The Castle of Otranto

Synopsis

'Look, my lord! See heaven itself declares against your impious intentions!' The Castle of Otranto (1764) is the first supernatural English novel and one of the most influential works of Gothic fiction. It inaugurated a literary genre that will be forever associated with the effects that Walpole pioneered. Professing to be a translation of a mysterious Italian tale from the darkest Middle Ages, the novel tells of Manfred, prince of Otranto, whose fear of an ancient prophecy sets him on a course of destruction. After the grotesque death of his only son, Conrad, on his wedding day, Manfred determines to marry the bride-to-be. The virgin Isabella flees through a castle riddled with secret passages. Chilling coincidences, ghostly visitations, arcane revelations, and violent combat combine in a heady mix that terrified the novel's first readers. In this new edition Nick Groom examines the reasons for its extraordinary impact and the Gothic culture from which it sprang. The Castle of Otranto was a game-changer, and Walpole the writer who paved the way for modern horror exponents. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Summary

Chapter 1

* The story opens in a gloomy castle in the Apennine Mountains.
* The Prince of Otranto, Manfred, is preoccupied with an ancient prophecy that foretells the castle's destruction and the rise of a mysterious figure from the forest.
* He has only one son, Conrad, who is engaged to Isabella, the daughter of the neighboring Baron of Falconara.
* On the day of the wedding, a giant helmet falls from the castle ceiling, killing Conrad.

Example:
"Fate and my own passions," replied Manfred, "would not let me live in peace. The death of my firstborn opened the way of my second to the succession: but where is he, and who hath blasted my last hope?"

Chapter 2

* Manfred suspects that Isabella's father, Frederick, is behind Conrad's death.
* He imprisons Isabella and orders the execution of the helmet's servant, Theodore.
* However, Theodore escapes and flees into the forest.

Example:
"Think not, Manfred, to thou art a prince, and that thy power and thy passion shall be alike successful. Heaven and this injured princess have decreed otherwise," said the hermit.

Chapter 3

* Manfred confronts Frederick about Conrad's death, and a battle ensues.
* Theodore returns with a group of mysterious knights and helps Isabella to escape.
* Manfred is killed in the battle, and the castle is set ablaze.

Example:
"Manfred was now wound up to the highest pitch of rage and desperation; and, seeing no possibility of escaping from so many enemies..."

Chapter 4

* Isabella, Theodore, and the knights flee to the forest.
* They encounter a deformed old man who reveals that Theodore is the rightful Prince of Otranto.
* The old man leads them to a secret vault, where they find Theodore's parents hidden away.

Example:
"As the youth spoke, he looked so attentively on the old man, and discovered such strong marks of resemblance in his features to his own..."

Chapter 5

* The old man explains that Theodore's parents were kidnapped by Manfred and imprisoned in the vault.
* He also reveals that Manfred was a usurper who killed the true prince.
* The knights and Theodore march on the castle to reclaim their rightful possession.

Example:
"Days, weeks, and months passed, and no tidings of Theodore could be obtained; and Manfred was determined to wait no longer."