What makes "The Black Cat" a Gothic Romance?

A "Gothic Romance" is a story that adheres to certain conventions and techniques that represent its genre. In this sense, a "romance" is not necessarily a love story but refers to stories of chivalry or daring that were common in Europe, those countries that spoke the "Romance" languages. It also has ties to Romanticism, the literary era of 1785 - 1830 when this genre flourished. Below are some characteristics of The Gothic that this story possesses and a discussion of each.

Darkness as intrinsic to humanity. The Gothic pursues topics of the depths of depravity humans can sink to. The narrator not only abuses his wife and animals, he eventually murders his wife with an axe and buries her in his cellar.

The Supernatural. Often Gothic stories feature ghosts and spirits. In this story, while there are no overt spirit beings, it is left to the reader to decide whether the second cat is the reincarnation of the first or whether it is a demon, as the narrator seems to suggest at the end.

Justice. In Gothic stories, sins of the past come back to haunt the perpetrator. In this story, the narrator tries to hide his murder, but the cat ensures that he does not get away with it.

Revenge. Tied closely to justice is the idea of revenge. Those who commit atrocities set in motion a cycle of revenge that must be fulfilled. That happens when the narrator hangs the first cat. The second cat executes revenge on the man for his previous crimes.

Unreliable Narrator. A narrator who does not fully grasp the events as they unfold is typical in Gothic stories. The narrator in this story, while claiming to be sane, is obviously a sociopath, and the reader must understand that not everything he says is believable.

Ambiguity and Ambivalence. Gothic characters can display ambivalence, and events can be ambiguous. The narrator is constantly telling us in this story that he is half-remorseful or that he cannot fully repent of the evil he has done. The story leaves questions in the reader's mind as to whether the cat was only a cat, how the gallows formed on its chest, and whether it purposefully allowed itself to be walled in so that it could expose the narrator's sin.

Moral Closure: The ending of a Gothic tale should clearly declare that wickedness will not prosper. The narrator of "The Black Cat" is to be hanged the following day, showing that he has not been able to get away with murder.

There is much more to Gothic Romance than just horror. "The Black Cat" strongly embodies many Gothic characteristics.