As a literary genre, Gothic literature aims to confront its readers with all of these uncivilised, fearful, and 'old' things that bubble away beneath society's mask of modern civility.
Part of its aim is to remind us of the inevitable 'dark side' that remains despite human progress.
By the Victorian era, Gothic was no longer the dominant genre and had been dismissed by most critics. Its opularity had declined as the popularity of the historical romance rose.
However the Gothic was actually entering its most creative and diverse phase. Many critics rare now revisiting some of the overlooked "penny dreadful" pieces from this time. such as George W.M. Reynolds' trilogy, Faust, Wagner the Wehr-wolf, etc.
Accorded importance in the development of the urban space as a particularly Victorian Gothic setting A style linked with established reading of iconic writers such as Charles Dickens
The Gothic influenced numerous writers of this time and was a heavy influence on mainstream authors such as Charles Dickens.
Dickens read Gothic literature as a teenager and incorporated their gloomy atmosphere and melodrama into his own fiction, whilst shifting them to a more modern period and urban setting - think Oliver Twist, Bleak House, and Great Expectations.
They explored the juxtaposition of wealthy, ordered and affluent society next to the disorder, decay and barbarity of the poor and criminal classes within the same urban spaces. - urban fog is a frequent characteristic or urban Gothic literature and film.
