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Before I say anything else, I'd like potential readers of this petpage to actually read the words here. I get so many neomails from people who claim to agree with my petpage, yet completely missed the point. If you're only interested in what goth is today and dont really care about the history of the word (which is fine, it can get boring), then skip down to the Subculture section, and read what it says. No skimming allowed! Now, on with the page.
So, as you've probably noticed, the Newbie board, as well as others, is often flooded with boards mentioning the popular and ever present trend among the young people: goth.
Some trends come and go. There were the 'reg' wars, Lord of the Ring obsessions, the Vahn obsession, and most recently the emo obsession. Ive been on neopets since General Chat was alive in its glory, and Ive seen them all, but one trend that keeps coming back is goth.
The only reason that goth continues to return, is because of the lasting legacy the subculture created, and the wild amount of sensitivity, and conflict the word can create. Younger kids start growing up. They get the internet, and they watch MTV, they see bands like Slipknot and Korn, and can identify with the lyrics. Angst and alienation are a natural part of growing up. The term goth enters the mix when these young kids hear their parents, and the media, and other unreliable sources refer to what they wear and listen to as goth.
Common stereotypical statements:
Any uneducated kid will hear these things and think "Well, if my mum/dad/favorite tv show says this about my clothes and makeup, it must be true. Im goth"!
The term 'goth' is now seen as a negative stereotype consisting of cultlike followers who adore the color black enough to wear it everyday, black lipstick, pale white makeup, dark eyeliner often drawn down the cheeks to mimic tears, Satanism, general all around evilness, and sad depressed self-injurers. Goth music is seen as the bands that these sort of pretend-goths tend to like. Slipknot, Murderdolls, Korn, ICP, Twizted, Cradle of Filth, Mudvayne, and of course Marilyn Manson. But heres some news. This isnt what being goth is all about at all. The aforementioned is just a stereotype and stereotypes are not the truth. Whats worse, is that there are actual people out there mimicking the stereotype and calling themselves 'goth' simply because they can conform to a lie.
Before going on, I went to the boards and found a few opinions of what some people think goth is.
Spookykids have a whole lot in common. The first thing you'll notice is that they all look as if they've just walked out of Hot Topic. This is because they probably have just walked out of Hot Topic. In a lot of cases, the only colors on their bodies are the ones they have on a band shirt. Speaking of bands, spookykids like to listen to heavy metal and pretend its goth. Metallica, Slayer, and Pantera arent goth rock. Listening to them doesnt make you goth either. Im not saying these bands are terrible, only that they arent goth. The same goes for Slipknot, Evanescence, Nine Inch Nails, HIM, Gorgoroth, whatever.
Black metal doesnt have anything to do with goth either, but you will notice that the costumes and makeup of the spookykids seem to mimic various black metal bands. This doesnt mean that actual metal fans and musicians are poseurs or spookykids. It means that poseurs and spookykids think that they are goth because they immerse themselves in various metal scenes. They're unaware that the goth scene exists and is completely separate from metal scenes.
Next, spookykids think its really cool to rebel against stuff. Just stuff, since they dont often rebel against anything important. They'd
rather reserve rebellion for sheer narcissistic purposes. In other words, they want attention, and they like attention. By hating preps,
religion, or the color pink, they can easily find people willing to give them what they want, and push them further into that beloved
category of individuality they so desire. Apparently, its difficult for spookies to realize that what they're doing is far from unique.
Hating school and despising knowledge is the least unique thing I can think of. It's evident that Earth is overwhelmed by ignorance
and violence, and if spookykids really wanted to do something largely unprecedented, they'd go read a book, or donate blankets to
the homeless.
To read more about spookykids, I suggest you scroll further down the page to the Subculture section and find a list entitled 'What
Goth Isnt'
Oh, Billy wears black band t-shirts everyday. I worry that he's becoming goth.
Amanda always wants to wear her eyeliner so heavy. I hope she isnt turning gothic.
I swear these are exact quotes:
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greenday
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HAVE U EVER SEEN PEOPLE WHERE NOTHIN BUT BLACK ALL THE TIME AND LISTEN TO
HEAVY METLE AND PUNK ROCK MUSIC!!!
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they're looks scare me because they always look like they are going to hurt you
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Im sorry but goths scare me a little
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goth is sort of like worshiping satin and if u r goth u hate everything
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a person who loves the devel dresses in black and hates everything
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2 much blac
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i dont think ne1 goes by goth any more........i think its basically EMO
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current day goths are people who have a real problem with life and hate it so much they show their hatred for it everyday. its a ver complicated emotion if ya ask me, and so complicated not even the adult mind can aprehend it. but what ever you do, dont mess with a REAL goth (not one who does it for the looks and such) or a goth and their friend, they just might (they WILL) hurt you
- - - - - - - - - 
First of all, every word has to begin somewhere. For example, the
English word 'poison' is related to the word 'potion,' which comes from the latin words 'potio' and 'potare' which mean something
along the lines of 'drink/to drink.' The history of a word is called its etymology. Now, the etymology of the word 'goth' is largely
unknown, but linguists do have various ideas on where it came from. Most linguists agree with one of two possible origins, and
though Im far from a language expert, I have faith that the real experts know what they're talking about when it comes to these
origins.
The first theory is that the word derived from the Geats, which were a group of people located in southern Sweden. In early
German, they were the Gauta, and in Old Norse, the Gotar, meaning 'men.' None of these words seem very close to 'goth' to the
standard reader of this page, but they do share common roots, and, like any word, differences are explained by the passing of time,
and such things as Grimm's Law and other language phenomena.
The second belief is that the word is derived from 'Guthones,' a Greek word with the root 'gut.' The Guts were actually another
group of people who spoke Gutnish and lived off the coast of Scandinavia. As you can see, neither of these origins have anything to
do with evilness, or worshipping the devil. There is absolutely nothing at all to substantiate that rumor.
The Goths themselves used the terms Greutungi and Tervingi, depending on the area they inhabited. By reading several disctionary
etymology sections, it seems that the latin word 'goth' simply meant 'of Germanic origin.
The Goths were an East Germanic tribe originating in Scandinavia*. Eventually, in the 3rd century, they migrated towards regions
near the Black and Baltic Seas, and remained there as a united people until they split into two different divisions. The Visigoths, and
the Ostrogoths. The Ostrogoths settled in Ukraine and surrounding areas, while the Visigoths moved further west.
The Ostrogoths
The Ostrogoths had elected their leaders for a long time, and in 471 they chose Theodoric the Great as their King. Things were
stirring in the Eastern Roman Empire at this time, and eventually, Zeno, the Eastern Roman emperor, commissioned Theodoric to
reconquer Italy away from a ruler called Odoacer. The Ostrogoths did just that, entering Italy in 488 and killing Odacer just 5 years
later. Ravenna became the new capital of the Ostrogoth kingdom of Italy.
When Theodoric died, he left a daughter and a grandson who then ruled the kingdom in his place. (His daughter, Amalasuntha was
regent for her son, Athalric, presumably because he was still too young to rule on his own.) Amalasuntha seeked protection from
the Byzantine emperor, Justinian I, but was eventually murdered in 535. Justinian used her murder as pretext to reconquer Italy, still
ruled by the Ostrogoths. Justinian crushed the Ostrogoth kingdom in 541, and destroyed a later rebellion in 552, causing the
Ostrogoths to lose their national identity and their land. In the time following these events, the Ostrogoths were resented by the
Italians for both cultural and religious regions. Ostrogoths has adopted Arianism, a religion often viewed as heretical by Christian
churches. (If youre curious as to why, you can look it up, its not as amazingly interesting as it sounds.)
The Visigoths
By the time the 4th century rolled around, the Visigoths were at the borders of the Eastern Roman Empire, quietly raiding and
infiltrating areas across and around the Danube River. Constantine I (responsible for the Edict of Milan) was indeed worried about
the Visigoths, but nothing of significance occurred until after the middle of the 4th century. By that time, some groups of Visigoths
had settled in Dacia as farmers, and many had accepted Arianism as their religion, as opposed to the old Germanic paganism. The
works of Ulfilas (see Gothic Language) inspired this acceptance.
Around 364, a group of Visigoths attacked and devastated Thrace, a part of the Eastern Roman Empire, and suffered punishment
for this action. Emperor Valens of the Eastern Roman Empire waged war with the Visigoths, who were then led by Athanaric, a
pagan. Rivals between Visigoth leaders and clashes with the Eastern Roman Empire continued until 375, when the dreaded Huns
invaded Visigoth territory, after fresh success conquering Ostrogoths.
Athanaric fled to Transylvania, and the majority of Visigoths joined with Fritigern, an Arian, and also a rival of Athanaric. Fritigern,
having gained favor with Valens because of his religion, was able to seek refuge in the Eastern Roman Empire. Unfortunately, peace
between the empire and the Visigoths didnt last, and, subjected to oppression by the Romans, the Visigoths revolted against them.
Two years later, at the Battle of Adrianople, the Visigoths won a decisive victory against Emperor Valens, and immediately overran
the upper Balkan Peninsula, devastating Thrace, yet again. Valens was dead, and Theodosius I took up arms against the Visigoths.
Fighting continued until 382, when the Visigoths, now under the leadership of Athanaric, settled in Thrace.
Eventually, in 395, Alaric I became the Visigoth leader, and with his guidance, the first concepts of
kingship emerged. Alaric began attacking Italy in 401. They were only halted by Stilicho, who commanded Western Roman armies.
Stilicho and Alaric battled against each other a few more times, before Stilicho finally died, leaving Alaric free to successfully invade
Italy. The Visigoths invaded and mastered over Italy, while the Emperor Honorius tried to negotiate some sort of agreement
between the
Visigoths and the Empire. These negotiations failed, and in 410, Alaric and the Visigoths sacked Rome.
After Alaric, the Visigoths fell under the rule of Ataulf, who took the Visigoths out of Italy in 412. They then moved into Southern
Gaul (France), and Spain. Once there, the gained territories in Spain, acquired Aquitaine, and spread all the way to the Loire Valley,
the lush landscape and castle-land around the top-middle of present-day France. Toulouse was their new capital.
The Visigoths continued their dominance, conquering all of Spain, until 507, when Alaric II was defeated by the Franks, under the
rule of Clovis, near Poiters. (After Clovis defeated the Visigoths, he moved on to establish his capital at Paris. The Western Frankish
Kingdom was the beginning of the France we know today.) Alaric II lost just about everything North of the Pyrenees, the mountain
range which separates modern day Spain from France. The Visigoths turned Toledo into their new capital, and their history became
the history of Spain for that period in time.
Close to a century passed with the Visigoths weakening by warfare with the Basques, Franks, and a Byzantine penetration in
Southern Spain. Finally, leaders Leovigild and Recared converted to Catholicism in the late 6th century, which immensely helped
the fusion of the Visigoths and the Hispano-Romans living in Spain at the time. In 654, a Visigoth common law was imposed by King
Recceswinth onto both Visigothic and Roman subjects. This furthered their amalgamation, since the two groups had previously lived
under different codes and laws. The church councils of Toledo became the center of their government soon after, and royal power
weakened.
After King Recceswinth, came King Wamba, but he was dethroned following a civil war, which led the Visigoth kingdom to its
downfall. Even when Roderick, the last king of the Visigoths, took the throne, he couldnt keep power. His rivals went to the Muslim
leader, Tarek, who was victorious over the Visigoths in 711. This ended the Visigoths reign for good, and brought forth the Moorish
period in Spain's history.
The Goths were often considered barbaric and terrible, yet they had a pre Christian religion, an oral and written language, art,
music, and politics. Freedoms such as trial by jury, innocent until proven guilty, womens rights, and even democracy stemmed from
the Goths.
Often, I see people say that 'goth' is a religion, and theyre pretty confident that theyre right. The Goths followed two main religions.
These were Arianism and Germanic paganism. Germanic paganism came first, but both Ostro and Visigoths later converted to
Arianism for various reasons. Goth is not a religion.
The Gothic language is a dead language which was spoken by the East Germanic group of the Germanic subfamily of the
Indo-European family of languages. (If you didnt understand any of that, its okay, you dont have to. The Gothic language was
spoken by a now extinct bunch of Germanic people. Thats all.)
Going further into what all that means though, Germanic languages consist of three groups, and East Germanic is the only one
which no longer exists today. Some languages within that group are Gothic, Burgundian, and Vandalic. The other two groups are
North Germanic (ie: Scandinavian/Norse), and West Germanic. North Germanic consists of Danish, Icelandic, Swedish, and
Norwegian, among others. West Germanic includes English, Frisian (English's closest relation,) German, Dutch, and Flemish, among
others.
What separates the Germanic subfamily from other Indo-European families is something called Grimm's Law. All that Grimm's Law
means is that certain consonant sounds in ancient languages like Latin changed into another sound which started the evolution into
Germanic languages. the sound of a 'p' became that of an 'f' and a 't' became a 'th' and so on. For example, the word 'father' is the
evolution of 'pater' in Latin, using Grimm's Law. This happened on a massive scale, obviously, and along with a few other consonant
shifts and the passing of time, Germanic languages became their own family, separate from something like the Romance languages
of French, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, etc.
Now, the Gothic language is special for one key reason. It was the first recorded language of all Germanic languages, discluding a
handful of Old Norse runic inscriptions. There are several hundred years of a gap between the oldest Gothic text and any other
Germanic text found. This makes the Gothic language absolutely invaluable to linguists and historians alike, who are able to
understand the development of life and language because of this.
The oldest Gothic text was a translation of the Bible written in the 4th century by a Gothic bishop named Ulfilas. It was written in an
adaptation of the Greek alphabet, which was supposedly designed by Ulfilas, but then discarded.
The Gothic language had substantial use in the 8th century, in the area which is now modern day Spain and Portugal. Later, during
the early 9th century, a Frankish author noted that an isolated group of people living in what is now Ukraine still spoke the language.
Their dialect was known as Crimean-Gothic, and it survived until the 18th century.
First, because it seems as though the Baltic region's layout isnt widely known, I put together maps.
Even as recently as 2006, historians argue over the true origins of the Goths. I previously stated that they originated in Scandinavia,
because that is belief of later Goths themselves, as well as many present day Scandinavians. But it wouldnt be fair not to
acknowledge the opponents to that history. The argument contains two basic points of view, both adequately backed with what
could be valid theories.
On one side, a 6th century historian named Jordanes wrote a work called "Getica" in which the Goths migrated from Scandinavia
and Southern Sweden (Götaland) to northern Germany and Poland (Pomerania.) Jordanes view was taken from an earlier historian
named Cassiodorus. Cassiodorus was a prominent minister to Theodoric the Great, king of Ostrogoths, but all of his works on Gothic
history are now lost. The remnants of Cassiodorus' work only survive in Jordanes' work. "Getica" was published in 551 AD, and was
essentially written for the Goths, who were aware of their own history by means of song and oral traditon.
In addition to Jordanes arguably vague writings, support for the Goths originating in Scandinavia comes in the form of archaeology
and linguistics.
During 600-300 B.C, the southern Scandinavian climate changed drastically enough so that the people living there began to migrate.
Archaeological evidence shows that at the same time the Goths were said to have migrated, a depopulation occured in southern
Sweden (Götaland.) In addition, Goths in Pomerania used the same burial traditions as the Scandinavians. It's reasonable to assume
that the Goths lived in Scandinavia, many then crossed the Baltic Sea accounting for the depopulation, and brought with them
aspects of their culture. There are also those who say that many people stayed behind in Götaland, and even today these people
are referred to as the "Götare/Götalänningar" which, when translated to English, becomes the "Goths."
Linguistics is the study of human speech including the units, nature, structure, and modification of language, and it is
also used to support the theory of the Goths Scandinavian origin. Many have said that the similarities between North Germanic
languages (IE: Scandinavian) and Gothic are closer than those between Gothic and other Western Germanic languages. While the
etymology of various words and the history of language in general isn't always a reliable way to determine relationships and origins,
it does provide another area to consider.
Views opposed to Jordanes are slightly more common in modern days due to scholars like Heather, Christensen, and Wolfram. The
preface of a significant 2002 work entitled "Cassiodorus, Jordanes, and the History of the Goths: Studies in a Migration Myth," states
that Cassiodorus created a Gothic history by using the stories of other people, as if they belonged to the Goths. Thus, when
Jordanes based his "Getica" off of Cassiodorus' work, he perpetuated what could possibly be a false history constructed out of the
history of some other group of people.
Other opponents to the Jordanes theory write that the Goths came from the Wielbark culture of northern Poland. The similarities in
Scandinavian/Gothic culture could be accounted for by a continuous relationship between the Goths in Pomerania and the
Scandinavians in southern Sweden. Meaning that instead of the Goths coming from Scandinavia to Poland, the Goths actually
traveled from Poland to Scandinavia.
Basically, there is no irrefutable proof that the Goths came from Scandinavia any more than there's proof they came from the
Pomeranian area. For more in-depth and cited research on the differences in opinions, I'd direct interested people to the Talk:Goths
archived pages on Wikipedia.org. There you'll find advocates for both sides, as well as prominent scholars listed with their relevant
published works listed.
The Ancient Goths
The Ostrogoths seemed to have bad luck following their split from the Visigoths, and in 375 A.D. the Ostrogothic kingdom, under the
rule of Ermanaric, was conquered by the Huns. The entire kingdom had extended from the Dneister River, north and east to the
start of the Volga River. The Ostrogoths remained under the rule of the Huns until 453 when Attila died. After finding themselves
free of Hun rule, they soon settled in Hungary, known then as Pannonia, and found 'turbulent' allies in the Eastern Roman Empire.
(If you failed history, the Eastern Roman Empire is the Byzantine Empire*)
The Visigoth's history is much more well known to normal people than the Ostrogoths, since they were made notorious by their
invasion of Rome, just decades before the empire 'officially' fell in 476 A.D. Naturally, there was more to it than the Visigoths
waking up one day and deciding to head for Rome, so here's what happened before, and after.
*(The term 'Byzantine Empire' was invented in 1557, about a century after the fall of Constantinople by German historian
Hieronymus Wolf. When referring to a time before the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, the term 'Eastern Roman Empire'
is usually used. After the fall of Rome, most refer to it as the Byzantine Empire. Both mean the same thing.)
Language
*Were the Goths in Scandinavia?
The second map is the specific area written about below, while the first shows it in relation to the rest of Europe.
During its beginnings in the 12th century, it was known as "the French Style." Later, Renaissance
Italians referred to it as the "maniera Tedesca," the German way, to convey exactly how they felt about this architecture. They
wanted it gone. They succeeded too, and Gothic architecture vanished, only to be replaced with the more classical, Romanized
structures of the Renaissance. But, Gothic architecture definitely made an impact on civilization during the hundreds of years it was
prevalent.
The St. Denis abbey church near Paris is the earliest recognized building constructed in the Gothic style.
The Gothic style is characterized by its long vertical lines, vast light-filled expanses, and ogival arches. The psychological aspiration
of the style was to create a visual representation of the Heavenly city, and so Gothic architecture became the most dominant style in
which to build cathedrals and churches all over Western Europe, and even a bit beyond. Huge stained glass windows served the
dual purpose of admitting more light, and providing the illiterate with a way to know the Bible. Stained glass often depicted scenes
from the Bible, and because few individuals knew how to read in the Middle Ages, the glass provided them with a way to further
understand the religion they followed.
Sainte Chapelle, in Paris, is well known for the beauty of its stained glass.
Physically, Gothic architecture used the pointed arch to give architects more flexibility in form, as well as to distribute weight more
effectively. Huge stained glass windows were able to be constructed due to the unique, skeletal framework of the buildings, which in
turn brought in light, and further opened up the space. Unlike other styles, gothic architecture had no fixed set of proportions laid
out, and more than a few buildings collapsed shortly after being built, due to the imprecise nature of the style. Master architects of
the past worked with what they knew. Sometimes they were successful, other times not.
This pointed arch is one of the most important shapes in Gothic architecture.
Like Romanesque before it, Gothic style was easily adaptable. Cathedrals could be built as huge expanses, or small enough to
contain only the necessities. And there werent that many necessities. Each community could plan the architecture in the way that
would suit them best. This versatility allowed Gothic style to spread all over. You didnt need to have a large city to house the
structure, or even the natural rocks to build it. Brick gothic became increasingly popular in Northern and Eastern Europe, all the way
to Russia.
This is an example of Brich Gothic in Lübeck, Germany, where the style is known as Backsteingotik.
Gothic architecture was mostly an urban style. Cathedrals were built in towns, and were at the center of European life at the time.
People feasted there, celebrated, held parades and had plays, as well as prayed. Entire books have been written about the people
of the time and their similarities to the architecture of their churches. Gothic cathedrals are often seen as a microcosm representing
the world, with the purpose of passing along the message that God was glorious and great, while mortal beings found themselves
insignificant in comparison.
Overall, the most famous and well known of the Gothic cathedrals is the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris. If you've ever seen
Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, you've seen the cathedral, and you've seen an example of High Gothic in the
French style. What is less realized is that there isnt one single style which can epitomize all Gothic architecture. There are many
different styles, each category depends on location, and time period. French Gothic in 1190 is a completely different style than
Spanish Gothic in 1439. None of the styles are particularly important for somebody on Neopets to know either.
The Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris, both the front and back. Flying buttresses, another important part of Gothic architecture, are
easy to see in the back. Also note the abundant use of the ogival arch.
This is an up close view of common Gothic decoration - a gargoyle. You can also see the ornate rock carvings that adorned Gothic
structures.
In England, some famous gothic buildings are Westminster Abbey, Wells Cathedral, and York Minister. Germany has Marburg
Elisabethkirche. In Spain, there is the Cathedral of Seville and the Toledo Cathedral among others.
In the mid-18th century, Gothic revival gained support. At the time, there was a tendency for people to remember the Middle Ages
fondly, and have a keen interest in learning about them. This was called medievalism, and this curiosity surrounding the
Middle Ages supported the Gothic revival as well as helping to usher in the Romantic movement.
With more people interested in Gothic architecture again, the revival style gained strength. The French author Victor Hugo wrote
The Hunchback of Notre Dame in which the setting was the big gothic cathedral. Later, he wrote "Let us inspire in the
nation, if it is possible, love for the national architecture" which rallied the French around the style, just as nationalism was doing all
over Europe.
The popularity of building in the Gothic style continued right into the present day. Many places of learning and worship use
Neo-Gothic styles in their buildings, and most feel that the style is very appropriate for such buildings. The Tribune Tower in
Chicago, and the Cathedral of Learning at the U. of Pittsburgh are both examples of more modern Gothic styles in urban areas.
Tribune Tower and the Cathedral of Learning.
The Gothic novel and literary Gothicism began in the late 1700's as a type of 'imitation
medievalism.'
The Gothic revival was the work of visionaries in the 1700's, most especially, the son of the English prime minister, Horace Walpole.
Horace Walpole purchased an estate called Strawberry Hill on the Thames near London, and went about remodeling it in what he
called the "Gothick" style. He added turrets, towers, arched doors, and battlements that made people from all over want to see
Strawberry Hill for themselves. Walpole's project was extremely influential, as after people viewed his home, they wanted to
'Gothicize' their own homes.
Literature came later, but once again, Horace Walpole was at the forefront when he published The Castle of Otranto in
1764, which is often considered the first true gothic novel. The classic elements of the Castle of Otranto include a haunted
castle, mysterious deaths, supernatural happenings, and "violent elements of terror, anguish, and love." For the next 50 years, the
gothic novel was one of the commonest types of fiction in all of England, due to the number of Walpole imitators.
Though Walpole helped to start Gothic literature, Ann Radcliffe made it a sensation. She introduced the brooding gothic villian later
developed into the Byronic hero*, and it was her stories which were parodied in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey.
Some of the most frequently mentioned early Gothic works are:
(Excerpt from Walpole's The Castle of Otranto)
I cannot pretend to describe what I then felt. I had before experienced sensations of horror; and I have endeavoured to bestow
upon them adequate -disallowed_word-volume
1, chapter 7)
Later, and more well known Gothic works and authors are:
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818) which actually goes above and beyond Gothic tradition, and relates itself to a plethora
of other themes.
(Excerpt from "The Fall of the House of Usher")
As if in the superhuman energy of his utterance there had been found the potency of a spell—the huge antique panels to which the
speaker pointed threw slowly back, upon the instant, their ponderous and ebony jaws. It was the work of the rushing gust—but then
without those doors there did stand the lofty and enshrouded figure of the lady Madeline of Usher. There was blood upon her white
robes, and the evidence of some bitter struggle upon every portion of her emaciated frame. For a moment she remained trembling
and reeling to and fro upon the threshold—then, with a low, moaning cry, fell heavily inward upon the person of her brother, and in
her violent and now final death-agonies, bore him to the floor a corpse, and a victim to the terrors he had anticipated.
Both Mary Shelley and Poe are regarded as being at the forefront of the Gothic strain of literary Romanticism. Poe is definitely the
most well known by modern society, and his obsessions with death, decay, and madness influenced and inspired horror writers
such as H.P. Lovecraft and mystery writers like Arthur Conan Doyle. The Gothic novel as a genre began losing steam in the
1840's as a result of the multitude of cheap 'pulp' writers rapidly entering the genre, and the loss of respectability works like
The Monk created. Gothic literature did inspire writers like Charles Dickens and created the Victorian craze for short ghost
stories.
The 1880's saw a revival of Gothic literature as a respectable form. The most famous authors of this Gothic literary revival were
Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Machen, and Oscar Wilde. In addition, the revival brought forth the most famous gothic villian ever
in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897).
*Byronic hero: an idealised but flawed character whose attributes include:
being a rebel
An example of a Byronic hero would be Heathcliff from Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights.
Walpole's The Castle of Otranto
William Beckford's Vathek (1786)
Ann Radcliffe's The Romance of the Forest (1791) and The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794)
Matthew Gregory Lewis's The Monk (1796)
My own agitation and anguish was extreme during the whole trial. I believed in her innocence; I knew it. Could the daemon,
who had (I did not for a minute doubt) murdered my brother, also in his hellish sport have betrayed the innocent to death and
ignominy? I could not sustain the horror of my situation; and when I perceived that the popular voice, and the countenances of the
judges, had already condemned my unhappy victim, I rushed out of the court in agony. The tortures of the accused did not equal
mine; she was sustained by innocence, but the fangs of remorse tore my bosom, and would not forego their hold. . . .
And Edgar Allen Poe with his mastery of the macabre short story.
Not hear it?—yes, I hear it, and have heard it. Long—long—long—many minutes, many hours, many days, have I heard it—yet
I dared not—oh, pity me, miserable wretch that I am!—I dared not—I dared not speak! We have put her living in the tomb! Said I
not that my senses were acute? I now tell you that I heard her first feeble movements in the hollow coffin. I heard them—many,
many days ago—yet I dared not—1 dared not speak! And now—to-night—Ethelred—ha! ha!—the breaking of the hermit's door, and
the death-cry of the dragon, and the clangor of the shield!—say, rather, the rending of her coffin, and the grating of the iron hinges
of her prison, and her struggles within the coppered archway of the vault! Oh, whither shall I fly? Will she not be here anon? Is she
not hurrying to upbraid me for my haste? Have I not heard her footstep on the stair? Do I not distinguish that heavy and horrible
beating of her heart? Madman!"—here he sprang furiously to his feet, and shrieked out his syllables, as if in the effort he were
giving up his soul—"Madman! I tell you that she now stands without the door!"
having a distaste for social institutions
being an exile
expressing a lack of respect for rank and privilege
having great talent
hiding an unsavoury past
being highly passionate
ultimately, being self-destructive
What Goth Isn't
Slipknot
Naturally, I could go on forever listing things that other people have stated as being goth or making them goth, but you get the
picture. If you happen to see a kid out there listing the above items as reasons why they are goth, you shouldnt assume that they
are correct and that goth is a sad pitiful thing. The people claiming to be goth with heavy metal glued to their cd players and too
much teen angst are simply misinformed, and often stubborn creatures. They cling to the stereotypes that ignorant people put out
about the gothic subculture as a way to set them apart from the crowd. They never bothered to look behind the stereotypes and
realize goth is more than what they think (and in many cases, not what they think at all.)
There are a lot of people in the chats who like to say they're goth, and use the stereotypes to back up that belief. One of the most
annoying traits these individuals share occurs when an innocent knowledgable person kindly corrects them with the truth. The
so-called goth individual goes insane. Popular retorts are "Well you dont know my life," "I see a psychiatrist and my daddy hits me!"
"Your(e) stupid," and the ever popular "If I wanna call myself goth, then Im goth!
I guess the moral of the story is: dont be stupid. Thats easy enough. I think. When I got the internet five years ago, I could spend
hours and hours looking up information, and researching all the random things that interested me. It was just a given that if
someone were to ask me if I liked goth music, I should know what goth music was. It was to avoid embarrassment, really. Its
common sense that if you think you like goth music, you would look into it more deeply, rather than stick to the mainstream, which
is often watered down and fake. After a while, you'd be able to see through false information, and find reliable sources. Eventually
you'd understand that heavy metal and goth rock are two separate types of music, with vastly different sounds. Thats why I never
understood how all these gothic children of the night could even dare say they were goth when they didnt even care enough to learn
about what it really is and where it came from. A conscious willingness to remain stupid is unforgivable.
Goth isnt about how black your clothes are, how many piercings you have, how crappy you can make your eyeliner look, being tough
and intimidating, acting or being depressed, listening to mainstream metal or punk, or even acting elite and better than everyone
just because you know who Bauhaus is. If you take anything away from this page, Id like it to be that.
Another important thing to know, is that there honestly is NOT a correlation between Satanism and the title
of goth. After hearing a bunch of people try to convince me that the Goths were also a medieval cult of Satanists, I looked it up
myself. I hadnt found this information anywhere, not on Wikipedia, not on any scholarly websites I visited. Nowhere. But I figured a
few more google searches wouldnt hurt.
Eventually I do believe I've found out what all the fuss is supposed to be about, and I can put the false information to rest. First of
all, something exists in title by the name of Medieval Satanism. It also goes by the name Gothic Satanism, which is where the fact
blurs into stories and myths and legends. Gothic Satanism is an imagined branch of stereotypical Satanism, characterized by animal
sacrifices, black mass, selling souls to the devil, and all that jazz. But, there is no evidence to prove that this type of Satanism ever
existed in the past, or exists today. There was no cult of individuals out there calling themselves Goths who practiced this religion,
and the fears of our own society are blamed for the creation of such a legend. Gothic Satanism is not Satanism in the traditional
organized denominational way, it is merely a fabricated story built out of Christianity's fears of Paganism and evil. I'd be real super
cool if all you people could quit trying to convince me that there was some underground cult going on 500 years ago. If the experts
dont have any proof of it, neither do you.
History of the Subculture
In the early 1980s, the gothic movement thrived with bands like the Sisters of Mercy at the forefront. However, by the mid to
late 1980s, the movement was waning. In the late eighties and early nineties, a new, second generation of gothic bands emerged to
breathe new life into the scene. They distinguished themselves by being the first to regularly call themselves Gothic. Examples
would include The Shroud, Rosetta Stone, and London After Midnight. This time period is when the US Goth movement grew
significantly, and Gothic became recognized as a distinct subculture. Through this period, gothic music and culture grew and
branched out into various subsets, pushing the boundaries of what had previously been considered gothic.
Recently, widespread mainstream interest in the gothic subculture is apparent. Many gothic cultural quirks have filtered into
mainstream culture, such as an interest in the supernatural and dark aesthetics. Historically, a dark leaning is prevalent
towards the end of a century. That leaning has been more pronounced due to the close of a millennium...
NME and Sounds reputedly took the term Gothic from Siouxsie Sioux (of the Banshees) who used it to describe the new direction for
her band. However the earliest significant usage of the term (as applied to music) was by Anthony H. Wilson who was overcome by
a rare moment of lucidity on a 1978 BBC TV program when he described Joy Division as Gothic compared to the pop mainstream.
Perhaps Joy Division (whom he was managing) are not what we now think of as Goth, but it is possible that they are at the source
of the term. Bauhaus was labeled as Gothic as early as 1979 when they released Bela Lugosi's Dead...
Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead
The Music
The following bands are in no particular order, and were taken from various music forum threads. The majority of people on those
threads knew their stuff, having actually lived through the birth of the subculture themselves. I respected their opinions, and the
opinions of my friends, and chose bands that most of them agreed were part of the goth rock genre.
The Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus, Fields of the Nephilim, The Mission, All About Eve, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, London After Midnight,
(some) Siouxsie and the Banshees, Faces of Sarah, Inkubus Sukkubus, Merry Thoughts, Manuskript, Clan of Xymox, Midnight
Configuration, Suspiria, Ausgang, Danielle Dax, Carcrash International, Specimen, Mephisto Walz, Rozz Williams, March Violets, The
Creatures, the Birthday Party, Black Tape For A Blue Girl, Die Laughing, Death in June, X-Mal Deutschland, Lene Lovich, Nina Hagen,
And Also the Trees, Batfish Boys, In the Nursery, Ipso Facto, Flesh for Lulu, Ordo Equium Solis, Rossetta Stone, Tones on Tail, This
Mortal Coil, Killing Joke, Current '93, Dead Can Dance, The Machine in the Garden, Gene Loves Jezebel, Véronique Diabolique
etc.
A lot of bands from the next group are along the goth fringe, sometimes included in the genre, but sometimes placed in other
similar but not quite the same genres. Most casual listeners wouldnt know much of a difference, and thus would enjoy many of
these bands too. When I was first introduced to goth rock, I was 13, and had downloaded Echo and the Bunnymen from a friend
who loved them. Plenty of people have heard of Joy Division, The Smiths, and definitely The Cure too.
The Cure, Joy Division, Cinema Strange, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Smiths, Coil, Cocteau Twins, The Damned, The Tear Garden,
Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cruxshadows, The Pixies, Legendary Pink Dots, Moev, Love and Rockets, Ministry, Sleeping Dogs
Wake, The Church, and The Cassandra Complex.
Genres that seem to come up when you mention goth are industrial, new wave, post-punk, darkwave, ebm, and
electronica. They're separate from goth rock, but a lot of people who are interested in goth rock are also interested in those
genres.
It should also be known that there is a difference between goth rock (music which started the actual
subcuture) and goth metal (metal with its influences coming from gothic rock.)
The earliest beginnings of goth metal are traced again to the 1980's, when bands such as Christian Death, Samhain, and even Celtic
Frost used goth rock aesthetics partnered with metallic songwriting to create a sound which influenced later, more 'solid' goth metal
bands of the 90's. Deep vocal baritones, otherworldly sounding synths, and downtuned bass guitars defined the sounds of these
early goth metal pioneers.
In the 1990's, bands from Northern Europe took inspiration and sound from early goth metal and added the slow, downturned guitar
dirges found in bands like Black Sabbath. This new sort of goth metal was eventually placed under a new genre called Gothic Doom,
and it included bands like Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, and Anathema.
In the mid to late 90's, a softer version of goth metal evolved, and focused much on female vocals, while at the same time reducing
the amount of doom metal elements in the music. A lot of these bands combined electronic sounds with mainstream rock sounds to
create something more accessible to the general public. Lacuna Coil is probably the most well known of these bands, but others
include Lacrimosa, Within Temptation, and The Gathering.
Goth metal tends to be one of the few lesser disputed sub-genres of metal, and some fairly consistent characteristics of the music
are as follows:
- Lyrics focus on subjects such as religion, God, Heaven, Hell, romance, horror, death, etc.
Bands falling under the goth metal variety, as taken straight from Wikipedia to avoid so much complication (especially because I
dont listen to goth metal), are Aesma Daeva, After Forever, AraPacis, Ashes You Leave, Charon, Dreams of Sanity, Darkwell,
Edenbridge, Elis, Entwine, Epica, Haggard, Killing Miranda, Lacrimas Profundere, Lacrimosa, Lacuna Coil, Lake of Tears, Leicohtica,
Leaves' Eyes, the missing, Moi Dix Mois, Moonspell, More, My Dying Bride, Myriads, Paradise Lost, Poema Arcanus, Rotting Christ,
Saviour Machine, Septic Flesh, Sirenia, Theatre of Tragedy, The Gathering, The Sins of Thy Beloved, Tiamat, Trail of Tears,
Tristania, Type O Negative, Xandia, Within Temptation, Without Face, and Velvetcut.
As a sidenote, Northern Europe is probably contains the most developed goth metal scene around. Most especially Norway.
The People
The gothic "uniform" varies from person to person, for those who choose to wear it. (Its definitely not required.) In fact, its not even
a uniform, since creativity, innovation, and style are embraced. Goth style isnt the black t-shirt and baggy pants that the Hot Topic
generation would have you believe. Thats not very creative or unique at all. Nor is it aethetically pleasing. Also, black is NOT a must.
Other commonly worn color are emeralds, navys, purples, crimsons, and even white and cream.
Various types of materials besides common cotton and polyester are often incorporated into style too. Crushed velvet is popular,
along with leather, pvc, lace, rubber, latex, and silk. Bondage fashion is worn by a few, and that doesnt mean wearing Hot Topic
pants with those stupid bondage straps in the back. Corsets are a gothic staple for ladies and men. In many instances,
Victorian and Edwardian fashions are adopted and modified to unique styles as well. Gothic style is style. Its about looking
good, well dressed, made up, gorgeous. For those who choose to don the goth apparel, throwing on Manson t-shirt and some black
lipstick isnt going to cut it.
Men within the subculture may choose to be percieved as a sort of Byronic hero. Poets shirts, formal wear, top hats, crosses,
walking sticks, leather jackets, trenchcoats, long sleek hair and sunglasses are worn by some.
Others choose to go the way of a more androgynous fashion, by wearing long skirts or kilts, wearing makeup, boots, fishnets, etc.
This is not to be confused with liking the same gender, and to assume that is sheer ignorance.
Men can get away more easily with a nice pair of black jeans and a t-shirt that fits. Often though, they accompany this with black
sunglasses, touseled or slicked hair, and a pair of boots or nice dress shoes.
Although most of The Cure's music isnt considered actual goth by the subculture know-it-all's, Robert Smith's image undoubtedly
inspired and shaped the male goth image early on, just as Siouxsie Sioux inspired the ladies, despite only some of the Banshees
music being placed under the goth genre.
Recently, goth fashion has evolved into something more inspired by other genres like electronica, ebm, darkwave, and industrial as
well as goth. Its not always the classic velvet and lace look.
In general, a lot of older goths have been in out in the working world for a long time, and a lot of younger goths are going to be
there soon. For this reason, elaborate goth apparel is usually tucked away for clubs, shows, and other places where those clothes
wouldnt harm a person's chances of getting a job or a bank loan. Too many piercings might seem unprofessional to potential clients
or bosses. Neon blue hair could prevent respect from co-workers or professors. For a lot of rebellious teenagers, it sounds like a
complete disgrace to sacrifice individuality because of mainstream society's standards, but that is the real world. Very few people
get to live like a rock star and dress up everyday, and even goths have to present themselves appropriately in order to maintain a
realistic job and get money. That guy who sat behind the counter in the bank might be a rabid Rozz Williams fan for all anyone
knows. There's a fine line between expressing your tastes through a long velvet cloak and three layers of a black taffeta skirt, and
knowing how and when to be professional. I believe that knowing this is an important way to better understand the real subculture.
Goths aren't idiots willing to sit on the fringes of society just because they call themselves 'goth' and need to wear goth clothes. The
outward appearance is something that can be put away in a closet, which makes looks a horrible way to define who is goth. A goth
functions in normal society just as easily as anyone else.
One thing thats very prevalent in the people of the subculture is the desire to learn and understand things. Its not about being
smarter than anyone else, its only about being curious and asking questions, and trying to understand things you didnt know before.
Also, goths are often very artistically inclined. They appreciate literature, whether it be Lovecraft, Poe, Shelley, Anne Rice, Thoreau,
or Poppy Z. Brite. They can appreciate art, and history, and understand that knowing the past is important for society to continue
into the future. Philosophy, mythology, psychology, foreign language, art, english, history, sociology, and humanities help to loosely
define goths as a whole (not individually.)
Also, the stereotype that goths love bleakness and the dark does have a basis in the subculture, but
not in the way that most people think. Goths dont worship the dark and macabre, but they do understand that not
everything can possibly be bright and sunny and mainstream beautiful. Life has two sides, the good and the bad, the light and the
shadow. Most people tend to embrace the light, but sort of ignore or look down upon the shadowy parts of living. Death is a
hackneyed, but good example of this. An average person would most likely not be too thrilled thinking about dying in general. Maybe
they ignore it until it effects them firsthand, and most people definitely dont embrace it. But a goth is much more likely to
understand that death is a necessity. They dont obsess over it, but they try to figure out mortality because of that characteristic
curiosity, and realize that death is a darker part of being human. And to be human, you have to take the good and the bad. Goths
more easily take in the bad and turn it into something they really think can be beautiful/good/understood/figured out.
Being goth is not solely about listening to goth music. The music is only the cornerstone of the subculture. Thats what created it, but
it incorporates a myriad of other elements. Too many to list on a website, and not every single element needs to exist in one person
for them to be considered goth. You arent goth if you dont enjoy the music, but the enjoyment of the music alone doesnt constitute
being goth. Goth isnt a stereotype or a label to conform to, because goth transcends conformity. The people who become goth
because its cool will never be goth. The people who wear the clothes to validate their individuality arent goth either. Goths arent
goths because its something to add to their list of what makes them different. Goths are goths by being who they already are, and
discovering that there's a word for it. The only reason people from the outside see it as conformity is because goths are a collection
of people who share the same musical interests as well as similar tastes in beauty and style.
*To trace the loose 'etymology' of where the term goth came to be related to a subculture, Id estimate
that it did indeed begin with the ancient ostro- and visigoths. Later, in the 16th century especially, goth meant something
that was uncouth and barbaric, meaning the word most obviously got its own roots from the ancient goths, which people had
stereotyped as quite terrible for a long time. Thus, this term was applied to a new type of architecture that people found ugly and
repulsive. Gothic architecture.
Directly related to this, though a few hundred years later, came gothic literature. And as you know by reading this page, gothic
literature was named as such because the architecture that gothic buildings had, and the mood they created, was the perfect
setting for this new subgenre of romanticism. Themes of the gothic genre of literature included death, madness, demons, dark and
dreary locales, and a keen interest in the supernatural. Throughout the 1800 and 1900's, people used the term goth/ic for
a variety of mediums that followed these ideas. Films, and art especially, though no massive definition of goth ever came of it, as
every use of the word was either a simple adjective to describe, or used too sporadically for anything to come of it. Finally, in
the late 1970's and early 1980's, the music came on the scene, and due to the mood it created, coupled with lyrics and overall
sound, the musicians who played it were the first to describe the sound as goth/ic.
Please do not use certain internet sites to further perpetuate ignorance. Just because a site has the word goth in the URL or somewhere on the page doesnt mean its the ultimate master on all things goth. For every decent website giving good, informed info, there are 10 more passing off stereotypes and nonsense to whoever wants to listen. Use common sense. Find out whats up from people who actually know whats up. You wouldnt ask a preschooler their thoughts on cognitive neuroscience, would you?
Goth isnt...
wearing black every day
trying to be scary and intimidating
ICP
Green Day
black eyeliner
punk music
baggy pants with chains
Being evil
black lipstick
SI
Marilyn Manson
devil worship
being depressed
pale white foundation
drugs and alcohol
hating life
heavy metal
Hot Topic
Mudvayne
blood guts and gore
emo
This article by Alicia Porter Smith is quoted and reproduced all over the internet, and
its pretty accurate, so why waste my time making something of my own that couldnt be nearly as short but informative. The basic
important information is bolded for anybody who prefers to skim.
The date of origin is usually placed in 1979 when Bauhaus released the song "Bela
Lugosi's Dead. The band originally intended the song to be tongue-in-cheek; however, many young fans latched onto this
mysterious, eerie sound as inspiration for the budding gothic subculture. The first generation of the gothic movement emerged
mostly in the UK in the late seventies and early eighties as a splinter from the punk movement. Punk music was breathing its
last breath as this gloomy, introspective mutation gained momentum. Bands like The Damned, Bauhaus, and Siouxsie and the
Banshees characterize the first generation. These bands were called Gothic later on, but most did not consider themselves
Gothic at the time. There is a great deal of uncertainty about who coined the term "gothic" and how it got attached to this dark
music. The British music press seems to be most responsible for making the label stick.
White on white
translucent black capes
back on the rack.
Bela Lugosi's dead.
The bats have left the bell tower,
the victims have been bled,
red velvet lines the black box.
Bela Lugosi's dead.
Undead Undead Undead.
The virginal brides
file past his tomb,
strewn with time's dead flowers,
bereft in deathly bloom,
alone in a darkened room
the count.
Bela Lugosi's dead.
Undead Undead Undead.
Oh Bela, Bela's undead.
Despite what a lot of people have argued, goth rock is a real genre of music, with a
definite history. Just because your local music store doesnt have a goth rock section, doesnt mean that it doesnt exist.
- Male vocals are in a deep tenor or 'death grunt.' Female vocals are usually high and operatic.
- Guitars and bass are often in minor key, but may be heavily distorted and slow.
Despite the fact that outward appearance does not constitute
gothness, many people within the subculture do choose to dress a particular way. Its not usually a matter of conformity, but for
aesthetics. For instance, while its tacky to wear white foundation, people within the subculture often seem to find natural paleness
more attractive than a tan for whatever reason. Its more aesthetically pleasing, therefore a goth who tends not to venture into the
sun without protection may not be doing that to seem overtly goth, but only because pale skin makes them feel more beautiful. The
same goes for style.
November 27th 2008:Ive decided not to add to the subculture section. At least not what I was going to. It would delve too deeply into styles of goth and I dont feel like making my page into that. In addition, I made the main sections' text bigger today. So now no excuses from the more optically challenged. Read read read!
June 10th 2008: Ive uploaded a couple new photos to replace bad quality ones. Im also in the process of adding to the subculture section due to a few requests and neomails from people. Lastly, Im going away on the 12th. I'll be back the 16th.
November 27th 2007: I added two new links to the bottom of Fizzrox's petpage. They lead to two sites explaining emo and prep, put together by another user. The material on the pages isnt original, but it beats having to link offsite or make my own pages.
September 16th 2007: This petpage is over 2 years old now. I dont update it anymore, but Im still on and off the site to check neomails and make sure the page hasnt been arbitrarily deleted by TNT. Just letting you know I havent died yet =)
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