Welcome Vaporists, we are going to talk about the uncanny similarities between Gothic and Steampunk as in our previous article. Although one was born in the early 1980s and the other is a fairly recent phenomenon, the two subcultures overlap in surprising ways, from music to fashion to community and values. There are many similarities between the two genres, but today I would like to focus on one specific aspect that is at the base of both cultures: literature.
Origins of Gothic and Steampunk Literature.
Gothic literature is an artistic movement that developed centuries before the emergence of modern Gothic , but nonetheless formed the basis of the subculture's aesthetic. This influence is often indirect - for example, the novel Dracula inspired early Gothic primarily through film adaptations, and the books you might find on a Gothic's shelves are more likely to come from modern genres like horror or fantasy and paranormal that developed from the original Gothic movement. While few people today are familiar with traditional Gothic literature, aside from a few classics like Dracula and Frankenstein , not many of its key elements have survived. Today, I'm going to discuss the themes and characteristics that Gothic novels of the 18th and 19th centuries share with the more modern genre of steampunk literature, as well as how they differ.
Steampunk is a literary genre that has developed over the last two decades and now combines music, fashion, and literature. Its most recognizable aspect is the style's fascination with the Victorian era and its Industrial Revolution. As such, technology is central to the visuals and themes, featuring mechanical parts such as gears and clockwork. Like the Gothic, the steampunk scene developed from its literature, although in this case the relationship is much more direct. The term "steampunk" was coined in the late 1980s to describe a number of contemporary novels written in a style that emulated Victorian speculative fiction authors such as H. G. Wells and Jules Verne. Since that time, steampunk's social, musical , and fashion scenes have developed alongside its literature.
Common points between Gothic Style and Steampunk.
One of the most obvious similarities between Gothic and Steampunk literature is that they rely on iconic settings that almost serve as their own characters. Remember, the Gothic literary movement coincided with (and took its name from) a renewed interest in Gothic architecture (churches, cathedrals, etc.). As such, many Gothic novels are set in a medieval castle, abbey, or monastery. The first official Gothic novel, Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto, is even named after its spooky setting. The question of the castle's rightful ownership, as well as the secrets hidden within its dark walls, are at the root of the plot. And who could forget Count Dracula's imposing castle with its imposing Gothic architecture , where Jonathan Harker is imprisoned within those ancient walls? A common theme throughout the Gothic genre is the idea of a curse, secret, or ancient crime haunting a certain place.
Steampunk novels often use the same types of settings, but to a different effect. While Gothic writers focused on the grandiose architecture of the medieval era, steampunk is based on Victorian England at the height of the Industrial Revolution . A large majority of steampunk novels are set in 19th-century London or some sort of alternative London with a Victorian aesthetic, such as William Gibson and Bruce Sterling's The Difference Engine. But the most iconic element is the oversized vehicle or machine, such as a zeppelin or airship, a steam train, or an unlikely mechanical robot for the Victorian period. From Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan to Robyn Bennis's more recent The Guns Above, many steampunk works use airships as their primary setting and lovingly depict them.
The Steampunk & Gothic imagination.
Gothic and steampunk literature are quintessential escapist genres, because they both like to break away from the mundane and conventional that is acceptable for genres like realistic fiction and push the boundaries of what we are willing to believe. Sometimes these extremes can seem corny, but when done well, they can make works much more emotionally dynamic. In Gothic literature, this is done primarily through melodrama. Gothic novels start with serious situations and take them to extremes. Sometimes, this can border on the comical, such as when Conrad is suddenly crushed by a giant stone helmet at the beginning of The Castle of Otranto. Plots where a parent dies suddenly and a young woman is left alone at the mercy of a predatory stranger are common. While the genre has been criticized and mocked for overusing unrealistic extremes, they represent a significant step back from the seriousness and rationalism of the time.
Steampunk takes these extremes in the opposite direction. Many steampunk novels start with bizarre situations and push them even further. The genre is known for its over-the-top or eccentric characters that tend to lighten the mood and remind us to embrace the absurd. Fantasy is at the very core of what steampunk is and the attitude it embodies. I think this fantasy is often found in steampunk music, but it’s starting to make its way into literature.
A common criticism of some steampunk writing is that it takes itself too seriously when depicting bizarre situations, but the best steampunk authors know how to laugh at themselves and enjoy the absurd without undermining their story. Gail Carriger is one of the best steampunk authors. I recently read her novel Prudence (The Custard Protocol) which features two teenage girls who have various adventures aboard an airship. They travel with an absurd number of hats and parasols, serve tea to werecats, and treat minor questions of etiquette as life-and-death dilemmas. These kinds of stories are delightful to read and remind us not to take ourselves too seriously.
Removed from contemporary scientific realities, Dracula, of course, is the most famous example of the supernatural in Gothic literature.
Steampunk and Gothic seek escape in another way: they seek to explore possibilities beyond what seems possible in our current understanding of the world. But once again, the two genres strive toward the same goal through opposing methods. Gothic literature was created specifically as a reaction to the Enlightenment, the intellectual movement that dominated Europe in the 18th century.
As new philosophies developed and science began to advance rapidly, Gothic authors felt nostalgic for a time before new technologies and cold rationalism, a time when people believed in magic and the supernatural. As a result, most works of Gothic literature are set in medieval times or simply in the vague and distant past. They deal with occult and supernatural beings, as well as superstitious beliefs in omens and curses. Novels like Vathek and The Monk feature black magic, devil worship, and demons, while others, like The Castle of Otranto, deal with ghosts and apparitions.
Steampunk, instead of going back to the past, looks to the future. Time travel is a recurring theme, in reference to the masterful novel by HG Wells . Steampunk emerged at the turn of the 21st century when technology has advanced faster than ever before. But it is also a time when we now recognize the limits of technology. We are currently living in an era beyond that dreamed of by early science fiction writers, but we still do not have our flying cars, our time machines or our life-size robots.
Steampunk writers reconnect with the Victorian optimism about science. By first going back a few centuries, steampunk writers can then launch a new future that features technology we can hardly dream of in the modern era. For example, the characters in one of the first steampunk novels, Morlock Night by KW Jeter, use a device based on the famous time machine. In This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee, a young boy is brought back from the dead using clockwork parts. Steampunk uses imaginary technology to explore the impossible in the same way that Gothic literature uses the occult.
Thank you for reading, I invite you to discover the other articles on retro futuristic books and Victorian books if you are a fan of both steampunk and gothic.