Goth Subculture

Presentation done by

Iryna Yevlakhovych 11-A

The original Goths were an Eastern Germanic tribe who

played an important role in the fall of the western Roman

Empire and the emergence of Medieval Europe.

Origins of the term

In some circles, the name

«goth» later became

invective.

The Goths were tall and

blond haired, had white skin

and fair hair, were

handsome.

The gothic subculture has nothing common with the Gothic

tribes, but it imitates the Gothic art – a style of Medieval art that

developed in Northern France in the 12th century and which

soon spread to all of Western Europe.

Goth in its simplest form, is a subculture

– a group of people who feel comfortable

within each others company. There is no

specific thing that defines what you need

to do or be to fit into the goth scene

(except of course the implied black

clothing).

People in the goth scene all have

different musical tastes, follow different

religions, have different occupations,

hobbies, and fashion sense.

Who is a goth?

People have lots of stereotypes

about goths, but in fact they are

such humans as we all and

have different emotions and

feelings as every normal

person, are not evil or

Satanists.

The goth subculture:

Is a contemporary subculture

found in many countries. It

began in the United Kingdom

during the early 1980s in the

gothic rock scene.

Has survived much longer than

others of the same era, and

has continued to diversify.

Goth Subculture

Its imagery and cultural

proclivities indicate influences

from the 19th century Gothic

literature along with horror

films.

Has associated tastes in music,

aesthetics, and fashion.

In Western Europe, there are

large annual festivals (Wave-

Gotik-Treffen and M'era Luna

in Germany, The Lumous

Gothic Festival in Finland,

Children of the night in Ukraine,

Whitby Goth Weekend in

England, Bats Day in the USA).

There is a World Goth

Day on 22 May.

Gothic fashion is stereotyped as

conspicuously dark, eerie, mysterious, complex and exotic. Typical gothic fashion includes dyed black hair, dark eyeliner, black fingernails and black period-styled clothing; goths may or may not have piercings. Styles are often borrowed from the Elizabethan, Victorian or medieval period and often express pagan, occult or other religious imagery. Gothic fashion may also feature silver jewelry.

Gothic Fashion

Most goths become goths because:

They have been spurned by 'normal' society because the

way they want to live their lives does not fit in with how most

people are told to live theirs.

Goths are “Free Thinkers”.

They do not accept the moral rules of society and hence are

spurned by ‘normal’ society. They always make up their own

mind.

They like the music, or the clubs are better, they have goth

friends and joined in with them, or they just like staying up

late nights.

Why do people become

goths?

Certain elements in the dark, atmospheric

music and dress of the post punk scene

were clearly gothic in this sense. The use of

gothic is an adjective in describing this

mysterious or aggressive music.

Gothic Music

The music encompasses a number of

different styles, including gothic rock,

industrial, death rock, post-punk, dark

wave, ethereal wave, and

neoclassical.

The most popular gothic rock and metal bands and artists are:

The 69 Eyes

The Cure

The Doors

Evanescence

H.I.M.

Lacrimosa

Nightwish

Lacuna Coil

Paradise Lost

Type O Negative

My Dying Bride

Anathema

Moonspell

Cradle of Filth

Within Temptation

Marilyn Manson