Dark Literature Review: The Castle of Otranto

By Tim Gamble

     Between Shadows and Light.

One of my goals in 2025 is to read more fiction. Since one of my favorite genres is Dark Literature, especially Gothic Horror, I decided to start with The Castle of Otranto, a classic from 1765. 

My copy.

The Castle of Otranto, by Horace Walpole, is often credited as the first Gothic novel. The copy I read (Amazon link) is a large-print version which includes a short 3-page biography of the author. It also features a beautiful cover illustration. 

Plot Summary

In this fun and dreary tale, Prince Manfred of Otranto is desperate to continue his lineage, but either fate or a curse has other plans. On the very day his only son is to marry, the groom is crushed and killed by a giant helmet - the first of several seemingly supernatural occurrences.

Manfred, a wicked and selfish man, decides to divorce his wife and marry his son's betrothed, Isabella, to secure his bloodline. But Isabella, understandably not thrilled by this idea, flees into the labyrinth of passages beneath the castle.

A peasant named Theodore happens to be at the castle that very day, and aids Isabella in her escape. Theodore, as readers will find out, bears an uncanny resemblance to the statue from which the helmet that killed Manfred's son comes.

Without giving away the details for those wishing to read the book, there's love, mistaken identity, and a prophecy that the castle and principality will pass from the current line. Ghosts, paintings that bleed, and a moving statue add to the dark and mysterious ambiance.

Eventually, it's revealed that Theodore is actually the rightful heir. Manfred family, it turns out, had unjustly stolen the castle and title generations past. Manfred's tyranny ends, not with a bang, but with the realization that his lineage was never meant to last.

In true Gothic fashion, everyone gets what they deserve in the end, and the castle, with all its secrets, finally finds peace. Or at least as much peace as a place with such a dark history can muster.

My Thoughts

The Castle of Otranto is a relatively short novel, 136 pages in the large print, that packs a lot of action, intrigue, and unexpected twists and turns into its narrative. It leaves largely unresolved the question of whether or not the outcome is due to an actual supernatural curse or just the natural result of Manfred's selfish and evil ways. It is an interesting exploration of morality.

For those of us who enjoy such things, the tale has a delightfully dark and macabre ambiance. Its importance to the history of literature is unquestionable, as it founded the genre that would go on to include Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (Amazon link), Bram Stocker's Dracula (Amazon link), and the works of Emily Bronte, among others. I highly recommend it to anyone who studies literature or just enjoys the genre. 

-----------------

Please subscribe by email to TimGamble.com, Where the Hidden Meets the Subversive, by clicking:  https://follow.it/tim-gamble?action=followPub  THANK YOU!!!

Also, be sure to check out my survivalist website: DystopianSurvival.com - Resist. Survive. Thrive.