Gothic CultureYou are walking down the street and suddenly encounter a group of strangely dressed young people, all dressed in black, or perhaps wearing elaborate lace and brocades, who seem strangely straight out of the 18th century. You immediately feel a bit of apprehension as you hold your child closer and wonder what exactly these children are doing. Are they part of a Satanic cult or simply a band of traveling actors? In both cases their strange attire and pale appearance took you by surprise and made you a little inclined to be judgmental. What you were probably looking at was a group of Goths. What exactly is a Goth you may ask, and why this strange dress and affinity for black. This, along with the origins and some of the trials and tribulations faced by this extraordinary group of individuals, along with dispelling some common misconceptions is the goal of my writing. First let's look at what Goth is and where it began. Gage's Canadian Dictionary defines "Goth". as "an uncivilized, barbarian person." (1975:425) the origin of the word dates back to the third or fourth century when a Germanic tribe called the Visigoths invaded the Roman Empire and settled in what is now Sweden and the surrounding area (Shultz,1984:325). The word acquired its modern meaning during the Italian Renaissance, when the word was used to describe the architecture that was emerging at the time. The architecture was considered barbaric due to its pointed arches and steep roofs, along with the frequent use of the gargoyle, which was thought to protect against evil spirits. The modern Gothic movement and its origins are not so easily defined and vary depending on the source. I have combined the two to show an evolution of how all... middle of paper... information has always been key to helping alleviate prejudice and discrimination, introducing the ideology behind Gothic culture and explaining the reason for the dress; I hope it has led to a better understanding of these people and their plight for a peaceful existence. Bibliography Fulton, Ben "Goths For Goodwill". City Beat (1998): 2p. Online. Internet. June 4, 1998. www.slweekly.com/news/citybeat/cb 980604 a.html"Dictionary of Goth" 06/24/98 http:www.jesus.cam.ac.uk/~vkc20/goth/qzhtmlShultz, James. (1975) Germanic Tribes (3rd ED), published by Weber and Van Syckle: Berlin Sangange, Heretica "Darkness Can be Felt" (1999): Online.Internet. June 30, 1999.http://pages.prodigy.com/Fifth Dream/goth.htmYvain, Euphrosyne "Origins of Modern Gothic Culture" (1999) Online. Internet June 24, 1999. http:www.blood-dance.net/goth/origins.html