goth The word "Goth" covers a lot of ground and almost two millennia: from the marauding Germanic tribes of the second century, to pointy European cathedrals and haunting American literature, all the way to the "dark" fashion and music that still gets confused with devil worship. The Gothic architecturethat evolved in Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries--vaulted ceilings, gargoyles, pointed arches--did actually get its name from the Germanic tribes. Italian Renaissance writers apparently thought those cathedrals were ugly and chose to blame them on the barbarians who had done battle with the Roman Empire about a thousand years earlier. But what better setting than a Gothic-style medieval castle for the dark, scary Gothic literature that developed much later, with the stories of Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" and "Dracula"? Ghoulish encounters with vampires and other living dead gave the characters of Gothic literature a bad case of anti-social behavior--a stigma (or sign of prestige) that endures in modern Goth culture: moody, punk-inspired music, first presented by Siouxsie & The Banshees and Bauhaus, and the black-and-white death tones of Goth fashion. One of the latest blows to the Goth reputation followed the Columbine High School shootings in 1999; the killers were reported to have worn dark trench coats and listened to angsty rocker Marilyn Manson. Wrongly perceived as Goth, they were explained away as worshippers of evil--and members of the Goth community weren't pleased.

Comments

[Kimberly]

Goth is a subculture, not a silly label. A real Goth wouldn't be Goth in high school and then change into a normal mom the next, they'd stay true to their self and live the Gothic life for the rest of their lives. Peple who just dress goth cause the think it's cool, but don't actually understand anything about the culture are posers. Being goth is not a phase of being depressed either, I hate it when people call kids who are depressed Goth. That's totally the wrong interpretation. Goths don't worship Satan, aren't always melancholy, don't want to kill everyone, and are nice people just like you. By the way, emo has nothing to do with goth, it's totally different. So stop putting the word emo and goth together just because you think it's the same thing. And stop making fun of goth people, shouldn't you admire their bravery to be different instead of putting them down?

[v8]

this is really funny reading everyones comments. a lot of you sound stupid. especially "chrismrckrchick" -- you are whining about being judged and labeled, and then you go on judging someone else. i don't really get how anyone can actually BE "goth" anyways. some people are like "im goth because i like to read and write poetry, and listen to souxie" etc...so non-gothic people don't do those things? it just doesnt make any sense. im not going to lie and say i don't label people. i do it for convenience's sake-- to me its more an identification of style, a form of dress, NOT personality or morals or whatever else people are lumping in here. certain labels should be done away with like "retard" and "queer" and "wetback" because those are just plain rude and wrong and derogatory. but i don't really see what the fuss is with names like "prep" or "rocker." it doesnt mean thats all you have to be or thats all you are. what people really need to worry about is the assumptions people make about someone's personal style. people need to have a little more respect towards the people theyre labeling, and those who are being labeled need to take it with a grain of salt and realize that not everyone is being antagonistic towards them. just relax!

[Maria]

Chelsea-if u like your black hair that's all that matters. Who gives a crap what others think!

[chelsea]

i hate when people call me a goth.
i dyed my hair black because i believe it looks good like that. and i look younger with any other color. so of course (to me) i need to look my age.

[jr]

goth scene punk emo why label us all where doing is acting dressing how we feel just because we can be gloomy doesnt me where goth or emo it means where just a quite person and we may not even be a quite person we just dont like you cause your pricks and judge mental dont label us where just like you we just like different music and dress and act diff

[Marissa]

Finally somebody brought Bauhaus. XD I'm tired of fucking KinderGoths calling me a poser because I don't like Evanescence. XD

[alana]

@ kirstie: You definetly are not the only one. It pisses me off that some people are so insecure and immature they have to smack a label on themselves. If you really think your as much value as a jar or pair of pants, don't expect to get that much respect.

[Kirstie the giant perv]

I'm sorry, but am I the only one that hates when people say
"oh yea I'm just so (Insert labels here)
Like seriously.
I feel like people hate it when other people label them, But why then my friend are you labeling YOURSELF.
Just grinds my gears ya know? :D

[madeline]

wow..label "you" specifically "you" you're a wannabe..saying tht their labeling "you" and only "you"..wow...people who say their something in publicr wannabes

[Twiggy.]

ohh, I've been called "goth" plenty of times just because I wear black and I am an avid fan of Marilyn Manson, the Murderdolls and Moi dix Mois. Let's just say this, people have the right to wear and listen to anything they want, so it's just not apropriate to use these typs of lables and or stereotypes. Quite frankly, the whole thing needs to die. People are people, everybodys different. Let them live their lives the way they chose to. Go figure.

And this may not have so much to do with this subject, but I can't stress this enough. Stop blaming Marilyn Manson for the trageties such as the Columbine shootings!! He's done nothing wrong to deserve being a scapegoat to socioty. The poor man just wants to make music, and is hated by half of America because of it. It makes no sence.

-TwiggyThunderstorm

[IRGOTH]

i personally think being gothic isnt a problem because people have full rights to dress up howeever they want, except gothic-wannabe's their fucking bchs.

[tori]

be nice im an emo/punk/goth/misfit/bitch

[ZeSkyIzBlack]

Hahahaha people call me goth xP I don't consiter myself goth o.o;

[09-]

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[Gigi]

I get called "goth" a lot. I can kinda see where they'd get that, but I don't appreciate people trying to label me

[chrismrckrchick]

okay, it totally sucks that peoople feel the need to call us goth emo scene or punk or and of that crap!! Um okay, they think we are goth..... whats the f-ing point???? just cuz we r different duzent mean that we are freaks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and we can be freaking weird if we want to!!! You define weird, not the way some one acts!!! weird is a state of mind. And you no wat?? anyone who thinks we are satanists are freakin pricks and preps! how duz it feel to be labeled??? so go drive off in u prius and leave us the hell alone cuz we didnt do anything to u.

[Sweeney Todd]

haha
labels suck

[angie]

soem goths are freaks!! no offence jus tlike emos and soem punks i mean were all people.

[ANDRIA]

bleh emos are a cheap imitation uf punk and goth god i hate them ...and.. MARILYN MANSON ROCKS!! HELL YEAH "doll dagga buzz buzz zigety zag" cool song

[ANDRIA]

im a goth and it sucks when people call us emo's just cause we wear black, we do not worship devil.it kinda annoys us when we walk through the streets and people start talking behind our backs saying that we are satanists, it is not only about the music, we like reading, poetry although they usualy are about dark arts, we do not associate our selfs with sad people.[emo's].

[DeadGirl]

Goth is a lifestyle. It's not just music. It's a love of the dark side of life, seeing beauty in the strangest of places.

[lidia]

it's really silly to see the arguments about goth. Goth is a subculture based around bands like Siouxie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, The Cure, Alien Sex Fiend, all that good stuff. there are no hard and fast rules for being goth, and the goth scene is all about creativity. it's not a bad thing if you get called goth, and no one cares if you ARE goth or not. stop bitching and be real.