An important feature of the Gothic genre, the supernatural and the ideas associated it came in direct conflict at that time with the rational ideals of the Enlightenment. Hollace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto (1764), Anne Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho, and Gregory Matthew Lewis' The Monk (1797) serve as examples of how and with what effects writers in the Gothic tradition exploited elements of the supernatural for their own literary purposes.

Although it does place an emphasis on mystery and horror, Gothic literature is more than just a collection of horror stories. It also allowed for the expression of desires, fears, and beliefs, particularly given a time when technology and science had more of an impact. Frankenstein, Turn of the Screw, Wuthering Heights, and The Monk of Horror are examples of Gothic literature that convey strong and significant messages.

As the works of Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, and Henry James show, a sense of mystery and fear is a distinctive characteristic in the Gothic tradition of writing. All three authors employ a variety of literary techniques to give mystery and fear effective literary expression; these include a focus on moral transgression from what is acceptable to what is illicit and unknown, as well as various ways in which the story is narrated.