Book description
On the day of his wedding, Conrad, heir to the house of Otranto, is
killed in mysterious circumstances. His calculating father Manfred fears
that his dynasty will now come to an end and determines to marry his
son's bride himself - despite the fact he is already married. But a
series of terrifying supernatural omens soon threaten this unlawful
union, as the curse placed on Manfred's ancestor, who usurped the lawful
Prince of Otranto, begins to unfold. First published pseudonymously in
1764, purporting to be an ancient Italian text from the time of the
crusades, The Castle of Otranto is a founding work of Gothic fiction.
With its compelling blend of sinister portents, tempestuous passions and
ghostly visitations, it spawned an entire literary tradition and
influenced such writers as Ann Radcliffe and Bram Stoker.
Horace Walpole (1717-97), 4th Earl of Orford, was the son of the Whig
Prime Minister, Robert Walpole. In 1747 he moved to Strawberry Hill in
Twickenham, which he transformed into his "little Gothic
castle". He was at the centre of literary and political society
and an arbiter of taste. He is remembered for his witty letters to a
wide circle of friends.
Michael Gamer is Professor of English at the University of
Pennsylvania. He is the author of 'Romanticism and the Gothic' (CUP, 2000).
