The Gothic novel was a genre of literature that was dark, mysterious, and romantic. It originated in Europe at the end of the 19th century. Gothic novels usually depicted an atmosphere of mystery, strangeness, romance, or horror. They explored the emotions and desires deep within the human heart, as well as supernatural forces and events. The following are some of the representative characters and works of Gothic novels: 1 Hans Christian Andersen: Fairy Tales 2. Leo Tolstoy: War and Peace, Anna Karenina 3. Victor Hugo: "Notre-Dame de Paris","Miserables" 4. William Shakespeare: hamlet, the curse of the white elephant 5. David Dickens: A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist 6 George Gordon Byron: Donald Thoreau Gothic novels had a wide influence in the literary world and had a profound influence on later literature, art and design.