Story intended to elicit a strong feeling of fear.
Such tales are of ancient origin and form a substantial part of folk literature. They may feature supernatural elements such as ghost s, witches, or vampire s or address more realistic psychological fears. In Western literature, the literary cultivation of fear and curiosity for its own sake emerged in the 18th century with the gothic novel . Classic practitioners of the horror and gothic genres include Horace Walpole , Mary Shelley , E.T.A. Hoffmann , Edgar Allan Poe , Sheridan Le Fanu (181473), Wilkie Collins , Bram Stoker , Ambrose Bierce , and Stephen King .