Hello Goths and Scholars,

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Welcome to the first ever Recorded Gothic Video!

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I’m Sadie B and I am also very excited!

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Recorded Gothic is my dissertation project, so I have been working day and night on the scripts, getting the website perfect as I can, and now I’m here to tell you what it is all about.

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Before I get into the ins and outs of the website, how it works, and what it is, I thought I would first give you a little context on why it exists. In the Historical Dictionary of Gothic Literature, Jon Woronoff stated that the Gothic genre is “generally considered a lesser genre […] although one that is now also enjoying academic as well as popular acclaim.”[1] This popular acclaim has its ups and downs. It’s great because it has come with a new surge of criticism, but it has also made it painfully obvious how behind the Gothic is in regards to new accessible digital resources.

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What I mean by that is, is that if one goes on to YouTube right now and searches 'Romantic Fiction,' pages and pages of results come back of scholarly, factual, and interesting content (the stuff people can really learn from). With the Gothic, there is some of that, but it is in the minority. If you searched 'the Gothic' right now, you would be presented unfactual, outdated, badly mad videos, and make up tutorials. The issue here is that when someone is really wanting to get into the Gothic, they are not getting the answers they need. As not everyone is at university, not everyone is a scholar, and not everyone has the time to go through all of these texts. Something needs to be done.

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If the Gothic wants to stand a chance at keeping this new acclaim alive, we have to move with the times. We, as a literary community, must create accessible resources. It is here that I adhere to Sherri L. Brown’s statement that it is the duty of new scholars to do “rigorous research in Gothic studies and produce projects that further update” the field.[2]

 

And that is what Recorded Gothic is!

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Recorded Gothic is a website containing video lectures on all things Gothic! Every video will contain fact checked information, scholarly quotes, story summaries, and my own thoughts that I have acquired throughout my own journey in academia.

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The videos are available on YouTube, but they are also on the Recorded Gothic website. That it where I will be posting the transcripts and the bibliographies. If you are watching this on YouTube, just scroll down to the description and there will be a link to take you straight to the correct page.

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Most of the videos will be filmed like this, in a vlog/lecture format. Accompanying the videos will be visual resources, such as images, and the quotes will also be displayed on the screen for you to pause and write down if needed. All referencing will adhere to the MHRA format, as that is what I am require to use for my dissertation. However, if you need help referencing any of the sources I use, please get in contact and I will be more than happy to help!

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The final thing I wanted to mention in this video was that this website will run in semesters (each semester will cover a different theme, topic, or author). The first semester, and the one that will be counting towards my dissertation, will focus on the Gothic legend that is Edgar Allan Poe. These will include summaries of some of his short stories, critical opinions, and relevant context. I will also throw in a few essay summaries, as they can be very useful when wanting to learn how Poe created his work.

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Recorded Gothic is completely free to use, no videos will be hidden behind a paywall. Please feel free to watch and rewatch and absorb all the information. I really hope you come to love the Gothic as much as I do!

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Feel free to leave comments on the YouTube videos, like, and subscribe. Email recordedgothic@gmail.com, tweet @recordedgothic, or comment on the website! Please let me know any thoughts you have on the videos and the website. I will be continuing this project after my dissertation is over. This is a cause very close to my heart, and I really want to create a great platform that aids future scholars and enthusiasts.

 

So, that all for today folks!

 

Remember to read more Gothic and make your nightmares fear you!

 

Sadie B, signing off.

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Footnotes

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[1] Jon Woronoff, ‘Editor’s Forewords,’ in Historical dictionary of Gothic Literature, ed. by Jon Woronoff, (Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, 2013), pp. xi- xii (p. xi).

[2] Sherri L. Brown, A Research Guide to Gothic Literature in English: Print and Electronic Sources, (Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2018), p. xii.

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Word Count: 839

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

Brown, Sherri L., A Research Guide to Gothic Literature in English: Print and Electronic Sources, (Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2018)

 

 

Woronoff, Jon, ‘Editor’s Forewords,’ in Historical dictionary of Gothic Literature, ed. by Jon Woronoff

(Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, 2013), pp. xi- xii
 

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