Unavailable
Unavailable
Unavailable
Ebook129 pages2 hours
A Castle of Otranto
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
A Castle of Otranto is a novel by Horace Walpole. It is generally regarded as the first gothic novel, initiating a literary genre which would become extremely popular in the later 18th century and early 19th century. Thus, Walpole, by extension, is arguably the forerunner to such authors as Charles Maturin, Ann Radcliffe, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe and Daphne du Maurier.
The Castle of Otranto tells the story of Manfred, lord of the castle, and his family. The book begins on the wedding-day of his sickly son Conrad and princess Isabella. Shortly before the wedding, however, Conrad is crushed to death by a gigantic helmet that falls on him from above. This inexplicable event is particularly ominous in light of an ancient prophecy "That the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it". Manfred, terrified that Conrad's death signals the beginning of the end for his line, resolves to avert destruction by marrying Isabella himself while divorcing his current wife Hippolita, who he feels has failed to bear him a proper heir. However, as Manfred attempts to marry Isabella, she escapes to a church with the aid of a peasant named Theodore. Manfred orders Theodore's death while talking to the friar Jerome, who ensured Isabella's safety in the church. When Theodore removes his shirt to be killed, Jerome recognizes a marking below his shoulder and identifies Theodore as his own son. Jerome begs for his son's life, but Manfred says Jerome must either give up the princess or his son's life. They are interrupted by a trumpet and the entrance of knights from another kingdom who want to deliver Isabella. This leads the knights and Manfred to race to find Isabella. Theodore, having been locked in a tower by Manfred, is freed by Manfred's daughter Matilda. He races to the underground church and finds Isabella. He hides her in a cave and blocks it to protect her from Manfred and ends up fighting one of the mysterious knights. Theodore badly wounds the knight, who turns out to be Isabella's father, Frederic. With that, they all go up to the castle to work things out. Frederic falls in love with Matilda and he and Manfred begin to make a deal about marrying each other's daughters. Manfred, suspecting that Isabella is meeting Theodore in a tryst in the church, takes a knife into the church, where Matilda is meeting Theodore. Thinking his own daughter is Isabella, he stabs her. Theodore is then revealed to be the true prince of Otranto and Matilda dies, leaving Manfred to repent. Theodore becomes king and eventually marries Isabella because she is the only one who can understand his true sorrow.
The Castle of Otranto tells the story of Manfred, lord of the castle, and his family. The book begins on the wedding-day of his sickly son Conrad and princess Isabella. Shortly before the wedding, however, Conrad is crushed to death by a gigantic helmet that falls on him from above. This inexplicable event is particularly ominous in light of an ancient prophecy "That the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it". Manfred, terrified that Conrad's death signals the beginning of the end for his line, resolves to avert destruction by marrying Isabella himself while divorcing his current wife Hippolita, who he feels has failed to bear him a proper heir. However, as Manfred attempts to marry Isabella, she escapes to a church with the aid of a peasant named Theodore. Manfred orders Theodore's death while talking to the friar Jerome, who ensured Isabella's safety in the church. When Theodore removes his shirt to be killed, Jerome recognizes a marking below his shoulder and identifies Theodore as his own son. Jerome begs for his son's life, but Manfred says Jerome must either give up the princess or his son's life. They are interrupted by a trumpet and the entrance of knights from another kingdom who want to deliver Isabella. This leads the knights and Manfred to race to find Isabella. Theodore, having been locked in a tower by Manfred, is freed by Manfred's daughter Matilda. He races to the underground church and finds Isabella. He hides her in a cave and blocks it to protect her from Manfred and ends up fighting one of the mysterious knights. Theodore badly wounds the knight, who turns out to be Isabella's father, Frederic. With that, they all go up to the castle to work things out. Frederic falls in love with Matilda and he and Manfred begin to make a deal about marrying each other's daughters. Manfred, suspecting that Isabella is meeting Theodore in a tryst in the church, takes a knife into the church, where Matilda is meeting Theodore. Thinking his own daughter is Isabella, he stabs her. Theodore is then revealed to be the true prince of Otranto and Matilda dies, leaving Manfred to repent. Theodore becomes king and eventually marries Isabella because she is the only one who can understand his true sorrow.
Unavailable
Read more from Horace Walpole
The Gothic Novel Collection Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Gothic Classics: The Castle of Otranto and The Old English Baron Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gothic Classics: 60+ Books in One Volume Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLetters of Horace Walpole — Volume I Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHistoric Doubts on the Life and Reign of King Richard the Third Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford III Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford I Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Between the Gothic and the Plague: Why we can't have nice things Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Castle of Otranto Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSeven Classic Gothic Novels Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Memoirs of the Reign of King George the Third (Vol. 1-4): Complete Edition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Castle of Otranto (Diversion Classics) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Anthology of the Greatest Horror Classics Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Castle of Otranto Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Horace Walpole – The Major Collection Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Castle of Otranto Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Castle of Otranto: With linked Table of Contents Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Castle of Otranto Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Castle of Otranto (Unabridged) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Hieroglyphic Tales Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to A Castle of Otranto
Related ebooks
A Castle of Otranto Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Castle of Otranto Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Prussian Vase Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStrange Pages from Family Papers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAudrey Craven: 'She prepared to hurl herself into the breach'' Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLondon Pride: Or, When the World Was Younger Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Frontiersmen Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTwenty Years After Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Perilous Secret Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUncle's Dream Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Advocate: A Novel Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUncle's dream Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Scaramouche: Historical Novel: Historical Novel Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUncle's dream; And The Permanent Husband Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Goose Man Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsScaramouche Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsScaramouche: A Romance of the French Revolution Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Falcon of Palermo Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chieftain By Command Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Marie Gourdon: A Romance of the Lower St. Lawrence Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsI Will Repay: “Virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant when it is crushed.” Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Grey Room Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSarita, the Carlist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUltor De Lacy: A Legend of Cappercullen Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Treatise of Human Nature Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Making of a Tudor Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTales for Young and Old Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPan Michael Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStrange Pages from Family Papers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Tale More True Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
General Fiction For You
A Man Called Ove: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Priory of the Orange Tree Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Fellowship Of The Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Life of Pi: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Cabin at the End of the World: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Covenant of Water (Oprah's Book Club) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Alchemist Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Unhoneymooners Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Shantaram: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The City of Dreaming Books Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Silmarillion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Canterbury Tales Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anonymous Sex Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Dante's Divine Comedy: Inferno Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beartown: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The King James Version of the Bible Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Nettle & Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everything's Fine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dry: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ulysses: With linked Table of Contents Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Second Life of Mirielle West: A Haunting Historical Novel Perfect for Book Clubs Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beyond Good and Evil Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jackal, Jackal: Tales of the Dark and Fantastic Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for A Castle of Otranto
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings
0 ratings0 reviews