Gloomy Intellectuality: Dark Academia and The Secret History

Spooky settings, London-like weather, Scotland-like architecture, and some dreadful events involving intellectual, nerdy scholars. No, this isn't an article about Deathly Hallows —though it just occurred to me that the Harry Potter series could fit. Instead, we're diving into the enigmatic world of Dark Academia. But, what exactly is Dark Academia?

Do you remember the good old times when we used Tumblr for our aesthetic minds? That is where the Dark Academia occurred. People shared the gloomy architecture, and the gothic outfits on Tumblr and of course, after that, the stories came along. Dark Academia is a literary genre that combines academic and intellectual themes with a dark, mysterious atmosphere, often featuring secret societies, a passion for learning, and a gothic aesthetic, drawing inspiration from classic literature, ancient Greek and Roman culture, and Gothic architecture, and spanning various genres like mystery, thriller, horror, fantasy, and general fiction. (Koehne-Drube)

Thus, it is very likely to encounter references to ancient Greek and classic literature. Dark Academia is a genre that reflects a passion for knowledge, and intellectualism, inspired by Ivy League schools, and frequently discusses literature, philosophy, and art. Readers see a romanticised version of academic life and the thirst for knowledge in works of the Dark Academia. Consequently, they will also witness characters engaging in deep conversations on philosophical and academic topics. Dark Academia intricately mirrors the gothic genre with its dark atmosphere, old libraries, vintage clothes, late dark hours of the night, and weather conditions. 

There is a reason why this genre is called dark. Dark Academia works contain elements such as mystery, murder, and rites in their plots. In essence, they reflect the dark sides of academic life and the extent to which the thirst for knowledge, competition, and arrogance can reach. This is why it is dark. Secret societies, rituals, obsession, mysterious texts and manuscripts, elitism, cliques, and complex characters are factors that create mystery and darkness. It is this mystery that draws the reader in.

Dark Academia characters, due to their passion and obsession for knowledge, are blind to everything else, willing to face any danger at all costs and pursue what they believe in. There is nothing that they won't do for the sake and safety of their community. This is precisely where dangerous events unfold. Murder and the rites dedicated to ancient times are indispensable and unavoidable features of Dark Academia. Characters have to sacrifice for perfectionism, obsession with death, beauty and the truth. This sacrifice could involve family, friends, privilege, or morality. Class, race, sex, and religion can emerge in the work, and these factors may lead to the alienation of the protagonist. (Rodgers)

The Secret History by Donna Tart is one of the examples of Dark Academia. Guess what the protagonist, Richard Papen, is going to study at Hampden, an isolated school in Vermont, far from his family and attending for the education he's interested in. Yes, Ancient Greek. Julian Morrow, the professor teaching Ancient Greek, is a manipulative figure who expects his students to take only his class and chooses students that he can control. In the classroom where Richard enters as sixth and final student, he encounters Henry Winter (a wealthy intellectual who speaks multiple languages, writes his journal in Latin, thinks and speaks in other languages, and has a significant influence on Richard), Edmund 'Bunny' Corcoran (a brash and disrespectful troublemaker who claims to be rich but relies on his wealthy friends, using their insecurities against them), Charles Macauley (manipulative, alcoholic, and prone to violence), Camilla Macauley (Charles's twin, whom Richard is in love with), and Francis Abernathy (tries to hide his homosexuality but fails to do so effectively through his actions and is infatuated with Charles).

I mentioned that the protagonist can be alienated in Dark Academia. In The Secret History, Richard's alienation has nothing to do with his race, religion, or class. This mysterious group of five tries their best to keep an incident from Richard, but it's not very possible. Some events occur after a while, and Richard has to make sacrifices. The obsession for knowledge and ancient times, elitism, intellectualism, deep and scholarly conversations, and references from Ancient Greek and classic literature, meaning every feature of Dark Academia is pretty involved in The Secret History. The pages will turn with impatience, as you fall in love with a character only to later hate them, amidst disturbing events that prevail. Of course, I won't spoil anything. So, might as well read the book if you think that you are into Dark Academia. Do not forget to listen to Hozier while reading it. His latest album feels like it was written for The Secret History. 

If you'd like to read other books as examples of Dark Academia, you can read Dead Poets Society, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishigiro, Harry Potter series, Bunny by Mona Awad.

Work Cited

Koehne-Drube, Pamela. Novlr. "Genre Talk: Exploring the World of Dark Academia." Novlr Reading Room, 17 Aug. 2022, [www.novlr.org/the-reading-room/genre-talk-exploring-the-world-of-dark-academia](http://www.novlr.org/the-reading-room/genre-talk-exploring-the-world-of-dark-academia).

 Rogers, Courtney. "10 Dark Academia Tropes and Themes to Look Out For." Book Riot, 27 Aug. 2021, bookriot.com/dark-academia-tropes-and-themes/.