An ambivalent human being wanders the earth in the genre
Dark
Romanticism. According to many theorists, the Gothic genre is founded on
a belief in the reality of evil. According to me, the Dark Romantic
genre is founded on a ambivalence. Is evil reality - or belief? I
believe it's important to emphasize that exploring evil isn't
the same thing as praising evil. Nick
Cave has sometimes been called a satanist which shows that some
people can't distingusih between exploring and praising. A
description of dark forces that wish us harm doesn't imply an acceptance of evil.
On the contrary - the motive is often a will to understand, instead of
just shutting one's eyes.
Brief history
Folklorists often distinguish between two major periods;
until the 19th century evil was an explanation. The presence of evil
was an explanation of diseases, poverty and tyranny. Today evil isn't an
explanation. Instead, we wish to to explain evil.
Scientists and artists search for explanations of evil deeds; political,
biological, ideological, economic, psychological etc. Evil is no
longer a supernatural force. How has evil been personified during the
last 200 years? I've constructed a
general chronology. In the dark romantic movement, I've distinguished
five main periods - villains, monsters, criminals and scientists,
abusers and hedonists.
Villians
In the early gothic novels evil was personified in
villains - magicians, depraved monks, vampires, landlords,
demons and ghosts. The hero versus the villain. There's no doubt
who's bad and who's good in Ann Radcliffe's novels. This simple delimitation did no
longer fascinate authors and readers in the early 19th century. The key concept is Christian
symbolism (see picture above).
Monsters
Frankenstein, Quasimodo and Dracula are
monsters that still attracts readers today. The monsters are lonely and
misunderstood. The monsters are often ugly on the outside. The reader often symphatize
- or even identify themselves - with them. Evil
is more ofen personified in the mob, the alarmed citizens, that hunts
the monster. The monsters are expelled from the society. Dracula is both
gentlemen and predator. The key concept is Dualism.
Criminals and scientists
Poe, Lovecraft and Doyle wrote of criminals and evil scientists at the
later half of the 19th century. The
villains were no longer antisocial landlords in desolate castles - they
were more often intelligent and even well-mannered. Dr Jekyll and Mr
Hyde. The detective is the new hero. The criminals and the
scientists wish to fullfill their dreams - at any cost. The key concept is
Desire.
Abusers - decadence
At the end of the 19th century, a widespread pessimism
influenced the last romantics. Baudelaire, DeQuincey and Coleridge were
opium abusers. They depicted the winter of the natural world. Decadence fin de siécle. They didn't depict the presence of dark forces
- the abscence of light forces. They only believed in artificial paradises. No God.
The key
concept is, so to say, whisky and cigarettes.
Hedonists - pleasure-seeking
American Psycho, Fight Club. The main
characters assault
other human beings for their own pleasure.They are self-centred and
indifferent. Evil is explained by the prevailing ideals in the
consumer society. The key concept is Banal evil. Tomorrow, evil will probably
be personified in terrorists and corporations.
