The Woman in Black

Gothic literature explores dark, and, typically, supernatural elements as the stories tend to illustrate a fear of the past. Gothic elements include psychological conflicts, haunted spaces, decay, and overall gloomy settings. This genre of literature began in the late-18th century, beginning during the Industrial Revolution and continuing in popularity until the Victorian Period, which ended at the onset of the 20th century. Notable gothic writers include Horace Walpole, Ann Radcliffe, Wilkie Collins, and Mary Shelley. Early versions of the gothic novel tend to discuss topics of morality and philosophy “with the evil villains most often acting as metaphors for some sort of human temptation the hero must overcome” (“A Brief History of Gothic Horror.” The New York Public Library). The settings of these novels also tend to employ the use of gothic architecture from the Medieval period.

The gothic genre influenced many contemporary or modern writers, such as Shirley Jackson, Ira Levins, and, later, Anne Rice and Susan Hill. The setting of a modern gothic novel veers away from medieval castles toward environments of haunted houses or apartments (“A Brief History of Gothic Horror”). However, gothic literature, both in the past and now, rely on uncovering themes of loss, contending with the past, and struggles with the self. The genre utilizes supernatural elements, such as ghosts, darkness, and images of decaying landscapes to allow the characters to release what they may be holding onto, such as the past or their fears.

The Woman in Black takes place in an earlier, unspecified era of English history and invokes many gothic elements. The setting of Eel Marsh House is a typical gothic setting as it is an isolated, forbidding edifice that contains many secrets that the protagonist must uncover. The strange noises and the sighting of the “woman in black” add a supernatural element to the narrative. Unlike in some gothic narratives, in which the supernatural or unsettling elements are ultimately resolved, the ending of The Woman in Black implies that the haunting—and the curse that goes with it—is real and inescapable.