The Gothic has long been viewed as the realm of terrifying ghosts, crumbling castles, and disturbing twins. But the genre also reflects the constant tension between past and present, as audiences look for stories that help them navigate ever-changing anxieties, fears, and threats. Explore what the horrors of the Gothic can reveal to us about our world and ourselves, and we’ll aim to discover why we label one person a hero and another a monster. Texts will be drawn from historical and contemporary gothic novels, films, plays, music, and scholarship.