#generallygothic

𝕲𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖈 𝕸𝖚𝖘𝖊𝖘 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ The beginning of the Gregorian year seems to me like the perfect time to return. Customarily, it is a time when people evaluate themselves, deciding upon ways in which to improve. My intended improvement is the return of the Generally Gothic. On the 21st day of the new year I am, as per usual, late. Perhaps next year I shall strive for promptness. For now, any form of return is enough for me. 🕯️ In what remains of January, I shall be continuing to explore the foundations of the gothic; a journey begun in years past under the title 'Gothic Muses'. Expect Ancient Classics & Shakespeare. Expect a post or 2, if you dare! 🕯️ I hope that your start to the year has been whatever you wanted it to be. Tell me tales down below. 💌 🕯️ #gothicorigins #gothicmuses #shakespeare #classics #gothicfiction #gothicnovel #darkacademia #gothicacademia #bookstagram #bookworm #spookynerd #blackmetalcover #gothic #generallygothic #literature #greekmythology #antiquebook #hardbackbook #oldbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnr0ljwNC-j/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Some people have macbooks and wireless mice, whilst others have vintage typewriters and taxidermied foxes... #generallygothic #gothic #typewriter #royal #royaltypewriter #fox #taxidermy #taxidermyfox #stuffedfox #sundaypost #lazypost

Born this day, 1717: Horace Walpole (d. 1797), the progenitor of the Gothic literary tradition. Walpole wrote in his letters that “a god, at least a ghost, was absolutely necessary to frighten us out of too much senses" (Vol. 3, 381). His ghost came to him in a dream - a giant armoured hand - and was the source of his work of fiction, the very first gothic novel, 'The Castle of Ortanto' (1764). The novel, which took just two months to write, was criticised for its flat characters and its return to barbaric (true, historical 'gothic') sensibilities. The reliance of the plot upon superstition contradicted the efforts of the Enlightenment - an intellectual movement which confined unfounded beliefs within contemporary religion. Walpole cared not for his critics; his public were captivated by his crazy tale, which influenced the direction of literature to follow. Writing from his homemade, pseudo-gothic castle, Strawberry Hill House (see stories), the tale looks back to medieval times and is set in the real, historical castle of Otranto (again, see stories). To this day, the absolute OG of the gothic canon is often overlooked. Why not celebrate his birthday by reading 'The Castle of Otranto (it's available to download free online)? If you do, let me know what you think! 📸: 1. Manfred's servants vs "the ghost's gigantic foot," Bertie Greathead. 2. The hand of the ghost, unknown. Anyone else getting major Monty Python vibes from these 2 illustrations?! . #generallygothic #gothic #glimpsesofghosts #ghost #haunting #haunted #spirits #thecastleofotranto #horacewalpole #gothicnovel #gothicfiction #progenitor #englishliterature #gothicliterature #literary #literarygenre #spookynerd #booknerd #academic #bornonthisday #bookish #bookstagram #illustration #religion #theenlightenment #giantghost #gothicghost #strawberryhillhouse #literaryhistory #politics https://www.instagram.com/p/B20Ock2A4mr/?igshid=1578apvubevio

"In the spring of 1835, Barnum bought the rights to exhibit a frail enslaved African-American woman named Joice Heth. He plastered New York with posters advertising the old woman as George Washington's 161-year-old nursemaid. Though Heth had little choice in the matter, she played the part and the rouse worked. Barnum hoodwinked the press and thousands of others who paid 25¢ to see her." - 'Circus', S1E1, Netflix, 2018. By the time he reached New England, interest was dwindling, so Barnum made the radical decision to publically accuse himself of fraud through anonymous newspaper notices. These new adverts claimed Heth to an automaton composed of Indian rubber & mechanical springs... In other words, a robot. The genius of this trademark strategy was that Barnum now had cause to invite the public to the attraction in order to make up their own minds! 📆: Each Friday whilst the 🎪Circus of Horrors🎪 is here throughout June, a different historical 'Freak Show' performer will be profiled. As the first of her kind, Joice is not subject to these constraints... 📸: Poster, c.1835, via Wiki Commons. . #generallygothic #gothic #circusofhorrors #circus #thecircusisintown #circusisintown #bigtop #carnival #gothiccircus #circushistory #sideshow #circusperformers #circushistory #history #socialhistory #freaks #freakshow #joiceheth #publicitystunt #marketing #automaton #vintageposter #ptbarnum #barnumandbailey #barnumandbaileycircus #barnumsfreaks #robot #exploitation #circusdocumentary #netflix https://www.instagram.com/p/ByoyZ0jgMeB/?igshid=xo0i1airz96h

Born this day 1907, Daphne Du Maurier (d. 1989) is considered both a romantic novelist (much to her chagrin) and a sensationalist. She was right to be displeased; her stories unravel with dark and haunting mystery, and are a far cry from tedious, linear romance. In it's original form, Du Maurier's 1951 novel, 'My Cousin Rachel', is an intriguing and thought-provoking thriller. First adapted for the screen only a year after the novel was released, director Henry Koster stripped the narrative of substance and atmosphere in 1952. The film's trailer questions, with classic cinematic extravagance: "Was she a woman or witch, Madonna or a muderess?" The eponymous protagonist, most recently portrayed by the captivating Rachel Weisz (dir. Roger Michell, 2017), is the subject of this enquiry. As she stands accused by the very man drinking her dubious teas, Du Maurier, of course, does not clarify which Rachel is. Whether witch or not, she certainly is a strong, independent, and beguiling woman... which as we by now know, was enough to attract accusations of witchcraft. 📸: 'My Cousin Rachel' film still, dir. Henry Koster, 1952. Via Wiki Commons. . #generallygothic #gothic #seasonofthewitch #daphnedumaurier #dumaurier #btd #bornthisday #botd #bornonthisday #englishliterature #gothicliterature #fiction #filmadaptation #horrormovie #mystery #gothichorror #mycousinrachel #witch #witchcraft #accused #femalelead #cornwall #rachelweisz #murder #witchtrial #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #blackandwhitefilm #alfredhitchcock #hitchcock https://www.instagram.com/p/BxbQvZjnJxB/?igshid=4xty6jaxou89

The 🔮Season of the Witch🔮 is over, but for the duration of June, the 🎪 Circus of Horrors 🎪 is in town! You can expect daily posts and weekly blog posts covering circusy history, literature, film, etc. with a Generally Gothic focus. As mentioned yesterday, there is a final, witchy blog post yet to appear - once the sea releases its grip... 📸: American silent film & stage actress, Theda Bara (1885-1955) in 'Carmen' (1915, dir. Raoul Walsh), via IMDB. . #generallygothic #gothic #seasonofthewitch #witch #witchesofinstagram #witchyvibes #witchaesthetic #announcement #june #summer #blogger #blogpost #thecircusisintown #circusofhorrors #circus #gothiccircus #thedabara #imdb #film #blackandwhite #silentfilm #carmen #raoulwalsh #blackandwhitefilm #cinema #filmhistory #cardreader #tarot #fortuneteller #academic https://www.instagram.com/p/ByJPnldAstH/?igshid=et0j0bpvekfa

'The Apparition' When by thy scorn, O murd'ress, I am dead And that thou think'st thee free From all solicitation from me, Then shall my ghost come to thy bed, And thee, feign'd vestal, in worse arms shall see; Then thy sick taper will begin to wink, And he, whose thou art then, being tir'd before, Will, if thou stir, or pinch to wake him, think Thou call'st for more, And in false sleep will from thee shrink; And then, poor aspen wretch, neglected thou Bath'd in a cold quicksilver sweat wilt lie A verier ghost than I. What I will say, I will not tell thee now, Lest that preserve thee; and since my love is spent, I'had rather thou shouldst painfully repent, Than by my threat'nings rest still innocent. - John Donne, English metaphysical poet (1572-1631). 📸: 'Spirit', 1885, by French artist George Roux (1853-1929) via @Reddit. . #generallygothic #gothic #johndonne #donne #theapparition #spirit #metaphysicalpoets #metaphysicalpoetry #englishliterature #C16thliterature #C17thliterature #C19thliterature #C20thliterature #georgeroux #painter #artist #nationalpoetrymonth #usa #classicalart #poetry #poem #poet #piano #ghost #dead #death #frenchart #france #ghosts #gothicart https://www.instagram.com/p/BwrroBJHa2V/?igshid=1ele3abqpkbmi

Born this day, 1804: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Dark Romantic & occasional Gothic author. Born in Salem, Massachusetts, Hawthorne is relation to the only witch trial judge who did not later repent for his actions. The influence of his ancestry is apparent in his writing, which often explores themes of historical sin & guilt. 'The Scarlett Letter' (1850), for example, focuses upon the very public punishment of his Protagonist, for the perceived sin of parenting a child out of wedlock. As a result of the situations he wrote her into, and the way in which she responded, Hester (of 'The Scarlett Letter') is heralded as a profeminist character by many literary critics. Also, he wrote cool ghost stories 👻 . #generallygothic #gothic #gothicnovel #gothicfiction #darkromanticism #darkromantic #romancenovel #romantics #transcendentalism #americanliterature #americangothic #fourthofjuly #botd #btd #bornthisday #bornonthisday #nathanielhawthorne #hawthorne #thescarlettletter #thehouseofthesevengables #bookcover #bookstagram #academic #feminism #feministliterature #hester #booknerd #booknerd #novel #literature #salemmassachusetts #salemwitchtrials #witch