> Commentators called this taste Gothic because the interest in ruins and castles called to mind the Gothic architecture of the Middle Ages. This is somewhat b

> Commentators called this taste Gothic because the interest in ruins and castles called to mind the Gothic architecture of the Middle Ages. This is somewhat backwards. Gothic is an old word for "medieval" (named for the Goths, a tribe which was considered to be the cause of the fall of Rome). This is why the medieval architectural style is called "Gothic style". The Castle of Otranto had the subtitle "A Gothic Story" because it claims to be be a found manuscript which is literally from the middle ages. The middle ages were the perfect setting for romantic horror, since it was considered a particularly brutal, romantic and superstitious time, in contrast to more rational ages before and after. Later the genre transcended the historical period, but this is the origin of the name. Modern Goth subculture is inspired by romantic horror, but the connection to the middle ages is only in name.