Folk Gothic

The Folk Gothic, a cultural formation distinct from folk horror, tells stories that loosen the grip of anthropocentrism.

Dawn Keetley (Author)

9781009160896, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 1 February 2024

78 pages
23 x 15 x 0.5 cm, 0.14 kg

Folk Gothic begins with the assertion that a significant part of what has been categorised as folk horror is more accurately and usefully labelled as Folk Gothic. Through the modifier 'folk', Folk Gothic obviously shares with folk horror its deployment (and frequent fabrication) of diegetic folklore. Folk Gothic does not share, however, folk horror's incarnate monsters, its forward impetus across spatial and ontological boundaries and the shock and repulsion elicited through its bodily violence. The author argues that the Folk Gothic as a literary, televisual and cinematic formation is defined by particular temporal and spatial structures that serve to forge distinctly nonhuman stories. In emphasising these temporal and spatial structures – not literal 'folk' and 'monsters' – the Folk Gothic tells stories that foreground land and 'things', consequently loosening the grip of anthropocentrism.

1. Folk gothic
2. From horror to folk gothic: The Descent, The Green Inferno, Midsommar, The Ritual, Pet Sematary, In the Earth
3. Folk gothic things: 'Randalls Round', 'The Temple', 'The Flint Knife'
4. Folk gothic's place: The Owl Service, The Feast
References.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: general [DSB]