The novel “The Castle of Otranto” is written by the well-known predecessor of the gothic fiction – the author Horace Walpole. He contributed greatly to the Gothic genre and inspired a lot of famous authors such as Edgar Allen Poe and Daphne du Maurier. His novel was published in 1529, but it is well-known that it was written a lot earlier, supposedly around the era of the first Crusade.
In his work, Horace Walpole attempts to combine Old Romance with New Romance – supernatural elements and ordinary people. His novel is full of unearthly phenomena connected by religion and questions about heirs, foes, successors and marriage through some supernatural elements created by him. “Castle of Otranto” is said to be the first Gothic novel, however, …show more content…
The other supernatural element is implied as a kind of curse to Manfred’s wife, she cannot have any more children. Due to this fact Manfred wants to divorce her and then to have a son from the woman his son would have married- Isabella. On the instant, another surrealistic event takes him by surprise- “when the moon, which was now up, and gleamed in at the opposite casement, presented to his sight the plumes of the fatal helmet, which rose to the height of the windows, waving backwards and forwards in a tempestuous manner, and accompanied with a hollow and rustling sound”.(Chapter I, The Castle of Otranto). Those feathers of the ‘fatal helmet” served as a warning to Manfred that he must give up on his intentions for good. Despite the fact that he ignores the so apparent warning the time is enough for Isabella to run away from …show more content…
Moreover, she fits perfectly as a wife of Theodore. She is able to comfort Theodore in the loss of his beloved one. After all, there is more than just romance in a marriage. If you are a ruler of a whole castle you are responsible of the prosperity and the happiness there and you cannot marry any woman. The woman must have the right qualities. Unfortunately, Matilda did not possess such qualities, she was too good personality and easy to manipulate by her father. The death of Matilda was inevitable, because Theodore was in love with her, and there was no other way for the supernatural forces to control who he was going to marry. Even though it was cruel and kind of sad it is still a proof that the sins of our fathers will come to our successors.
The novel “Castle of Otranto” is a medieval fiction that includes the typical elements for the period- romance, love, knights, fear and damnation. Walpole’s work features several twists and turns along the way. People have always been interested by the power of the supernatural and how it manages to influence their lives. What is more, we can say that it has been intertwined with the spiritual and religious part of our lives. Not by chance, in this gothic fiction, its author Horace Walpole manages to combine the supernatural elements of the Old Romance and the ordinary
In his work, Horace Walpole attempts to combine Old Romance with New Romance – supernatural elements and ordinary people. His novel is full of unearthly phenomena connected by religion and questions about heirs, foes, successors and marriage through some supernatural elements created by him. “Castle of Otranto” is said to be the first Gothic novel, however, …show more content…
The other supernatural element is implied as a kind of curse to Manfred’s wife, she cannot have any more children. Due to this fact Manfred wants to divorce her and then to have a son from the woman his son would have married- Isabella. On the instant, another surrealistic event takes him by surprise- “when the moon, which was now up, and gleamed in at the opposite casement, presented to his sight the plumes of the fatal helmet, which rose to the height of the windows, waving backwards and forwards in a tempestuous manner, and accompanied with a hollow and rustling sound”.(Chapter I, The Castle of Otranto). Those feathers of the ‘fatal helmet” served as a warning to Manfred that he must give up on his intentions for good. Despite the fact that he ignores the so apparent warning the time is enough for Isabella to run away from …show more content…
Moreover, she fits perfectly as a wife of Theodore. She is able to comfort Theodore in the loss of his beloved one. After all, there is more than just romance in a marriage. If you are a ruler of a whole castle you are responsible of the prosperity and the happiness there and you cannot marry any woman. The woman must have the right qualities. Unfortunately, Matilda did not possess such qualities, she was too good personality and easy to manipulate by her father. The death of Matilda was inevitable, because Theodore was in love with her, and there was no other way for the supernatural forces to control who he was going to marry. Even though it was cruel and kind of sad it is still a proof that the sins of our fathers will come to our successors.
The novel “Castle of Otranto” is a medieval fiction that includes the typical elements for the period- romance, love, knights, fear and damnation. Walpole’s work features several twists and turns along the way. People have always been interested by the power of the supernatural and how it manages to influence their lives. What is more, we can say that it has been intertwined with the spiritual and religious part of our lives. Not by chance, in this gothic fiction, its author Horace Walpole manages to combine the supernatural elements of the Old Romance and the ordinary