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Obscure sexual pursuits, deviant sexual desires, violence, madness, murder, obsession, death, lust and insanity are all elements often attributed to the dark side of human nature. Throughout the ages such things have shocked, amazed, bewildered and captivated the minds of countless individuals, over many generations. Depraved acts and thoughts such as these were, in previous decades, often perceived as being taboo and not fit for polite everyday conversation. In contemporary society, however, these elements are discussed freely and over the years have even come to be represented through a variety of mediums, specifically those often attributed to entertainment. Therefore, this report aims to examine the specific attributes of the macabre, its historical origins and transition throughout social history. Furthermore, this report will also analyze the emergence of the macabre in literary mediums and how such elements have influenced the development of contemporary society.

The concept of the macabre is difficult to place under any singular definition as it has become dynamic throughout social transition and has inevitably come to represent a variety of symbolic, historical, cultural and artistic manifestations. Generically, the macabre refers to a specific style of artistic or literary work constructed around themes of unspeakable acts and human atrocities. According to ISU (2007) the macabre is also "concerned with or dwelling unduly on the grim, grisly or gruesome; designed to produce an effect of horror". Furthermore, it is also suggested that these themes are deliberate.

Although modern stereotypical examples of the macabre are mainly structured around themes of death and violence, it is often argued that the historical and ideological origins of the concept were far more complex and symbolic. The first known utilization of the term was la Danse Macabre' which referred to both, a type of dance and an allegory symbolizing the universality of death (Cornell University, 2003). It is thought that the depiction of such things were largely influenced by the impact of the Black Death and sought to remind the suffering just how fragile and fruitless earthly life was (Cornell University, 2003).

Starting with the works of John Webster (1580 1634), the bleak atmospheric tones often associated with the macabre were adopted into a number of literary mediums, which became largely popular during the mid eighteenth century. With a number of famous works being contributed by

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