Bibliograph

The Castle of Otranto, a Gothic Story, edited with an Introduction and Notes by Nick Groom

Type

Label

The Castle of Otranto, a Gothic Story, edited with an Introduction and Notes by Nick Groom

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references

Index

no index present

Literary Form

fiction

Main title

The Castle of Otranto

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

887932782

Responsibility statement

edited with an Introduction and Notes by Nick Groom

Series statement

Oxford world's classics

Sub title

a Gothic Story

Summary

"The Castle of Otranto (1764) is the first supernatural English novel and one of the most influential works of Gothic fiction. It inaugurated a literary genre that will be forever associated with the effects that Walpole pioneered. Professing to be a translation of a mysterious Italian tale from the darkest Middle Ages, the novel tells of Manfred, prince of Otranto, whose fear of an ancient prophecy sets him on a course of destruction. After the grotesque death of his only son, Conrad, on his wedding day, Manfred determines to marry the bride-to-be. The virgin Isabella flees through a castle riddled with secret passages. Chilling coincidences, ghostly visitations, arcane revelations, and violent combat combine in a heady mix that is both chilling and terrifying. In this new edition Nick Groom's wide-ranging introduction explores the novel's Gothic context in the cultural movement that affected political and religious thinking before Walpole developed it as a literary style, helping to explain the novel's impact on contemporaries, its importance, and Walpole's pioneering innovations in the horror genre."--Publisher's website

Table Of Contents

THE CASTLE OF OTRANTO -- Preface to the First Edition -- Preface to the Second Edition -- Sonnet to the Right Honourable Lady Mary Coke -- The Castle Of Otranto

Classification