The Black House is a collection of short stories by Patricia Highsmith, who wote The Talented Mr Ripley. The first story concerns a cat called Portland Bill who uncovers foul play. The second is about a "psychic attack", with serious consequences, on one member of a group of friends by the others.
The subject of "psychic attack" is dealt with by the occultist and writer Dion Fortune in her book of the same name. Fortune is more concerned with the kind of psychic attack which is embellished with "black magic". However, as Highsmith demonstates, the consequences of a more mundane persecution can be just as serious.
The moral - if there is one - is know thyself, who and what you are dealing with, choose your friends very carefully, and, possibly, get a familiar. Miaw.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Distinguishing "The Modern Gothic" from "The Modern Goth"
This quotation from from "Black Roses : A Modern Gothic Tarot" (www.thesilkmachine.co.uk) illustrates the merging of "Gothic" and "Goth" in contemporary popular culture :
"The goths were those that belonged to old germanic tribes, who possibly even had associations to certain celtic people. However, as time moved on the word gothic represented the grotesque, dark and mysterious; such words described anything from architecture and heavy ornate art, to supernatural novels and gloomy poems. But when it came to modern society, goth is said to have developed from punk and the new romantics, forming its own philosophy and image. The image of the modern goth has been overwhelmed by the stereotypical all in black depressed figure, but that image becomes too limiting. While punk became synonymous with anarchy, goth developed a philosophy of introspection, and the 'grotesque' of sorts became a dark void to explore, and things that had become taboo through simple etiquette were re-evaluated. Modern goth has become a sort of movement of personal inner exploration. But the problem is although goth is not part of popular society, it is becoming popular through certain circles, and with it the consumer ideas of a popular society, where the image is worth more than the concept behind it."
"The Modern Gothic" is taken here to include contemporary "Goth Culture" but is given a wider context. Matters "grotesque, dark and mysterious", whether in art or life, the outer world or the inner psyche, provide the context for our explorations. Humour may also be an important part of these. Finally, "Modern" is broadly defined, and reference to earlier manifestations of the gothic spirit is important, in throwing light upon the present.
This quotation from from "Black Roses : A Modern Gothic Tarot" (www.thesilkmachine.co.uk) illustrates the merging of "Gothic" and "Goth" in contemporary popular culture :
"The goths were those that belonged to old germanic tribes, who possibly even had associations to certain celtic people. However, as time moved on the word gothic represented the grotesque, dark and mysterious; such words described anything from architecture and heavy ornate art, to supernatural novels and gloomy poems. But when it came to modern society, goth is said to have developed from punk and the new romantics, forming its own philosophy and image. The image of the modern goth has been overwhelmed by the stereotypical all in black depressed figure, but that image becomes too limiting. While punk became synonymous with anarchy, goth developed a philosophy of introspection, and the 'grotesque' of sorts became a dark void to explore, and things that had become taboo through simple etiquette were re-evaluated. Modern goth has become a sort of movement of personal inner exploration. But the problem is although goth is not part of popular society, it is becoming popular through certain circles, and with it the consumer ideas of a popular society, where the image is worth more than the concept behind it."
"The Modern Gothic" is taken here to include contemporary "Goth Culture" but is given a wider context. Matters "grotesque, dark and mysterious", whether in art or life, the outer world or the inner psyche, provide the context for our explorations. Humour may also be an important part of these. Finally, "Modern" is broadly defined, and reference to earlier manifestations of the gothic spirit is important, in throwing light upon the present.
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