Genre - Horror

Defining the genre

1. A definition

Horror fiction is, broadly, writing intended to scare, unsettle, or horrify the audience.

Historically, the cause of the "horror" experience has often been the intrusion of an evil - or, occasionally, misunderstood - supernatural or preternatural element into everyday human experience.

Since the 1960s, any work of fiction with a morbid, gruesome, surreal, or exceptionally suspenseful or frightening theme has come to be called "horror".

Horror fiction often overlaps science fiction or fantasy, all three of which categories are sometimes placed under the umbrella classification speculative fiction.

In fact defining many modern horror/fantasy/sci-fi books has become an art form in itself.

2. Contemporary horror fiction

Some modern practitioners of the genre use vivid descriptions of extreme violence or shock to entertain their audiences (some would rather redefine this as splatterpunk).

This development has given horror fiction an unfortunate stigma as base entertainment devoid of literary merit.

3. Supernatural fiction

Supernatural (or more accurately 'preternatural') fiction is a classification of writing used to describe fiction exploiting (or requiring) as plot devices (or themes) some contradictions of the natural world.

4. Other sub-genres

Other common sub-genres include:

a. Lovecraftian horror

This is a sub-genre of horror fiction which emphasizes the psychological horror of the unknown (or unknowable).

b. Macabre

Macabre is a term applied to a type of artistic or literary works, characterised by a grim or ghastly atmosphere. In these works, there is an emphasis on the details and symbols of death. Macabre themes are often preoccupations in the Goth subculture.

c. Occult detective

As the name suggests, this is where the Occult meets detective. Unlike the traditional detective the occult detective is employed in cases involving ghosts, curses, and other supernatural elements. He is often a doctor inclined to metaphysical speculation.

d. Suburban gothic

This writing is dark and disturbing, often employing psychological and supernatural devices to drive the plot along. It uses these devices not so much to entertain, but to explore social issues and to challenge the suburban dream.

The knights and heroes of traditional Gothic literature have been replaced in most cases by a heroic underdog figure. The grotesqueness of its characters lay not in the disfiguration of the body but instead of the mind, delving into the dark and twisted pysche of its characters.

In most cases in suburban gothic literature, good does not prevail. Wrongs are often left unrighted and often cannot be righted. They are, in fact, often compounded when confronted.

e. Vampire fiction

After ghosts and other supernatural or preternatural phenomenon, the vampire is the next most popular antagonist. In fact, the cases where the vampire is becoming the protagonist are rising.

f. Werewolf fiction

Like vampires, stories about werewolves are very popular. Invariably, if a story has one, it has the other. Despite being sometimes seen as a sympathetic character (a victim rather than a predator), they rarely make the jump to becoming protagonist.

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