Decay & Deterioration in Gaslamp Horror
The Victorian era, marked by societal upheavals and industrialisation, explored a gothic fascination with decay. In the shadowy corridors of Victorian horror literature, decay emerged as a metaphor, weaving its way through narratives that explored the macabre and the unsettling.
In these tales, we can find decay as a metaphor for the deterioration of society, for the deterioration of buildings, and for the deterioration of the body and mind. Decaying urban and rural landscapes in Gaslamp Horror mirror the decay of Victorian society, creating a haunting backdrop for the unfolding narrative.
One of the defining elements of Victorian horror literature was the portrayal of decaying architecture. In Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, the crumbling mansion serves as a symbol not only of physical deterioration but also of the moral and societal decay lurking within.
In The Fall of the House of Usher, the theme of decay is pervasive and symbolic. The physical decay of the Usher mansion mirrors the mental and moral decay of the Usher family. The house, with its fissures, decaying structure, and oppressive atmosphere, reflects the characters' declining lineage and psychological deterioration.
The story explores the idea of a hereditary curse or illness that causes the Usher family's mental and physical decline. The narrator, upon entering the mansion, describes its gloomy and decaying features, setting the tone for the impending tragedy. The house becomes a metaphor for the Usher family's disintegration.
Additionally, the narrator's description of the landscape surrounding the mansion reflects a desolate and decaying environment, enhancing the overall atmosphere of decay. The tarn, a stagnant and murky pond, symbolises the stagnant state of the Usher family and the consequences of isolation and inbreeding.
As the narrative progresses, the decay intensifies, leading to the climax where Madeline Usher, previously entombed, returns as a seemingly supernatural and decayed figure. Her reappearance is a manifestation of the family's dark history and the inevitable outcome of their physical and mental decay.
The Fall of the House of Usher uses the theme of decay to create a Gothic atmosphere, emphasising the inevitability of decline and the inescapable consequences of a family's troubled history.
Further to the notion of mental deterioration, the Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a classic short story that explores the mental and emotional deterioration of a woman who is prescribed the "rest cure" for a perceived nervous condition. The protagonist, confined to a room with yellow wallpaper, becomes obsessed with the patterns and believes there is a woman trapped behind the wallpaper. As her mental state unravels, so does her perception of reality. The story is often interpreted as a critique of the oppressive treatment of women in the 19th century.
The story unfolds as a first-person narrative, offering a glimpse into the protagonist's gradual mental unravelling. The woman’s enforced seclusion contributes to the deterioration of her mental state.
The yellow wallpaper in the room becomes a focal point for the narrator's fixation and obsession. As she spends more time in the room, her perception of the wallpaper transforms. She begins to see a woman trapped behind the wallpaper, struggling to break free. This hallucination is an embodiment of the narrator's own sense of entrapment and the gradual deterioration of her sanity.
In the final stages of the story, the narrator believes she has liberated the woman behind the wallpaper. This act can be interpreted as a symbolic rebellion against the oppressive societal norms and the stifling control exerted by her husband. However, it also underscores the complete breakdown of her mental faculties.
Contagious diseases, rampant in Victorian society, became Gothic spectres in literature. Le Fanu’s Carmilla & Bram Stoker's Dracula skilfully use the fear of contagion to create a sense of horror, with vampirism as a metaphor for spreading a deadly disease.
In the mid-19th century, the Broad Street area in Soho, London, experienced a severe cholera outbreak in 1854. John Snow, who is considered one of the founders of modern epidemiology, played a crucial role in identifying and stopping the spread of cholera in the Soho district.
John Snow began investigating the outbreak. He mapped the locations of cholera cases and noted that they clustered around the Broad (now Broadwick) Street water pump.
Snow's breakthrough came when he realised that the Broad Street pump was a common water source for many residents who had fallen ill. He hypothesised that contaminated water from the pump could be the source of the cholera outbreak. The well beneath the pump was twenty-eight feet deep and it was indeed being contaminated by a leaking sewer twenty-two feet down.
Snow managed to have the handle of the water pump removed which had an almost immediate effect on the outbreak. The number of new cholera cases significantly decreased, demonstrating a clear correlation between the contaminated water source and the spread of the disease.
John Snow's work on the Broad Street cholera outbreak is regarded as a landmark in the history of epidemiology. His emphasis on mapping and analysing the spatial distribution of cases became a pioneering method in disease investigation.
Both Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu and Dracula by Bram Stoker employ vampirism as a metaphor for the spread of a deadly disease, reflecting the societal fears and anxieties of their respective Victorian contexts.
In Carmilla, vampirism is intricately linked to the consumption of blood. The act of the vampire biting the victim's neck and drinking blood is comparable to the transmission of a contagious disease.
Vampirism in Carmilla is often portrayed as a hidden and subtle threat. Carmilla's victims initially perceive her as a friend or companion, much like how a carrier of a disease may seem healthy. The true danger only becomes apparent as the symptoms of the vampiric influence manifest in the victims.
The aftermath of a vampire attack in Carmilla is characterised by a lingering sense of fear and uncertainty. Survivors may experience ongoing effects, akin to the persistent impact of an epidemic. The narrative captures the psychological trauma that remains even after the immediate threat has passed.
In Dracula, vampirism is portrayed as a contagious affliction. Victims of Dracula's bite become carriers of the vampiric curse, and they, in turn, pose a threat to others. This mirrors the Victorian fears of contagious diseases, particularly in an era when understanding of infection was limited.
Dracula himself, as a figure originating from Eastern Europe, symbolises the fear of the unknown and the foreign. This aligns with the Victorian perception of diseases arriving from distant lands, contributing to xenophobic fears of outside influences that could bring harm to the established order.
Victims of vampirism in Dracula face social stigmatisation, reflecting the Victorian notions of purity and contamination. The characters grapple not only with physical consequences but also with the societal repercussions of being tainted by the vampiric curse.
The language used to describe the effects of vampirism in Dracula often mirrors medical discourse. Terms like infection, blood transfusion, and quarantine are employed, reinforcing the parallels between vampirism and the spread of diseases.
In both Carmilla and Dracula, vampirism serves as a multifaceted metaphor, addressing not only the physical consequences of the vampire's bite but also the societal and psychological ramifications. The fear of the unknown, the threat of contagion, and the impact on individual and collective well-being are central themes that resonate with the Victorian anxieties surrounding disease.
Decay, in its multifaceted forms, emerges as a potent metaphor in Gaslamp Horror. Whether manifested in decaying mansions or the spectre of disease, decay served as a vehicle for expressing societal anxieties and fears. The haunting atmospheres crafted by Victorian writers continue to unravel the mysteries of the human psyche and societal transformation, leaving an indelible mark on the Gothic genre.
In exploring the horrors of deterioration, Gaslamp Horror literature invites readers to confront the enduring shadows that stretch across time, revisit the classics and read contemporary authors of historical fiction.
I realize I just wrote that comment as a note. Love this piece! Keep writing them!
Such a great piece about Gaslamp Horror. If you were as obsessed with the T.V. show, The Fall of the House of Usher, read this to dive a little deeper into the source material.