sábado, 23 de octubre de 2010

"Goth" Word: The Origins

The origin of the term "goth" in a subculture all over the world.

I wanted to share some information that I came across when searching for goth subculture information on the Internet.

To begin with, I’m in the need to explain that goth subculture or goth movement is very complex. You may not find two goths whose thougts are equal, because gothic philosophy has his variations depending on people. I said so because the information I am going to share may or may not be true, but in my opinion can be accepted as a valid origin to this word. Here I go then…

“Goth” as you may know, is the word which describes a kind of middle age art: After Romanic and before Renaissance. This art or architectonic style developed in Europe in the 12th Century… well, I won’t give you an Art History lesson, you know what I’m talking about, right? So, “goth” term was first used in 16th Century by Giorgio Vasari an Italian art historian. He wanted to define the “dark” art of the middle age with a pejorative word which meant “made by the Goths or Visigoths” (barbarian) opposite to glorious past of Greek and Roman Classical age.

After that, in Romanticism and his enthusiasm in recovering the architecture of middle age, the neogothic style started. The first gothic novels were written: the beauty in the darkness, the ruins, the cemeteries… even death were elements commonly used in romantic literature…

Perhaps, you know that most of the Goth influences came from the Romanticism. That is the reason why Goth was adopted as the word which describes the subculture that grew in 20th century. The Goth term, a pejorative word to describe barbarian architecture by the renaissance people, a pejorative word to describe different people interested in that kind of dark art. At first, Goth subculture was drived by political thoughts, or even musical derivation of punk into dark wave or after-punk style. I don’t really know which path became on the way that goth is considered now, neither I know what caused to mix phylosophy, art, music and dark fashion inspired in baroque, victorian style… But the result is a subculture, a lifestyle, a fashion and a feeling very different than the common society and very special and beautiful for people that undestands it.

Maybe in other article I’ll explain more of that, so you would be able to apreciate the hidden beauty in the darkness, or simply understand their thoughts so you don’t look at them as simply bizarre people or unbalanced teenagers who need to be different. They are different, in fact, but not in a bad way.

I’m sure almost all of you have thought of goths in a pejorative way… as the renaissance people thought of visigoths in the middle age. That is the reason why that term is used. Now everything makes sense, doesn't it?

I hope this little guide has contributed to increase goth people knowledge about their origins and has helped those who aren’t to understand a different point of view.

In conclusion, Goth has been enriched with phylosophy (personal or other authors’), art (paintings, photography, theatre, films), literature (gothic novels or related topics), music (concerts, modern artists) transforming into a lifestyle for some, a fashion for others, or a feeling…

Lady Morgane - 14 Febr 2010


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Lo he vuelto a leer y me he sorprendido de mi misma, necesito recuperar mi perfecto inglés :D no puede ser que se me olvide ("came across", "I'm in the need", "neither I know", "doesn't it?") xD Mi asombro al volverlo a leer era cada vez mayor jaja

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