The Castle of Otranto

Written by Horace Walpole

Narrated by Neville Jason

The Castle of Otranto is regarded as the first Gothic novel. The son of Manfred, Prince of Otranto, is mysteriously killed on his wedding day by a huge helmet. The event leads to a fast-paced story of jealous passion, intrigue, murder and supernatural phenomena unfolding in an atmosphere of thunderclaps, moonlight, and dark castle walls – mirroring the inner turmoils of the characters themselves. Horace Walpole’s tale, an immediate success when it first appeared in 1764, is a classic of its genre.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks
• Release date: May 1, 2006
• ISBN: 9789629545796

Horace Walpole

Horace Walpole (1717-1797) was an English writer, art historian, Whig politician, and a man of letters, a group of intellectuals dedicated to solving society’s problems. As the youngest son of a prime minister, Walpole was born into a noble family and became an Earl in 1791. Long before that, Walpole was an elected member of parliament, where he represented the Whig party for thirteen years. Because Walpole’s house, called Strawberry Hill, had its own printing press, he was able to enjoy a prolific writing career, publishing many works of fiction and nonfiction. Walpole has been credited for creating the gothic literary genre with his novel The Castle of Otranto.

Reviews for The Castle of Otranto

[squeakychu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The last third of this novel just blew me away. In it, all of the main characters kept turning up in unexpected places doing and saying unexpected things with unexpected results until an ancient prophesy was fulfilled. That part of the book alone was jaw-dropping!

[jmoncton_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Castle of Otranto is one of those must-read noteworthy books, but heck if I know why. It is listed as the first gothic novel and has those elements of romance and horror. But, I must say, gothic novels have come a looong way. This had many elements that we stereotype and mock - the fair maiden who above all else, must maintain her virtue and the evil villain whose goal in life is to make sure she fails. Ok reading for the historical sense, but not outstanding.

[librarycin · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is considered the first gothic horror novel, originally written in 1764. Conrad is found dead, just as he was to marry Isabella. Manfred (Conrad's father) then decides to divorce his wife and marry Isabella instead. Isabella is horrified and runs away with the help of a mysterious stranger... It was ok. It started off better for me, but I was listening to the audio and as does sometimes tend to happen with audios with me, I get distracted and miss parts of the story, which unfortunately is what happened here. I wonder if I would have liked it more if I'd read it in print? It was set in a creepy gothic castle, so the setting was fun.

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The evil prince Manfred plots to marry his deceased son's fiancé but is thwarted. This is the ancestor of all gothic novels. Poor prose, but it does move at a steady pace for the 18th Century. Best read for a course requirement. I have no idea of which edition I read in 1971, but the information relates to the current Oxford paperback edition.

[391_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Let me put it this way...it's decent if you consider the historical aspect of the book (first horror novel, ect.) Otherwise, it's hilariously bad.

[ajbraithwaite_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this as part of research for an essay on The Gothic Novel, so I went back to this as the original example of the genre. I wasn't disappointed: supernatural elements, love triangles, masterful villain, meek heroines and good-looking yet virtuous hero. Truly sensational for its time. Well done, Horace.

[philsyphe · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not the most memorable of novels. It's three years since I read it yet even skimming other people's reviews and the synopsis hasn't jogged my memory!Well, I gave it three stars after finishing the book, so must've liked it, though clearly it's left no impression on me.

[dreesie-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Read on serial reader. A classic early gothic novel, this is very dated. But somehow it is so bad it is kind of good. The mystical is not explained, characters are killed off left and right, and surprises abound.I am not even clear where this is supposed to take place--England, or generic continental Europe?

[jbd1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of my reading goals for 2012 was to read through a few "classics" that I'd never read before. It hasn't gone as well as I'd hoped it would (those darn publishers just keep churning out new books!) but I've been able to enjoy at least of few of the titles I wanted to try. One of those was Walpole's The Castle of Otranto, considered the first gothic novel (Walpole's only novel, it was published in 1764).While to a modern reader some of the gothic tropes (scary castles, mysterious prophecies, portentously-timed thunderclaps, long-lost family members, mistaken identities, religious prejudices, unexplained bumps in the night, &c.) come across as more silly than scary, to readers unfamiliar with such motifs, this must have been quite an unconventional book indeed. It's easy to see how later authors (Radcliffe, Lewis, Brown) were able to develop the stories more thoroughly and create even more disturbing imagery and plot twists. The OUP edition I read contained a very useful introduction by E.J. Clery, contextualizing the work and examining some of the contemporary reaction to it.

[xieouyang · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Taken in the context of when it was written, and the fact that it was new to the genre, I can advise that it’s wortwhile reading it. I found it entertaining overall even if it was so,ewhat difficult because of the way dialogue is embeshed within paragraphs- one has to pay continuous attention to follow who is saying what.However, I could not but find many of the passages hilarious, partly because of the extreme situations kn which the characters are placed.

[wealhtheowwylfing · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Halfway through the story, a young peasant says, "I am no impostor, my Lord, nor have I deserved opprobrious language. I answered to every question your Highness put to me last night with the same veracity that I shall speak now: and that will not be from fear of your tortures, but because my soul abhors a falsehood. Please to repeat your questions, my Lord; I am ready to give you all the satisfaction in my power."

WTF? I can only assume that this melodrama is a joke, for it is so elaborately ridiculous that any other conclusion is impossible. As a joke, it is funny but rather too long. Near the end, the main "villain" stabs his daughter in the heart. She has a chapter-long death scene, during which there is a lot of fainting, shouting, long expostulations of heritage, and really awful "old-timey" language. The very last paragraph details how her lover and her foster sister end up marrying so they can share their "meloncholy" till the end of their days.

[cherylpeeves · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm reading this book right now and it is so cool. Supposedly the first gothic novel ever written. Secret passages, haunted castle, strange happenings, and a damsel in distress. One of the least boring classics I've ever read.

[kristelh_15 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A rather short story and the only one published by Horace Walpole tell the story of Manfred, prince of Otranto and the death of his son and only heir Conrad. The castle with its vaults and secret passages make for the setting of a gothic novel. The setting is chivalric Middle Ages and deals with cruelty and tyranny as well as usurping of the castle and title of prince. It’s a very quick and easy read for those working on the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list.

[amerynth · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I can appreciate the impact that Horace Walpole's "The Castle of Otranto" had on storytelling and literature, but it's a novel that certainly hasn't aged well. Considered the first Gothic novel, it weaves together a terrific tale of tragedy with supernatural elements just accepted by everyone as real.The story centers around a prince named Manfred, the villain of the piece, and the tragedies that befall his family because his grandfather usurped the throne. There are romantic elements, including a fight between two girls over a future husband as well as plenty of fainting and coincidences to propel the story along.I found the plot interesting, even while rolling my eyes at the characters' reactions. This is a definitely a book that I'm glad I read just for the history behind it, rather than for the story itself.

[lgandt · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I tried, just could not make hide nor hair of it. I got the jist of the story, but either I just found it simply too boring or missed a crucial element somewhere along the line.Of course I can see how gothic after was inspired by this, but I was expecting something a bit different.I loved the settings but just did not connect with any of the characters.

[ctpress_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A castle and abbey with secret tunnels. A dark landscape, lecherous villains, supernatural visions, a hero with a secret lineage, and beautiful and imperiled women (with a tendency toward the hysterical).What more can you ask for :)As an exploration of the history of literature this “granddaddy” of the gothic novel is interesting and a lot of fun. This is not my favorite genre at all - and the plot is so contrived that you want to laugh - and do laugh a lot of times.This is the kind of literature Catherine Morland loves in Northanger Abbey - as she asks in anticipation of yet another thrilling read: “Is it really horrid?”. Yes, Catherine. It is indeed.

[fyrefly98 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Summary: When the Lord of Otranto's only son is killed on the morning of his wedding day (crushed by a giant metal helmet that appeared out of nowhere, no less), the Lord begins to scheme. In a desperate attempt to secure more heirs, he pursues Isabella, his son's promised bride. She (understandably) flees in terror, aided by a young villager, and so begins several days of terror and unbelievable happenings, complete with walking portraits, giant swords, black knights, secret tunnels, long-lost sons, mysterious prophecies, deathbed confessions, and love at first sight.Review: Holy cow. People used to read this? This is the highest form of melodrama, coupled with a bizarre kind of ghost story, and all rendered in prose so overwrought and purple that it's approaching ultraviolet. I couldn't ever get into the story because I kept thinking "....really?!?", and there was so much wailing and clutching at clothing that I never sympathized with any of the characters, either. I understand that the over-done and over-emphasized version of *everything* was the style, and that by reading this out of context and out of its time, I'm almost certainly judging it by an unfair set of standards. But MY GOD, everything about this was just So Much - so much drama, so many plot twists, so many coincidences and strange unexplained happenings, so many epiphanies and raging emotions and Dramatic Speeches - that it wound up feeling like a high school drama production. I feel like Shakespeare would have read this and been like "Damn, that's a lot of melodrama. Now let me go see if I can squeeze another death into the end of Hamlet." 2 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: It didn't do much for me, but I'm a total Philistine and I read it totally devoid of any historic context. Those who are better-versed in the literary period than I am will almost definitely have an easier time of things.

[michaeladams1979 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Considered a gothic masterpiece, I found this to be a clever little novel of a crumbling monarchy in it's final days. You can certainly see how it influenced later works of both fantasy and more conventional literature. A number of convoluted machinations, some patent villainy, lots of life-changing revelations, and just a few hints of the supernatural. I honestly could have done with a little less of the domestic implosion of the household and a little more of the fantastical elements, but it is what it is. My one major complaint is the dialogue is not formatted in the modern style of quotation marks and individually indented paragraphs, separated only by commas, periods and dashes, somewhat inconsistently too, making it somewhat tricky to read, though I managed well enough once I found the conversational rhythm in each passage.

[slysionnach_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The original Gothic novel sets a standard of melodrama that soap operas would be proud to follow. And I say that in a good way. With hidden sons, love triangles, returning from the dead and ghosts and giants abounding, this quick read is good for a glimpse into what shaped the Gothic era of writing. Not wanting to say too much about the plot, since the story is only 92 pages long, I'll try to summarize it the best I can. Manfred, the current inhabitant of Otranto, is living according to a legacy that the true owner will come and take it from him. In an effort to prevent that, he decides that he must align himself with the rival family by marriage. Of course, nothing goes as planned.If you're interested in Gothic literature, why not read the source? It's quick, it's easy, and it's bound to entertain you.

[bridgetmarie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely over the top and more wonderful for it, READ THE TWO INTRODUCTIONS, it makes all the difference in the world, especially if you know the different reactions from his audiences. I had to read this book for a class and ended up keeping it instead of turning it in.Credited as being the first of the Gothic horror genre, Walpole hits many of the stereotypes (the damsel in distress, the Pagan curse handed down through Christian generations, etc) and thumbs his nose at others. I don't even like Gothic fiction and I kept this book.

[sedelia_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In The Castle of Otranto, Manfred is determined to keep his family in power, which means he needs an heir. When his engaged son dies by being crushed by a statue's helmet, Manfred resolves to marry his son's betrothed, Isabella, and produce heirs so that his family can live on. Understandably, Isabella doesn't want to marry the man who was going to be her father-in-law and leads Manfred on a merry chase throughout the castle and its surrounding area.If you take this book seriously, I'm not sure how enjoyable it is. The supernatural elements are a bit out of sync with the plot itself -- they aren't integrated well into the whole story. The characters are more like caricatures, and the end is quickly tied up into a haphazard bow. I know that if I looked at it as a serious piece of fiction, I would have hated it. Luckily, I found it all a bit funny. Yes, it's an important novel since it's considered the first Gothic novel, and yes, it's a "classic" and deals with themes like family, power, gender stereotypes, etc. But that doesn't mean you have to take the plot seriously, and I certainly didn't.It all started with Conrad being mysteriously crushed by a statue's helmet. Then, bits and pieces of the statue started appearing in the castle for no apparent reason. I just couldn't take it seriously. If you like the overly dramatic, bit of fun Gothic story, I think you'd really enjoy this. It has crazy twists and turns (you can definitely see a Shakespearean influence in this), and without including much character building, internal dialogue or much character self-reflection, the story moves along at a brisk pace. The writing may be a bit hard to understand (it is an eighteenth-century book, after all, and the editors have kept all the weird commas, lack of paragraph breaks, and misspellings), but if you read period lit, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. All in all, fun if you want to see what supposedly started the whole Gothic thing, but not something I'd want to enjoy a glass of wine and relax with.

[Herman Castro · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This review is mainly on the audio book version and not the story itself. The narrator did a superb job and the recording was clear and well made. The pace of the narration was aprópiate and I enjoyed the occasional music and sound effects that accompanied the narration. The story itself is important for its historical place in gothic (horror) literature but the plot and characters feel dated and histrionic as must be expected of a work from this period. Despite this, the brevity of the audiobook and the overall merits of the story, along with the significance of the work, make this an excellent book to listen to if you are interested in becoming acquainted with one of the stories that started it all for Gothic Fiction and its later evolution into modern Horror Fiction.

[shabacus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is always difficult to review a book that is considered a classic. On the one hand, you have to discuss how the book was received in its time, what it added to the literature of its day. On the other, you have to balance that with its effect on the modern reader.The fact that "The Caste of Otranto" was successful in its day is undisputed. It is typically held up as the genesis of the Gothic novel, with its dual focus on the supernatural and the effect of the supernatural on human emotion. The realistic, introspective character study is juxtaposed with things that are unrealistic and unbelievable. Although fantastical elements certainly existed before this time in literature, they had not been tackled with a modern sensibility of character. To this book, we owe not only the Gothic stories of Edgar Allen Poe, the Bronte sisters, etc, but also the entirety of modern fantasy.However, as a novel for the modern reader, it fails to grip. It is far too rooted in its past to be much more than a footnote of literature for casual, modern fans of Gothic stories. Characters are shallow by comparison to its descendents The supernatural elements run from mild to goofy to a reader already accustomed to bleeding statues or paintings that come to life.Recommendation: If you approach it as an early example of the genre, you will enjoy it. As a standalone novel, it doesn't have the staying power.

[madepercy-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book must be read in the knowledge that it is more than 250 years old. It is the original Gothic fiction. The story is somewhat gripping, although the dialogue is not punctuated as we would now expect, making you think twice about who is saying what at times. The spectre of the giant knight seems to fade away at the end, almost like the let-down from bad B-grade special effects but in literary form. I felt like every character actually liked to ball their eyes out every few minutes, too. But, taken in context, it is an enjoyable read. Only don't read the introduction and avoid checking the notes at every instance. Like many classic, the introduction, prefaces and notes are now longer than the story itself. It had to be read, and now it is done. If you are a fan of Gothic, then this is like what Evil Dead is to modern horror, or what Sherlock Holmes is to the modern detective story.

[misswoodhouse1816 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An interesting, if short, introduction to the Gothic genre. Included are all the classic elements- mysterious characters, long lost children, giant's armour and legs, sudden death, cruel tyrants, caves, secret passageways, and peasants who are more than they seem. Oh yes, and portraits walk around too...

[autumnesf · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Crazy story about a giant knights parts showing up in a cursed castle.

[jawalter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

[Northanger Abbey]
I think this is my favorite of Austen's works. It lacks any of the great romances that make her so popular amongst filmmakers and book clubs, but it shows off her greatest asset: her intelligence. Austen is, of course, famous for her wit and keen observations of social mores, and those are also put on display in Northanger Abbey. But this is one of the all-time great satires, demonstrating that she was capable of more than merely reproducing the world around her.

This is the book that makes me wonder what Austen would be like if she was alive today. Time and critical reception have pigeon-holed her; she's recognized as a great talent, but I think she's often dismissed as well. She's about more than just female empowerment and laughing at the way people acted in the 1800s. Austen's books are all about how people communicate, and it's still relevant today.

[scribbler1_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Brilliantly original at the time of its publication in the eighteenth century, The Castle of Otranto is distinguished as being the first work of Gothic fiction. It has always been the recipient of mixed reviews. It’s worth bearing in mind the enormous fun Horace Walpole had in writing the novel; the humor in it seems sadly lost on many readers and critics. It is at once thrilling, funny and puzzling but remains a joy to read in the twenty first century. I recommend the Penguin Classics edition which contains sufficient notes and supplementary text necessary for a proper appreciation of the work.

[souloftherose · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wanted to read a gothic novel to help me better understand what Jane Austen is satirizing in Northanger Abbey. I picked The Castle of Otranto purely because it was the shortest.The book (published in 1764) starts with an introduction from Horace Walpole explaining that this is an English translation he has made of an Italian manuscript dating from 1529; however the introduction makes clear that it's possible that the original work was in fact written much earlier. Walpole also states his belief that the story he has translated is based on truth and events that must have really taken place In fact, none of this was true; it was written in English by Horace Walpole in the 18th century, but at the time it was considered much more worthwhile to read a true story than a fictional one. Interestingly the wikipedia article on the book seems to indicate that the work was critically quite well received until Walpole 'fessed up and admitted he'd made up the whole thing when all the critics promptly decided that it was worthless fluff.Once you're past the introduction this gothic tale kicks off with someone being crushed to death by a giant helmet:"he beheld his child dashed to pieces, and almost buried under an enormous helmet, an hundred times more large than any casque ever made for human being, and shaded with a proportionate quantity of black feathers"Right.All the other gothic staples are included of course; innocent virgins, noble knights, princes in disguise, incest, duels, gloomy castles and ghosts. It was difficult for me to take this book as seriously as I assume the original 18th century readers took it. Most of the scenes which are presumably supposed to be scary seem ridiculous to a modern reader (death by giant helmet being the prime example). There are also a lot of scenes which I think may have been intended to be comic as the introduction notes that 'some persons may perhaps think the characters of the domestics too little serious for the general cast of the story'; there were some wonderful scenes very reminiscent of Shakespeare where the domestics were constantly interrupting each other or wandering from the point to the infuriation of their lords and ladies.Ultimately, this was a short, enjoyable if somewhat strange read. Reading the free kindle version I definitely felt the lack of any explanatory notes to help me put this work in context but I think it was worth reading even so as it's given me a better understanding of Northanger Abbey.

[crypto3willobie · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

What a silly book! My nose hurts from snorting. At first I was thinking "This would be great filmed by Ed Wood." but then I decided it would be more suited to a staging by the Monty Python troupe. It even features a giant foot at one point!