On The Compatibility Between Gothic Architecture And Gothic Literature

Gothic is a great contribution to human arts, which expresses human being's a certain living idea and satisfies the mental and aesthetical needs. Gothic is used to name an architectural style different from Romanesque architecture, including sculpture, painting and industrial arts; after late 18th century some literature works are also labeled as"Gothic novel"for the same odd writing style. Architecture not only possesses perfect aesthetical effect like soundless music, but also can purify human's heart like literature, which describes all kinds of events in society, portrays men with a variety of characters and explores human's heart in words. For the historical connect, both Architecture and literature belong to aesthetical categories; they are the products of human beings'apperception and thought. Literature works are like great architectural works in the history of human. However, for a long time architecture and literature are seldom put together; only Gothic architecture and Gothic literature share the same term and they are gifted with some certain mutual spirit. Gothic novel features in horror, mystery and supernature with the distinguished setting in the Medial age. People open Gothic novel like stepping into a mysterious Gothic cathedral, given a strange empathy between architecture and literature; the soul is gradually sublimated to infinite height of horror. Scholars have made a great deal of study on Gothic novel from different aspects except architectural aspects.Wuthering Heights (1847) is one of the distinguished Gothic novels, written by English female writer Bront? (1818-1848). Just like Gothic architecture was born from plain and simple Romanesque style, the novel was born from plain realistic novels flourishing in Victorian age; this is one reason why this novel is chosen in the paper. In the history of arts, architecture and literature have interaction and this paper aims to explore the aesthetical compatibility between Gothic architecture and Gothic literature, to probe into Gothic evolution and to work out the kin relationship between architecture and literature.Western Sublime theory is the basis to appreciate Gothic cathedral and Gothic novel. In the paper, the author annotates Gothic novel Wuthering Heights as a Gothic cathedral to explore the Gothic origin and Gothic aesthetic value. Gothic architecture is made up of stone framework and flying buttresses; it features in soaring steeple. Cross vaults, flying buttresses and slim columns applied, the top weight is supported by new framework; they give vertical lines, grand appearance and high and broad space. Color stained windows produce a religious mysterious atmosphere. Like architecture, literature tracks the record of the historical vicissitude of human beings as well as reveals the spirit of human beings. In the paper the author interprets the specific artistic charm of Gothic from the background, form and aesthetics between Gothic architecture and Gothic literature; the same feeling and the same shock arise when visiting a Gothic architecture or reading a Gothic novel. The Gothic novel's subject is odd and horrible events, its writing skills get equally aesthetical effect the same with Gothic architecture though different in expressing approaches. Spirit, witchcraft, and demonic paranoia bring the light of mystery into Gothic novel just like color-stained windows of Gothic cathedral. Supernatural skills of Gothic novel wholly push people into a rising joviality of horror.The birth of Gothic terror has its deep culture background. Gothic architecture arises from darkness and turbulence as well as prosperity of the medieval era; Gothic novel arises at times of great social and economic upheaval as well as the appearance of modernity. Both of them disclose the gloomy sides of human society in an abnormal and abhorring way; but the morality to punish the bad and reward the good, or advocate beauty and kindness is implicated in the dark side of Gothic world. Therefore, Gothic has played an important role in deconstructing aesthetics and purifying the society and this is an important part in aesthetical education. Study on Gothic architecture and Gothic novel will enhance their own charm and value and widen people's field of vision with a new taste.Re-reading Gothic novel from a different architectural perspective, the author tries to analyze the mutual infiltration and influence among different artistic categories, to obtain the compatibility between architecture and literature and to do some research on the evolvement of Gothic novel to dig a new field for much-ploughed Gothic research. Gothic architecture is a concrete object while Gothic novel is an abstract text, they give different visual feelings in different fields; the difference between them is not the concern of this paper and will be discussed in the future research.