The Castle of Otranto
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The Castle of Otranto is a 1764 novel by Horace Walpole. It is generally held to be the first gothic novel, initiating a literary genre which would become extremely popular in the later 18th century and early 19th century. Thus, Castle, and Walpole by extension is arguably the forerunner to such authors as Ann Radcliffe, Bram Stoker, Daphne du Maurier, and Stephen King.
The initial 1764 edition was titled in full The Castle of Otranto, A Story. Translated by William Marshal, Gent. From the Original Italian of Onuphrio Muralto, Canon of the Church of St. Nicholas at Otranto. This first edition purported to be a translation based on a manuscript printed at Naples in 1529 and recently rediscovered in the library of "an ancient Catholic family in the north of England." The Italian manuscript's story, it was claimed, derived from a story still older, dating back perhaps as far as the Crusades. This Italian manuscript, along with alleged author "Onuphrio Muralto," were Walpole's fictional creations, and "William Marshal" his pseudonym
In the second and subsequent editions, Walpole acknowledges authorship of his work, writing: "The favorable manner in which this little piece has been received by the public, calls upon the author to explain the grounds on which he composed it." There was some debate at the time about the function of literature, that is, whether or not works of fiction should be representative of life, or more purely imaginative (i.e. natural vs. romantic). The first edition was well received by some reviewers who understood the novel as belonging to medieval fiction, "between 1095, the era of the first crusade, and 1243, the date of the last," as the first preface states; and some referred to Walpole as an "ingenious translator." Following Walpole's admition of authorship, however, many critics were loath to lavish much praise on the work and dismissed it as absurd, fluffy, romantic fiction.
Plot introduction
In Walpole's mind, his novel is an attempt to blend the natural and the romantic (in much the same way as Nathaniel Hawthorne would in his novel The House of Seven Gables). This much is clear as be begins his second preface: "It was an attempt to blend the two kinds of romance, the ancient and the modern. In the former all was imagination and improbability: in the latter, nature is always intended to be, and sometimes has been, copied with success... The author of the following pages thought it possible to reconcile the two kinds."Plot Summary
The plot of The Castle of Otranto begins full tilt as Conrad, son of Manfred of house Otranto, is crushed by a giant helmet on his wedding day, also his birthday. Because of the marriage's political connections, Manfred decides to divorce his wife, Hippolita, and marry Conrad's betrothed, Isabella. Amid speculations about an "ancient prophecy" claiming "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's second union is disrupted by a series of supernatural events involving many oversized limbs, ghosts, mysterious blood, and a true prince.Characters in \"The Castle of Otranto\"
- Manfred
- Lord of Castle Otranto
- Hippolita
- Manfred's wife
- Conrad
- Manfred and Hippolota's only heir
- Matilda
- Daughter of Manfred and Hippolota; Conrad's elder sister
- Isabella
- the betrothed of Conrad, and daughter of Marquis of Vicanza
- Father Jerome
- Father of Manfred's Church
- Theodore
- Son of Jerome, and true Prince of Otranto
Literary significance & criticism
Whether or not The Supernatural is Good or Evil
Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto is a tale of how the supernatural interacts with families, their beliefs, and their actions. That the supernatural is strongly allied with traditional Christian beliefs is an idea that all the characters seem to share. The supernatural never intervenes on the side of evil, rather on the side of good. The main motive of the supernatural forces in the novel is to undo the treachery and murder which Manfred’s grandfather, Ricardo, has committed. Furthermore, the first appearance of the supernatural is unto Ricardo, “the saint appeared to him in a dream” (Walpole, 99).That the forces intervene to prevent inappropriate sexual urges is a strong argument for aligning the supernatural with the powers of good, although it is unclear if this is premeditated, or simply coincidence. Whatever the case, it is fortuitous, and does aid in keeping Manfred from doing further harm to his family.
The biggest argument against aligning the supernatural is the sheer terror it inspires within the novel’s characters, especially those of Diego and Bianca who encounter visions face to face.
The question about the supernatural interfering with the novel’s moral vision is a good one. Walpole writes a story in which those who do wrong are revenged, however, it is not clearly Heaven or the forces of God which facilitate the reconciliation, rather it is shades, visions, legend and prophecy. The supernatural does not necessisarily hinder the moral vision, but the pleasure associated with it most certainly can. Certainly, the most enthralling and exciting scenes are those in which the supernatural, elements of the Gothic are active. Each new appearance sends the characters into a whirlwind, and slowly works to reveal the prophecy. Especially in today’s age we are more delighted by the weird, the grotesque, the violent; it could well be that if Otranto was filled with visions of the Holy Mother, messages written in flower petals, and people resolving differences through good compromise and conversation, that the novel would seem boring by comparison. The supernatural is the main actor of the novel, while every character has simply followed its signs, or is a victim to the greater power.
The novel works to prevent this by aligning the supernatural with Christian beliefs, e.g. when the statue of St. Nicholas drips blood. In theory, certainly, the novel has a lot in common with Cock Lane Ghost because both use the supernatural for moral aims, but the actors in Cock Lane seem well aware of the fact that things are fake, whereas those in The Castle of Otranto are acting under the impression that what they see is real.
External links
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