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Ruins of Despair

@ruinsofdespair.bsky.social

43 followers 110 following 25 posts

A weary pilgrim on the grave of the Romantic Hero, a forlorn eulogist cast upon the desolate shore of the exquisite agony that is The Gothic. #books #gothic #romanticism 'Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!' (P.B. Shelley)

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Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 8d

I only go out to get me a fresh appetite for being alone.

– Lord Byron

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Sardonicus @sardonicus.eu · 9h

James Macintosh Patrick’s poster advertising rail travel to Dunnottar Castle, Scotland, 1938

Travel Poster
a castle atop a rocky coastline

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Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 11h

The cemetery is an open space among the ruins, covered in winter with violets and daisies. It might make one in love with death, to think that one should be buried in so sweet a place.

– P.B. Shelley

#mementomori #cemetery #cemeteries #spooktober

A photograph of a cemetery at sundown. Small flowers cover the ground.
Original photo by Justinas Ribakauskas.

Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 1d

I hope it's Consumption, the most romantic of all diseases!

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Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 1d

Kids, are you wondering what it is exactly that adults do that they don't want you to know about? Well, nothing describes it more accurately than this wonderful old artist...

Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 1d

It's a cave drawing of a moose! Or: a cave drawing of an AT-AT Walker, as they existed 'a long time ago'

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Jason D. Brawn @jasondbrawn.bsky.social · 2d

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Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 1d

Careful, you'll jinx it. Soon you'll be celebrating 0 hours without spilling coffee.

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Dr Ian McCormick @wokestudies.bsky.social · 2d

Altered endings...
#literature #gothic

Overdue Podcast @overduepod.bsky.social · 3d

He doesn't mind!!

The final page of Frankenstein with a hand-written addendum saying that Frankenstein's monster doesn't mind being called Frankenstein.

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Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 1d

Today, on #WorldMigratoryBirdDay , ask whether your city or community is bird-friendly
#WMBD #birds #wildlife #mephistopheles

Mephistopheles flying over Wittenberg.
Lithography, Eugène Delacroix 1828, for Faust by Goethe

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Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 1d

Wo viel Licht ist, ist starker Schatten.

Where there's much light, there's strong shadow.

– Goethe

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Emily Brand @emilybrand.bsky.social · 4d

Continuation of the child's eye view of the French emigration, 1789

Delighted to reveal that:
a) his mum also got chronic diarrhoea
b) then they all went to meet the pope

a man and a woman are standing next to each other in a room

ALT: a man and a woman are standing next to each other in a room

media.tenor.com

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Jooli-AHH! Ghoulia 🎃🍂🔪 @jooliaghoulia.bsky.social · 1d

*trust falls into the abyss*

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Rosie. @stillestunde.bsky.social · 1d

Schlaft gut und habt keine Angst vor der Dunkelheit!
Die mörderischsten Mörder kommen eh bei Licht.

Dunkle Straße, ein kaum erkennbares Auto und eine dürftige Straßenlaterne

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Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 2d

#spooktober #gothic #romantics

Image of Lord Byron on black background, with text:
I have a great mind to believe in Christianity for the mere pleasure of fancying I may be damned. Lord Byron

Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 2d

Tragedy delights by affording 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 which exists in pain.

– P.B. Shelley

#Gothic #Romantics #booksky #books

Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 3d

Well, I'm off to mourn myself.

Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 3d

As is the pleasure that is in pretentiousness

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Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 3d

The pleasure that is in sorrow is sweeter than the pleasure of pleasure itself.

– P.B. Shelley

#Gothic #Romantics #booksky #books

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HolBolDoArt🏳️‍🌈 @holboldoart.bsky.social · 13d

The Crow's Judgement

A tall humanoid figure with a crow's head stands on a rocky outcrop. Its black feathers become black flowing robes. It has large iridescent wings stretched out to trigger side. In its left hand is a shining sword held almost over its head. From its right hand it holds a set of balancing metal scales, with two baskets. In the left and lower is a single feather. In the right and higher is a heart.
Around the crow figure are three human-like figures dressed in long bright red robes. They have pale faces with glowing eyes and sharp teeth, and two long horns on each head. Each has a pair of brightly coloured wings of red, orange, and green. The figure on the left is attempting to upset the balance of the scales. The middle figure claws at the basket with the heart inside. The rightmost figure loosely holds gold coins in a hand raised towards the crow figure.

Behind this scene is a landscape of many fields, paths, and woods stretching out into the distance. In the sky are distant storm clouds lit by an evening sun. Above these clouds and the wings of the crow are many bright stars.

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Anastasia MacKenzie @theanastasia.bsky.social · 3d

Me: hey I’ve noticed you across the cemetery and I really like your vibe.
Crow: *various crow noises*

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Dr Lisa Gee @lis4g33.bsky.social · 3d

Flicking through my (unbound, stained) copy of 𝘼𝙣 𝙀𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, I was excited to discover these. Can anyone tell me if they’re flowers or, perhaps, 4-leaf clovers? I’m guessing the former, as would be quite the collection of the latter! RPs appreciated! #18thC #botany #ArtHistory #WomensHistory

pressed flowers or leaves close to spine of p 37 of Hayley’s An Essay on Painting. All the same, 4-petalled (or leafed) variety

Close-up of 3 pressed 4-petalled flowers or leaves in my copy of Hayley’s An Essay on Painting, showing the shadow marks they’ve left on the paper

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sanctorium.bsky.social @sanctorium.bsky.social · 3d

the day began with nuance

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Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 3d

Edgar Allan Poe
#spooktober

A black-and-white photograph of a forest night sky, with a crow flying above.
Text: I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.

Ruins of Despair @ruinsofdespair.bsky.social · 4d

Sorrow is knowledge: they who know the most
Must mourn the deepest o'er the fatal truth,
The Tree of Knowledge is not that of Life.

– Lord Byron

#Gothic #Romantics #BookSky #books

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Lisa "👻 scary name" Singletary @yourcatbuttface.bsky.social · 6d

Procrastination pro tip: consider faking your own death

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