Writing Folk Horror: Mixed Relations - Gothic, Mythology, Psych Horror
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One of many horror sub-genres, folk horror draws on ancient beliefs, isolated settings, and the eerie power of tradition. The origins of horror appear in ancient pre-Neolithic folklore, centering on themes of death, afterlife, evil, demonic forces, and the embodiment of these concepts in individuals. Folk horror often overlaps other sub-genres, including gothic, mythological and psychological horror.
About Folk Horror
From earlier shared experiences, Neolithic tribes (10,000 - 3,000 BC) developed unique mythologies in an oral and animistic tradition, deeply connected to their surroundings. Tales took form and were conveyed through rituals, storytelling, and sacred objects, and used to explain agricultural cycles, fertility, and the spirit world.
Folk horror reaches into centuries-old folklore and rural myths. Different cultures have stories about spirits, witches, and rites to explain natural phenomena or enforce social order. The stories often had practical purposes, such as warning against dangers, or preserving community values.
Jump ahead to the 20th century. The term folk horror originates in John Fowles' 1965 novel The Magus. Folk horror uses elements of folk belief to create a sense of dread and unease. Settings are often in remote rural areas where modern society’s influence and technology are weak or absent.
Isolation amplifies the tension between the protagonist—often an outsider—and the local inhabitants who follow ancient customs. A pivotal work of folk horror is the 1973 movie The Wicker Man, published as a book five years later, in 1978.
Remote villages, dense forests, and barren moors create a sense of dangerous solitude, heightening vulnerability. The landscape itself feels hostile or alive, contributing to the story’s tension. Pre-1970, popular culture categorized these works as rural gothic, emphasizing rural isolation. rather then the intersection of folk tradition and fear.
In the 20th century, folk horror emerged as a distinct subgenre in literature and film, reflecting anxieties about the loss of tradition and encroachment of modern life. It also taps into a fascination with the mysterious and the primal.
Themes Prevalent in Folk Horror
These include:
Superstition and folk religion: Superstition governs the community’s actions. Beliefs, rituals, and practices, passed down through generations, shape the worldview, and influence daily lives and decisions. Superstitions manifest in various forms, including charms, omens, and taboos dictating behavior and social interactions.
Rituals can be unsettling or violent. The community is willing to sacrifice outsiders, or even its own members.
While adherence to folk religion creates a strong sense of identity and belonging among the people of the community, it can also lead to fear and paranoia, especially when outsiders challenge or dismiss prevalent beliefs. Tension between faith and skepticism is a significant plot point, showing how traditions deeply rooted can clash with contemporary perspectives.
Paganism and sacrifice: At the heart of many folk horror narratives lies the exploration of pagan rituals intimately connected to cycles of nature, changing seasons, and worship of deities. Often viewed as archaic or barbaric by outsiders, rituals can involve elaborate ceremonies including offerings or sacrifices, meant to honor the spirits and ensure a bountiful harvest.
Ethical questions arise, about the nature of sacrifice and the lengths to which individuals or communities will go to maintain their beliefs and traditions. The unsettling nature of these rituals is often a stark contrast between the perceived ‘civilized’ world, and the primal instincts underlying all human existence.
The clash between naive outsiders and secretive locals can drive much of the narrative. Outsiders may arrive out of curiosity, research, or chance, only to find themselves trapped in a world where their logic and morals do not apply.
Communities might also turn on one of their own. Though the term itself wasn't in use until almost twenty years later, a good example of folk horror is Shirley Jackson's 1948 tale The Lottery, is a strong example of the genre.
The dark aspects of nature: In folk horror, nature is depicted as a formidable force, It plays no favorites and shows no mercy, manifesting in aspects of beauty and terror. The wilderness is often portrayed as a character in its own right, capable of harboring secrets, dangers, and the unknown.
The duality between bounty and danger emphasizes the unpredictability of nature, where lush landscapes can conceal sinister elements. The very elements sustaining life can also bring about death and destruction.
Nature can protect the community, or punish those who disrespect it. This theme reflects ancient beliefs about the natural world.
Conflict between modernity and tradition: The clash between modern rationality and the adherence to traditional ways is often a central theme in folk horror stories. Outsiders, representing contemporary values and scientific reasoning, frequently encounter communities holding steadfast to ancestral customs and beliefs.
This conflict can lead to a profound sense of alienation, as the modern world seeks to impose its own logic and order upon a culture thriving on the mystical and the unknown. Narrative tension created by this dichotomy often highlights the fragility of tradition in the face of progress.
It can raise questions about what is lost when old ways are abandoned. It also warns audiences against dismissing the wisdom embedded in folklore, and the potential consequences of ignoring lessons of the past.
Folk & Gothic Horror
Folk horror is intimately connected to and frequently viewed as a specific subgenre or relative of Gothic horror, with common themes of seclusion, ancestral curses, and the intrusion of the past into the present. Whereas classic Gothic horror centers on dilapidated castles and declining nobility, folk horror transfers this sense of fear to rural settings, pagan ceremonies, and communal isolation.
Key Connections and Overlaps of Folk & Gothic Horror
Atmosphere of Dread: Both genres rely on a slow-burn, atmospheric sense of unease. The pervasive feeling of dread is cultivated through meticulous attention to detail, where the environment itself becomes a character in the narrative.
The sounds of creaking wood, the whispers of the wind, and the presence of shadows contribute to an unsettling ambiance. In folk horror, this dread often emerges from the natural world, where the beauty of rural landscapes is juxtaposed with the sinister rituals and ancient practices that lurk beneath the surface.
In gothic horror, the atmosphere is steeped in decay and the supernatural, often set against the backdrop of crumbling castles or haunted mansions, where the architecture is a reflection of the psychological turmoil experienced by the characters.
The Past/Tradition: Both deal with old sins, archaic beliefs, or ancient evils resurfacing to haunt the modern world. This theme of the past intruding upon the present is a powerful narrative device, a reminder the consequences of history cannot be ignored.
In folk horror, the sins of ancestors manifest through folklore, local legends, and the persistent presence of nature, which holds memories of past transgressions. Conversely, gothic horror frequently explores themes of familial curses, tragic romances, and the haunting legacies of previous generations, where the ghosts of the past literally and metaphorically haunt the living, forcing them to confront what they would rather forget.
Isolation: Both often feature characters trapped in isolated settings, whether a remote mansion (Gothic) or a secluded village (Folk). This isolation serves to heighten the sense of vulnerability and entrapment, allowing the psychological and supernatural elements to thrive.
In gothic narratives, the isolated mansion becomes a labyrinth of secrets, where characters are cut off from the outside world, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere to intensify their fears. In folk horror, the secluded village can represent a microcosm of society.
The community's insular nature leads to paranoia and suspicion, as outsiders are often viewed with hostility. This physical and emotional isolation amplifies the characters' struggles, forcing them to confront both external threats and their inner demons.
Shared Overlap (Folk Gothic): Southern Gothic and many rural tales blend both, using gothic atmosphere within a rustic, folkloric setting. This fusion creates multiple levels in storytelling, where the eerie elements of gothic horror mingle with the earthy, often unsettling aspects of folk traditions.
In these stories, the gothic elements—such as haunted houses, decaying landscapes, and supernatural occurrences—are rooted in the local culture and folklore, enriching the narrative with layers of meaning. Characters may grapple with both the weight of their heritage and the haunting specters of their surroundings, leading to a unique exploration of identity, belonging, and the intersection of the past with the present.
Folk & Mythological Horror
A closely related, sometimes overlapping genre, mythological horror directly incorporates gods, monsters, or figures from ancient mythologies, including the Greek, Egyptian and Norse. This genre delves into ancient stories and legends, drawing upon the fears and moral lessons embedded within these timeless tales.
In mythological horror, the supernatural elements are central components that drive the narrative and evoke deep-seated fears rooted in humanity's collective consciousness. Mythological horror weaves together terrifying aspects of ancient myths with contemporary fears, creating a unique blend to resonate with audiences on multiple levels.
Mythological narratives explore the idea of heroism against overwhelming odds. They also highlight the futility of resistance in the face of fate, which in ancient times was generally considered predestined. It can, however, be unsettling for audiences.
Mythological horror is a way to explore complex themes, such as identity, power, and morality. By reinterpreting ancient stories through a modern scope, creators can examine contemporary societal issues, such as the consequences of hubris, the struggle for power, and darker aspects of the human condition.
Mythological and folk horror intertwine in works like Neil Gaiman's American Gods (book 2001, TV series 2017-2021) or films like The Witch (2015) and Midsommar (2019), drawing upon mythical themes to craft timeless narratives. Stories often blur the lines between reality and the supernatural.
In contrast, folk horror rarely relies on overt supernatural elements. Instead, it focuses on the psychological and social horror arising from human beliefs and behaviors. The fear comes from unknown customs, and the possibility of being trapped in a world where rules are alien and dangerous.
Folk & Psychological Horror
A profound, mutually beneficial connection exists between folk horror and psychological horror, as both genres frequently delve into the fear rooted in isolated beliefs, social rituals, and mental disintegration. As folk horror focuses on secluded, rural traditions and superstitions, writers often use these aspects to evoke paranoia and fear, warning the consumer not to romanticize the rural lifestyle.
Main Connections and Overlaps of Folk & Psychological Horror:
Internal vs. External Terror: Folk horror often emphasizes the outsider's subjective experience, as vividly illustrated in films such as The Wicker Man and Midsommar. In these narratives, the terror experienced by the protagonist is deeply rooted in their confrontation with a collective, alien mindset that starkly contrasts with their own.
The protagonist's journey becomes a harrowing descent into a world where the familiar rules of society no longer apply, leading to an unsettling distortion of reality. This clash not only evokes fear but also invites viewers to question their own perceptions of normalcy and morality, highlighting how external forces can warp an individual's understanding of self and community.
Shared Themes: Both folk and psychological horror genres delve into profound anxieties surrounding tradition, social conformity, and the sinister aspects of community, or groupthink. These themes resonate deeply in contemporary society, where the pressure to conform can lead to the suppression of individuality.
In folk horror, this is often depicted through rituals and customs that, while seemingly benign or rooted in history, reveal darker undercurrents when examined closely. Similarly, psychological horror explores the fragility of the human psyche under social pressures, illustrating how fear can manifest not just from external threats but also from within, as characters grapple with their own identities and the expectations imposed upon them by society.
The "Slow Burn" Effect: Like psychological horror, folk horror relies on a gradual buildup of atmosphere, creating a lingering sense of doom. This slow burn technique promotes deeper exploration of character motivations and the eerie ambiance of the setting, to create an unsettling tension that keeps the audience engaged.
Rather than relying on frequent jump scares, both genres cultivate an oppressive atmosphere where dread simmers just beneath the surface, creating a pervasive feeling of unease. This method invites viewers to immerse themselves in the psychological environment of the story, amplifying emotional stakes as the horror unfolds.
Backwoods Horror Crossover: Works often categorized as "backwoods horror," such as Deliverance (novel 1970; movie 1972) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), share the psychological terror of isolated communities with unique moral codes. These stories often portray the rural setting as a character in its own right, contributing to the overall sense of isolation and danger.
The protagonists find themselves navigating unfamiliar social structures that challenge their understanding of ethics and humanity, leading to harrowing encounters that strip away the veneer of civilization. The juxtaposition of urban sensibilities against the primal instincts of rural life creates a fertile ground for exploring themes of survival, power dynamics, and the thin line between civilization and savagery.
Psychological Manipulation: Folk horror frequently portrays the psychological effects of cult-like behavior and the insidious nature of group dynamics. Characters may find themselves drawn into a web of manipulation, where the allure of belonging clashes with the sinister demands of the group. It includes the influence of social media, peer pressure, and the quest for acceptance in an increasingly interconnected world.
This dynamic can lead to a profound sense of paranoia, as individuals struggle to maintain their autonomy in the face of overwhelming social pressure. The exploration of psychological manipulation in folk horror comments on the dangers of blind allegiance. and the potential for an individual to lose the sense of self within a collective identity.
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