From Samhain to Gothic Literature

The Eerie Evolution of Halloween

Have you ever wondered how the festival celebrated by the Celts hundreds of years ago became associated with writers such as Poe, Shelley and Stoker? How did it become so significant in the context of horror and Gothic literature?

The Celts, particularly those living in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, celebrated a festival called Samhain on 31 October. The word “Samhain” means “November” in Irish and symbolises the autumn and winter harvests of that period. During this time, they believed that the boundary between the spirit world and the world of the living became thinner. They lit fires and wore costumes to scare away evil spirits, ghosts and monsters. That's how it all began.

Over time, this pagan festival was Christianised. By order of the pope, Samhain was renamed “All Saints' Day” on 1 November, and its eve became known as “All Hallows' Eve”. Over time, this evolved into the name “Halloween”.

Although the festival was subsequently recognised as a religious holiday, its traditional character remained intact. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the traditions of the time were preserved, including themes of fear, witches, spells, demons, and fortune-telling. The infamous witch hunts that occurred beforehand must have played a significant role in this, given that these themes were also incorporated.

Over time, the descendants of the Celts migrated to America, keen to preserve the festival. However, the USA naturally turned it into a more commercial, media-oriented event.

Photo by Ksenia Yakovleva on Unsplash

You might well ask what could lead to a holiday being associated with a new country, particularly the United States. I did too.

Firstly, when people migrate, they don't lose their identity completely; in fact, they may cling to it more tightly. Furthermore, the protectionist attitude and mindset of the time must have paved the way for this. Cultural adaptation was therefore a two-way process.

However, we should also remember that traditional ideas are fixed and powerful within a local context. Regardless of age, place of birth or lifestyle, for example, it is an unspoken rule that we should visit our elders as often as possible during the holidays. In my opinion, the sense of togetherness brought by Samhain must have played an important role in strengthening neighbourly relations in the USA. Although large individual houses may seem conducive to isolated living, such practices ensure that bonds are not severed. Of course, different activities have been added to this tradition in modern times.

Another point to consider is including children in the activities. As mentioned earlier, traditions appeal to all ages and are performed together in order to pass them on to the younger generation. The social interaction known as 'trick-or-treating' appears to have emerged in this way. Additionally, costumes are worn to counteract the horror-related elements inherent in the tradition, such as spirits, monsters and ghosts. But what did we say? The USA. Over time, this hotbed of capitalism adapts practices that go beyond the holiday's core concept. These practices imbue children with powerful, beautiful and extraordinary attributes, making them feel either childlike or heroic. This is because it's fun and fits the system, making it the kind of tradition that families will embrace and pass on to their children. It's almost like a journey from pagan fires to American costumes and sweets.

Given the USA’s dominant influence, it is inevitable that this tradition will spread to the rest of the world. Now, regardless of your religious beliefs, you can celebrate this holiday. This is because it has been stripped of its religious identity and adapted to be suitable for everyone, everywhere. Could the reason for this be the substantial financial returns? After all, we go crazy with online shopping for every holiday, regardless of what it's about.

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We discussed the origins of the festival, its association with fear, and its evolution. We formed our own opinions and engaged in reasoning. Now, let us turn to its literary aspect.

Traces of Halloween narratives can be seen in literature, particularly in horror novels. A detailed examination, reveals that these narratives naturally fall within the Gothic style.

Gothic literature actually has seven or eight different periods. The first period, known as the Pre-Gothic period, is said to have begun in the 18th century. Gothic architecture also emerged in Western Europe in the 12th–16th centuries but only became influential in the 18th–20th centuries. Initially, in the 1700s, Gothic literature emphasised the grandeur (the sublime) of nature and humanity. This was considered both astonishing and terrifying, and over time it became associated with fear. This style began with poetry and spread to novels and drawings. When combined with Romanticism and Surrealism, the style began to take shape.

Villains, settings and emotions suitable for the style began to emerge. Supernatural content slowly started to appear. The wars being fought fuelled horror and danger, while famine and disease exposed the helplessness of humanity. Life experiences merged with fear and nightmares, resulting in monsters of all kinds, both animate and inanimate. Powerful emotions were influenced by the Middle Ages, mythology or neoclassicism, depending on the author's preference. Variety increased.

Authors contributed to the creation of morally corrupt, rule-breaking literature in which they could express themselves openly and without restraint. As previously unspoken elements such as religious differences, fraud, murder and superstition found their place, they awakened people's impulses and thoughts. Thus, its success becomes inevitable. In the era's castles, fantastical dreams were realised through philosophical debate. There is no need to elaborate further: although Gothic literature's content appears to have taken shape over the decades, its perspective is clearly much broader.

Photo by Mathias Konrath on Unsplash

Afterwards, I thought about the authors. Were works of Gothic literature written specifically for Halloween?

Frankly, it is hard to say whether they were all motivated by a desire to belong to the genre. In my opinion, however, the answer is no. When Mary Shelley wrote “Frankenstein” (1818), she intended to explore the conflict between science and morality, specifically the creation of life and the conquest of death. The elements it contained made it a very Gothic work. Conversely, Polidori's “The Vampyre” (1819) was written to reflect the persona of his patron, Lord Byron, and shaped the modern vampire character. Although it may not seem particularly terrifying or mysterious today, it was groundbreaking for its time.

Another example is Irish author Stoker's “Dracula” (1897), which he spent seven years writing to address the anxieties of the Victorian era. As the vampire myth was probably already well known, Stoker deemed it appropriate to use it in an unusual way.

Finally, let's look at an example from the United States, where the holiday has become popular. Poe, who only lived for forty years, wrote dozens of short stories as well as poems. He is considered to have invented this style in the modern sense. The same can be said for the genre we might call psychological horror. He successfully combined pessimism and romanticism. While his stories were bloody and violent, they also dealt with inner turmoil, guilt and moral decline.

As can be seen, they did not write about the holiday itself, but rather used examples from their own lives and offered critical perspectives. However, these works quickly adapted to the horror theme and Halloween atmosphere. Readers naturally embraced this, reliving it year after year.

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Nowadays, we tend to classify works retrospectively, grouping similar pieces into specific categories. This reflects both the appropriation of popular genres by the masses and a desire for logical differentiation. Under American influence, however, this approach has evolved to the point where it has strayed from its original spirit and become a commercial commodity. This has paved the way for the proliferation of new art products based on Gothic and horror themes, encouraging creativity while also triggering industrial production. Were the great authors of these works alive today, they might abandon their writing or reimagine their stories through the lens of capitalist excess and cultural erosion.

Conversely, the themes and motifs explored in these writers' works confine them not only to the Gothic genre, but also create a coherent body of work that resonates with the mysterious atmosphere of Halloween. Consequently, many classic or contemporary horror texts, beyond the Gothic genre, naturally align with the spirit of the holiday. The increasing popularity of the festival further strengthens this connection. Thanks to the festival, stories change hands more frequently and become interwoven with the celebration – a cycle that transforms that connection into a lasting, deep-rooted tradition over time. Centuries later, Samhain (and similar cultural and traditional festivals) is celebrated through repeated readings of Gothic works.