Topics that use Gothic
- Section B (20%) 19th Century Prose (Eduqas GCSE)
- Jane Eyre (OCR GCSE)
Related terms
- Bildungsroman
- Byronic Hero
- Didactic
- Doppelgänger / Gothic Double
- Foil
- Foreshadowing
- Liminality
- Pathetic Fallacy
Using Gothic in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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