Folk Gothic begins with the assertion that a significant part of what has been categorised as folk horror is more accurately and usefully labelled as Folk Gothic. Through the modifier 'folk', Folk Gothic obviously shares with folk horror its deployment (and frequent fabrication) of diegetic folklore. Folk Gothic does not share, however, folk horror's incarnate monsters, its forward impetus across spatial and ontological boundaries and the shock and repulsion elicited through its bodily violence. The author argues that the Folk Gothic as a literary, televisual and cinematic formation is defined by particular temporal and spatial structures that serve to forge distinctly nonhuman stories. In emphasising these temporal and spatial structures - not literal 'folk' and 'monsters' - the Folk Gothic tells stories that foreground land and 'things', consequently loosening the grip of anthropocentrism.

The Folk Gothic, a cultural formation distinct from folk horror, tells stories that loosen the grip of anthropocentrism.

Book Information
ISBN 9781009160896
Author Dawn Keetley
Format Paperback
Page Count 78
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 141g