Gothic > Poetry > Intro

The Gothic novel, in which brutal and power-hungry priests in the medieval Catholic church threatened innocent, often English, girls with their illicit lusts, was the most influential form of Gothic literature. But similar subject matter and themes—religious excess, nighttime adventures, threatening or unconventional sexuality, medieval castle or monastery settings—could also be found in poetry of the period. Characters are often nuns, priests, or medieval royalty; the story may imitate or draw from a fairy or folk tale; and the style may imitate a medieval form such as the popular ballad.