Gothic Literature

Who is addressed, who is confronted by Gothic fiction?

I'm not exactly sure what type of answer you're wanting, but to me, Gothic fiction addresses readers' fears and perhaps desires that are less than honorable, meaning that readers and people in general are fascinated with the macabre, the dark, the evil, the dark desires of others.  This is one reason why Gothic literature is so popular.  Also, it is very interesting to get into the minds of interestingly dark characters who do evil and despicable things.  Those who are confronted by Gothic fiction might be those who do not want to deal with this side of people or who cannot understand the actions of these types of characters, for example.

Think about why horror movies, for example, are so popular.  Many of them incorporate Gothic conventions in them.  People are drawn to this.