PlasticPills Critical Theory & Philosophy Pill Pod 149 - Gothic Horror: Edgar Allen Poe & The Fall of The House of Usher
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Dec 1, 2023 Victor Hainagiu helps put gothic horror into historical context. They discuss the origins of gothic fiction, the TV show Midnight Mass and its connections to Edgar Allan Poe, the portrayal of incestuous relationships and scheming in adaptations, supernatural elements and themes of isolation in 'The Fall of The House of Usher', analysis of 'The Black Cat' and its parallels to 'The Tell-Tale Heart', comparing 'Hill House' to Poe's stories, connections between 'Annabel Lee' and 'Lolita', and Mark Hamill's surprise appearance.
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Origins Of Gothic Fiction
- Gothic fiction grew from Romanticism as a reaction to Enlightenment rationalism and urbanization.
- It uses medieval settings and the supernatural to explore subjectivity and man's relation to nature.
Homage Over Literal Adaptation
- The Netflix series names episodes and characters after Poe while largely inventing its own plot.
- The show functions more as an homage or a Poe cinematic universe than a literal adaptation.
Prose Ambiguity Vs. Visual Literalism
- Poe's prose prioritizes dense atmosphere and psychological ambiguity over clear visual depiction.
- The Netflix show, by showing events plainly, loses some of Poe's layered uncertainty and interior dread.