Gothic Elements in Literature

Here is a list of distinguishing elements commonly found in gothic literature (AKA "you know it's gothic when there is ..."):

• a setting in a castle, ancestral family home, vault or crypt.
• a vendetta or vengeance perpetrated against the protagonist and/or his/her family by the antagonist.
• supernatural beings - monsters, vampires, ghosts, werewolves, and such.
• a damsel (or 2, or 3!) in distress.
• unexplainable events.
• an unrequited love, or illicit love affair or romance.
• an ancient prophecy foretelling the doom of the protagonist and/or his/her family.
• an exotic locale, often in a country other than that of the story's origin.
• an atmosphere of suspense and/or terror.
• women threatened by tyrannical male/patriarchal figures.

(The above list compiled from one at: http://www.virtualsalt.com/gothic.htm)