Horror fiction
A genre intended to disturb, frighten, or scare its audience.
Horror is a genre of speculative fiction intended to disturb, frighten, or scare an audience. It is often divided into psychological horror and supernatural horror, with roots in folklore, religious traditions, and ancient literature. Literary historian J. A.
- field
- Speculative fiction
- known_for
- Disturbing, frightening, or scaring audiences through psychological and supernatural themes
Lore & Background
The horror genre has ancient origins, with roots in folklore and religious traditions focusing on death, the afterlife, evil, the demonic, and the principle of the thing embodied in the person. These manifested in stories of demons, witches, vampires, werewolves, and ghosts. Early European horror-fiction came from the Ancient Greeks and Ancient Romans. Pliny the Younger told the tale of Athenodorus Cananites, who bought a haunted house in Athens. Elements of horror also occur in Biblical texts, notably in the Book of Revelation. Werewolf stories were popular in medieval French literature. Much horror fiction derives from the cruellest personages of the 15th century, such as Vlad III and Gilles de Rais. The 19th century saw the Gothic tradition blossom into modern horror literature, with influential works by Mary Shelley, John Polidori, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Bram Stoker. The 20th century saw a boom in horror writing through cheap periodicals, with influential writers such as H. P. Lovecraft, M. R. James, and Stephen King. The modern zombie tale harks back to works by H. P. Lovecraft and Richard Matheson.
Reader's Guide
Horror fiction's significance lies in its ability to reflect and amplify cultural anxieties through disturbing and frightening narratives. The genre has ancient roots in folklore and religious traditions, evolving through Gothic literature in the 18th century and achieving modern form in the 19th century with enduring icons like Frankenstein, Dracula, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The 20th century saw horror expand through pulp magazines, cinema, and comic books, with writers like H. P. Lovecraft redefining cosmic horror and Stephen King achieving massive commercial success. The genre continues to influence contemporary fiction, with horror elements appearing in urban fantasy and alternate history. Horror's legacy includes its capacity to explore societal fears—from serial killers to apocalyptic scenarios—while providing a framework for examining the human condition through fear and repulsion. The genre's adaptability across media ensures its ongoing relevance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Horror fiction?
Horror fiction is a branch of speculative fiction whose core purpose is to unsettle, terrify, or provoke revulsion in its audience. It achieves that effect through both psychological and supernatural storytelling methods.
What are the main subtypes of Horror fiction?
The genre is most commonly divided into two broad categories: psychological horror, which targets the mind and emotions, and supernatural horror, which relies on otherworldly or non-natural threats.
Why does Horror fiction matter beyond just scaring people?
The genre often functions as a mirror for wider societal fears and cultural anxieties of its era. By externalizing those anxieties into narrative form, horror fiction gives audiences a structured way to confront them.
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