With modern day ideas of what defines gothic, it can be hard at times to separate true Gothicism from gothic culture. Although both play on the aspects of fear and anxiety in relation to love, life, and humanity, the main difference is that gothic culture tends to run from reality and hide behind fantasy while Gothicism brings fantasy into a relatable aspect of realism. Some of the best examples of Gothicism in modern day entertainment are Edward Scissorhands representing the fantasy side, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone acting as the middle-man, and Jane Eyre touching base with the realistic side. While each of these play on different elements of Gothicism, Edward Scissorhands provides a visual edge in its gothic architecture, Harry Potter offers a sense of Gothicism as it is centered around the theme of supernaturalism, and Jane Eyre creates an atmosphere perfectly acceptable to gothic standards.
Edward Scissorhands is a modern-day take on the classic Frankenstein story. Not only does this movie scream gothic by borrowing originality from one of the most memorable gothic tales, it proves its Gothicism throughout the movie by emphasizing on visual contrasts of gothic architecture. One of the first notations any observer makes about the movie is the stark contrast between the residence of the townspeople and…show more content… Each of these not only demonstrates the range of realism or fantasy that Gothicism incorporates but also offer examples of setting design, common themes, and general atmosphere that is attributed to Gothicism. By understanding what true Gothicism necessitates to become its classification, Walpole’s gift to society becomes more obvious as his genre permeates throughout modern
