Literary notes about Gothic (AI summary)
The term "Gothic" demonstrates a remarkable versatility in literature. In some works it immediately evokes images of lofty arches and imposing cathedrals, as when authors describe a "Gothic cathedral" or "Gothic archway" to set a dramatic, mysterious scene ([1], [2], [3]). In other cases, "Gothic" references are more technical—denoting a specific style of lettering (the black letter typeface, for instance, [4], [5])—or even serving in linguistic discussions about word roots and grammatical forms ([6], [7], [8]). Moreover, the adjective is sometimes extended to encapsulate broader cultural and historical qualities, linking the term to an ancient era marked by distinctive art, architecture, and even personal aesthetics ([9], [10], [11]). Thus, through its varied applications—from describing physical structures to informing scholarly debates—the word "Gothic" has evolved into a rich, multi-layered symbol in literary tradition.
- I have never seen a single Gothic cathedral.
— from The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky - A servant in waiting took my horse, and I entered the Gothic archway of the hall.
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 by Edgar Allan Poe - We approached the church through the avenue of limes, and entered by a Gothic porch, highly ornamented, with carved doors of massive oak.
— from The Sketch-Book of Geoffrey Crayon by Washington Irving - German names and quotations are in Gothic type (black letter).
— from Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome by Apicius - It was written in clear Gothic text, and in the Old French tongue of the early 14th century.
— from The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Marco Polo and da Pisa Rusticiano - This infinitive exists in Gothic as nim-an , in Old Saxon as nim-an , in Old Norse as nem-a , in Old High German as nem-an .
— from The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America by Thomas Jefferson - But as in Sanskrit such a derivation has not been found, and as in Gothic the root ûh never occurs, such an etymology would not be satisfactory.
— from The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America by Thomas Jefferson - If tat in Sanskrit is ta + ta , then we expect in Gothic tha + tha , instead of which we find tha + ta .
— from The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America by Thomas Jefferson - From the earliest times to the end of the Gothic dominion in Spain.
— from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. Burgess and Robert Ezra Park - I built a cottage for Susan and myself, and made a gateway in the form of a Gothic arch by setting up a whale's jaw-bones.
— from Twice-told tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne - He liked knowing that Gothic architecture, with its upward trend, was peculiarly appropriate to universities, and the idea became personal to him.
— from This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
