The Castle of Otranto LitChart

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The Castle of Otranto

Alfonso, fought in the Crusades, religious wars that the
INTR
INTRODUCTION
ODUCTION Catholic church waged against the Muslim “infidels,” as
Frederic calls them, in order to conquer Jerusalem and the
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF HORACE WALPOLE Holy Land for Christianity. The first Crusade began in 1095, as
Horace Walpole was the fourth earl of Orford and the Walpole states in the preface, and was followed by a number of
youngest son of Robert Walpole, the first prime minister of other largely unsuccessful and destructive crusades through
England. As a child, Walpole attended Eton College, where he the 13th century.
met figures such as Thomas Ashton, Thomas Gray, and Richard
West. The four boys formed a friendship and called themselves RELATED LITERARY WORKS
the “Quadruple Alliance.” After Eton, Walpole continued his
studies at Cambridge. In 1737, Walpole’s mother Catherine, Though The Castle of Otranto is often said to be the first Gothic
with whom he was very close, died, and he left Cambridge novel, earlier works such as Tobias Smollet’s The Adventures of
without a degree the following year. As young, well-to-do Ferdinand Count Fathom (1753) and Thomas Leland’s Longsword
European men often did, Walpole then embarked on the Grand (1762) also contained elements of terror and the supernatural.
Tour, exploring Italy and France with his friend Thomas Gray. In However, Walpole’s use of literary devices such as secret
1741, Walpole returned to England, expecting a seat in passageways, prophecies, and haunted castle became
parliament, only to find that his father’s influence and power archetypal features of Gothic novels and stories by writers
had greatly diminished; consequently, he sat at Parliament such as Anne Radcliffe, Clara Reeve, Bram Stoker (author of
intermittently and occasionally worked as a pamphleteer. Dr
Dracula
acula), and Edgar Allan Poe.
Though he never married, he was a social man, known to be
amiable, clever, whimsical, and fixated on the quality of KEY FACTS
“singularity” or uniqueness in both his writing and his collection
• Full Title: (first edition) The Castle of Otranto: A Story.
of antiquities. He also became known for his remarkable library
Translated by William Marshall, Gent. From the Original
and art collection as well as his contribution to architecture. As
Italian of Onuphrio Muralto, Canon of the Church of St.
an amateur enthusiast in architecture, he built a medieval- Nicholas at Otranto; (second edition) The Castle of Otranto:
inspired castle in Twickenham from 1749 to 1753, drawing A Gothic Story
upon whatever Gothic styles suited his imagination. The
• When Written: 1764
creation of his home, Strawberry Hill, has been credited for
reviving interest in Gothic architecture. Previously, “Gothic” • Where Written: London
had been associated with barbarism and unrefinement. In • When Published: 1764
1757, Walpole built a printing press in his home, the • Literary Period: Romanticism
Strawberry Hill Press, whose first publication was Thomas • Genre: Gothic
Gray’s Odes by Mr. Gray. Though Strawberry Hill was the
• Setting: The castle of Otranto (somewhere near Naples,
inspiration for and arguably the setting of The Castle of Otranto, Italy), and the nearby church of St. Nicholas
Walpole did not print the novel at his own press, but rather
• Climax: Matilda dies, part of the castle falls down, and a giant
submitted it anonymously for publication to another London
image of Alfonso declares Theodore his true heir.
publisher. It was met with great popularity, and later editions
featured Walpole’s own name. Though The Castle of Otranto • Antagonist: Manfred
remains Walpole’s best known work, he was a prolific writer • Point of View: Third-person subjective, occasionally with
and wrote a wide array of works, from poems to romances, to free indirect discourse
histories and catalogues. Throughout his lifetime, he also wrote
thousands of letters to friends in France and England, letters EXTRA CREDIT
that are recognized for their wit and elegance and that were Double pseudo. In the first edition of Otranto, Walpole wrote
published a year after Walpole’s death in 1797. Horace under not one but two pseudonyms, claiming in the preface
Walpole died in London at the age of 79. that the story dated back to the Crusades; that the manuscript
was written in Italian by “Onuphrio Muralto,” a Catholic priest
HISTORICAL CONTEXT from the church that appears in the narrative; and that he,
The Castle of Otranto was set somewhere between the 11th and “William Marshal, Gent.” found the manuscript in the library of
13th centuries. Two of the novel’s characters, Frederic and an ancient Catholic family.
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Non-political press. After Walpole built Strawberry Hill Press, grandfather took power), both Isabella and rulership of
he decided never to use the press for political means and Otranto. Manfred ineptly attempts to win them over, but the
established a practice of publishing his own political pamphlets knights discover that Isabella is missing and race against
elsewhere. Manfred’s men to find her.
Having recognized Theodore’s resemblance to Otranto’s past
hero and ruler Alfonso, Matilda frees Theodore from her
PL
PLO
OT SUMMARY father’s imprisonment, and they fall in love. In order to escape
Manfred, the ruler of Otranto, is impatiently waiting for the Manfred’s wrath and to search for adventure, Theodore
marriage between his son Conrad and the princess Isabella, the decides to protect Isabella and finds her in a cave, where he
daughter of Frederic the Marquis of Vincenza. Rumors fly defends her from a knight. Yet the knight, whom Theodore
about Manfred’s impatience for the wedding, and the people wounds, turns out to be Isabella’s father Frederic.
believe that the marriage is in some way related to an ancient Theodore, Frederic, and Isabella return to the castle, where
prophecy: “that the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass Frederic recovers and falls in love with Matilda. Frederic
from the present family, whenever the real owner should be explains how he came to be in Otranto: after being captured by
grown too large to inhabit it.” However, on the day of the infidels in the Crusades, he had a vision warning him that his
wedding, Conrad is mysteriously crushed to death by a giant daughter was in danger. The vision led him to a forest in Joppa,
helmet falling from the sky. Realizing his only heir is dead and where he met a hermit who led him to a giant sword buried in
unable to produce more sons with his own wife, Hippolita, the earth. Inscribed onto the sword is a prophecy stating that
Manfred decides to continue his line by marrying his son’s Isabella can be saved only by Alfonso’s blood where the giant
fiancé Isabella. sabre’s matching helmet is found.
Intending to divorce or kill Hippolita, Manfred approaches After Frederic finishes his story, Manfred arrives and suddenly
Isabella alone, proclaiming his intention to produce several notices the remarkable resemblance between Theodore and
sons with her. Despite her horrified protests, he grabs her, Alfonso. After questioning Theodore’s origins, Theodore
intending to rape her, but Isabella escapes, as Manfred is reveals how he too came to be in Otranto: at a young age, he
distracted first by the swaying feathers of the giant helmet, was kidnapped and enslaved by pirates, left only with a
then by the moving portrait of his grandfather, then by his document from his mother proving that Jerome, the Count of
servants’ reports of the appearance of a giant leg in armor. Falconara, is his father. After being freed by Christians two
With the help of Theodore, a peasant, Isabella escapes the years earlier, he searched unsuccessfully for his father and
castle through a secret underground passageway to seek wandered into Otranto, where he worked as a farmhand.
sanctuary at the church of St. Nicholas, where she is under the The next day, Manfred tries to secure Isabella’s hand in
protection of Father Jerome. marriage by leveraging Frederic’s attraction to Matilda. He
Matilda, Manfred’s daughter, is talking with her servant Bianca proposes a double marriage, in which Frederic and Manfred
about the disappearance of Isabella when a servant informs will marry each other’s daughters. Frederic is greatly tempted
them that Isabella has taken sanctuary. Meanwhile, Father both by the possibility of having Matilda and Otranto, and the
Jerome is telling Hippolita and Manfred the same thing, with only obstacle is securing Hippolita’s consent to divorce, which
Jerome insinuating but not fully disclosing Manfred’s crimes. Manfred easily obtains. However, when the ghost of the hermit
However, after Hippolita dismisses herself from the haunts Frederic for forgetting his mission and for choosing lust
conversation, Father Jerome more frankly accuses Manfred of over heavenly will, Frederic, though still sorely tempted,
his crimes and urges him to repent and turn to the church. decides not to go through with the double marriage.
Manfred, however, repeatedly refuses, and tries to convince Manfred, enraged at Frederic’s change of heart, becomes even
Jerome to grant him a divorce. Fearful of the consequences of angrier when one of his spies informs him that Theodore is
saying no, Jerome plays along. However, much to Jerome’s meeting a lady in Alfonso’s tomb. Believing that Isabella is
dismay, his granting of the divorce inadvertently results in having an affair with Theodore, Manfred sneaks into the tomb
Manfred declaring a death sentence on Theodore, whom and stabs her, only to discover that it is Matilda, his daughter,
Jerome recognizes in that moment is his long-lost son. whom he has fatally wounded. Despite her impending death,
Manfred promises Jerome his son’s life only in return for Matilda is deeply devoted to both her mother and father until
Isabella, and Jerome is caught in a moral quandary. However, the end.
before he can make a decision, they are interrupted by a host of Parts of the castle walls fall down behind Manfred, and a great
knights who carry a giant sword and who seek in the name of image of Alfonso appears, declaring that Theodore is his true
Frederic (Isabella’s father, and the closest known relative of heir. Manfred, struck with sorrow and remorse, reveals that his
Alonso, the former lord of Otranto before Manfred’s grandfather had usurped the throne from Alfonso, and Jerome

reveals that Theodore is Alfonso’s grandson. After Manfred marriage with Conrad because she believes it to be arranged by
abdicates, he and Hippolita retire to become a monk and a nun her long-lost father (later the narrator reveals that Manfred
in nearby convents. Frederic renounces his claim to Otranto actually bribed her guardians). When Manfred attempts to rape
and offers Isabella’s hand in marriage to Theodore. her, Isabella protects her virtue by fleeing the castle with the
help of Theodore and escapes to a cave where she meets
Frederic, her long-lost father. After Manfred’s failed attempt to
CHARA
CHARACTERS
CTERS kill her, Isabella mourns the loss of Matilda with Theodore and
eventually marries him.
MAJOR CHARACTERS
Father Jerome – Father Jerome is a devout, intelligent, and
Manfred – The story’s antagonist, Manfred is the ruler of kind-hearted friar in one of Otranto’s two convents. As
Otranto, the grandson of the man who usurped Otranto from Manfred’s foil, he constantly urges the prince to renounce his
its former rulers. He is husband to Hippolita, and father to thirst for worldly power and to take up faith. Jerome sees
Matilda and Conrad. Quick to anger, clumsily manipulative, and through Manfred’s attempts to manipulate him and attempts to
at times illogical, he constantly prioritizes his lust for both deceive Manfred to protect Isabella. When this results in
power and Isabella over any faith or morals he may have. The Theodore’s death sentence, it sets in a motion a series of
story presents his overwhelming desire for power as indicative events in which Jerome sees a mark on Theodore’s shoulder,
of both his, and his entire familial line’s, unsuitability for realizes that Theodore is his long lost son, and reveals his own
rulership. Fearing an ancient prophecy about the end of his past identity as the Count of Falconara. After Manfred kills
reign, seeks first to secure his family’s rulership of Otranto by Matilda, Jerome reveals that Theodore has a stronger claim to
marrying his son Conrad to his ward Isabella, who through her the throne than Frederic, because Jerome’s wife (Theodore’s
father has a rightful claim. After Conrad dies, Manfred hunts mother) was Alfonso’s daughter. Throughout the story, Jerome
for Isabella throughout the castle in order to produce a new acts as a true man of faith and goodness, working to protect
heir who would have a rightful claim to rule. Despite his existing others and counseling against greed and lust.
marriage to Hippolita, the fact that Isabella is his own ward, and
Frederic – Frederic is the Marquis of Vincenza and Isabella’s
Father Jerome’s admonitions, he seeks a divorce and almost
father. Throughout most of the novel, he is known as the
manages to secure Isabella’s hand in marriage from her father
closest male blood relative to Alfonso with the strongest claim
Frederic. When his plans fail and he attempts to murder
to ruling Otranto, but has been missing for years. After his wife
Isabella, he accidentally kills his own daughter. In shock at
died in childbirth, Frederic joins the Crusades and is captured
having murdered Matilda, he undergoes a drastic personal
by infidels. After a vision shows him Isabella is in danger, he
change: he repents, reveals that he is not the rightful ruler of
meets a hermit who instructs him to dig up a giant sword upon
Otranto, and retires to a convent as a monk.
which is a mysterious prophecy. Seeking to free Isabella and to
Theodore – The hero of the story, Theodore is first presented become ruler of Otranto, he brings the sword and a host of men
as the peasant whom Manfred wrongfully imprisons for an to Otranto, where he falls in love with Matilda and almost
offhand observation. Well-spoken, noble, and brave, he bears a trades daughters with Manfred until the ghost of the hermit
striking resemblance to the statue of Alfonso the Good. After reminds him of his quest. Upon learning of Theodore’s true
he helps Isabella escape, he is again imprisoned and sentenced identity, he relinquishes his claim to Otranto and offers
to death until Matilda, with whom he falls in love, helps him Isabella’s hand in marriage to Theodore. Frederic is an
escape. Near the end of the novel, Theodore reveals his interesting character, and a kind of middle-ground between
backstory — that he was enslaved by pirates, only to be freed Manfred and Theodore: never as power- or lust-hungry as
by Christians many years later, and has been working as a Manfred, but more susceptible to corruption than Theodore.
farmer in Otranto for the past two years. Father Jerome
Matilda – Matilda is the beautiful 18-year-old daughter of
reveals that Theodore is not only his son but also a direct
Manfred and Hippolita, and Conrad’s sister. Matilda is
descendant of Alfonso and the rightful ruler of Otranto. After
intelligent, pious, and completely devoted to her mother.
Matilda’s death, Theodore takes over Otranto and marries
Though she originally intended to become a nun rather than
Isabella as its rightful ruler – the rightness of his rulership is
marry, she falls in love with Theodore and helps him escape her
supported both by his bloodline and by his always-noble
father. Seeing her in a church with Theodore, Manfred thinks
behavior.
she is Isabella and accidentally kills her. She dies as an innocent,
Isabella – A princess and the daughter of Frederic, the Marquis and her death transforms her father who immediately repents
of Vincenza, at the beginning of the novel Isabella is Conrad’s of all of his actions.
fiancé and the ward and de facto daughter of Hippolita and
Hippolita – The princess of Otranto and Manfred’s wife,
Manfred. Like Matilda, Isabella is beautiful, pious, and a model
Hippolita is the mother of Matilda and Conrad. Though she is
of filial devotion. Despite her personal reluctance, she agrees to
pious and kind, her complete devotion and submission to her

husband make her his key enabler. Despite her own wishes, her an otherwise melodramatic story.
belief that divorce goes against her Christian faith, and her St. Nicholas – The saint to whom Otranto’s church is dedicated
knowledge that Isabella will be forced into an unwanted and to whom all of Otranto pray. After Ricardo was
marriage, she passively agrees to a divorce from Manfred when shipwrecked and prayed to St. Nicholas for his survival in
he seeks to solidify his power by marrying Isabella. After return for a church and two convents, St. Nicholas agreed,
Manfred abdicates, Hippolita becomes a nun at one of the provided that Nicholas’s family’s reign end when the rightful
nearby convents. ruler grew too large for the castle and when Ricardo no longer
Alfonso – Also known as Alfonso the Good, Alfonso is the had any male heirs. St. Nicholas also shows the hermit where to
heroic past ruler of Otranto and Theodore’s grandfather. find the giant sword and tells him to reveal the secret only on
Though the story’s characters presume that he has no heirs, it his deathbed.
is later revealed that he had met and married a woman in Sicily,
Victoria, on his way to join the Crusades. Meaning to return to MINOR CHARACTERS
her and their unborn child, Alfonso sailed for the Holy Land,
Conr
Conradad – Conrad is the only son of Manfred and Hippolita, and
only to be poisoned by his chamberlain Ricardo, Manfred’s
Matilda’s younger brother. Fifteen years old, sickly, and
grandfather, who usurped the throne. Alfonso’s daughter later
unaccomplished, Conrad is Manfred’s favorite child and only
married Jerome and gave birth to Theodore. When giant pieces
heir. He is engaged to Isabella until he is crushed to death by a
of armor mysteriously appear around the castle, Alfonso’s
giant helmet at the beginning of the story.
statue in Otranto’s church are said to be missing those same
pieces of armor, suggesting that Alfonso’s ghost is not yet at Diego – One of Manfred’s servants. After Isabella escapes the
rest and fulfilling the prophecy made by St. Nicholas — that castle and the servants are instructed to find her, Diego is
when the rightful ruler grows too large for the castle (just as shocked to find a giant foot and leg in armor in the gallery.
the armor is too large for any mortal), Ricardo’s line will end. Jaquez – Another of Manfred’s servants searching for Isabella
Hermit – The hermit, who lives in the woods near Joppa, uses throughout the castle. Though he did not see the giant leg in
his lasts breaths to tell Frederic a secret from St. Nicholas armor himself, he was with Diego when the latter encountered
about where to dig up a giant sword upon which is written a it and recounts the tale to Manfred.
prophecy. Later, when Frederic is close to betraying his quest to Victoria – Alfonso’s wife from Sicily, mother to Jerome’s wife,
follow the prophecy in his desire to marry Matilda, the hermit’s and Theodore’s grandmother.
ghost appears to him in Hippolita’s oratory, reminding him to
Manuel – Ricardo’s son, Manfred’s father, and Matilda’s and
reject his passion and to follow heaven’s command.
Conrad’s grandfather. Usurping ruler of Otranto.
Ricardo – Alfonso’s chamberlain, usurper of Otranto, father of
Manuel, grandfather of Manfred, and great-grandfather of
Matilda and Conrad. In the Holy Land during the Crusades, THEMES
Ricardo poisons his lord Alfonso and forges a will saying that
he, Ricardo, should inherit Otranto. On his way back to In LitCharts literature guides, each theme gets its own color-
Otranto, Ricardo was shipwrecked and made a deal with St. coded icon. These icons make it easy to track where the themes
Nicholas in order to survive. He would build a church and two occur most prominently throughout the work. If you don't have
convents in Otranto in return for rulership of Otranto “until the a color printer, you can still use the icons to track themes in
rightful owner should be grown too large to inhabit the castle, black and white.
and as long as issue male from Ricardo’s loins should remain to
enjoy it.” The punishment for Ricardo’s sin, then, is only delayed, HUMOR, THE GOTHIC, AND THE
and is eventually visited upon Manfred. Ricardo’s own portrait SUPERNATURAL
on the wall of Otranto seems to symbolize this, as when
Much of what characterizes Gothic literature has
Manfred first searches for Isabella after her escape, Ricardo’s
to do with setting. As what might be described as
image leaves his portrait and leads Manfred down a path that
the “grandfather” of Gothic literature, Walpole’s The Castle of
dead ends when a door slams in front of him.
Otranto displays many of the features that would become
Bianca – A servant and confidante of Hippolita, Matilda, and stereotypically Gothic. For example, the story takes place in a
Isabella. Silly, nosy, and superstitious, Bianca often gossips and foreign country, in a medieval castle with towers and secret
shows that she is willing to be deceitful when she tries to pry passageways. The castle is eerie and ominous, plagued by
into Theodore’s life and when she agrees to be Manfred’s spy. creaking hinges, trap doors clanging shut, the wailing of the
On her way to spy on Isabella, Bianca witnesses a giant hand in wind, and the life-like quality of people in paintings.
armor that scares her and causes her to inadvertently reveal
Supernatural elements like ghosts, visions, mysterious suits of
Manfred’s bribe to Frederic. She often provides comic relief in

armor, and prophecies run through the novel. Though Walpole Isabella; and wrongfully imprisoning and sentencing a man to
is often credited as the first Gothic novelist, such fanciful death. Despite Father Jerome’s many rebukes and warnings
elements were in fact drawn from medieval romance, heroic against such misdeeds, Manfred repeatedly refuses to
tales in which knights often encountered marvels or recognize any authority that Heaven, Hell, or the likes of a friar
supernatural phenomena on their adventures. Though the might claim over him. Though Manfred’s pursuit of Isabella is
Gothic novel was always considered lowbrow literature even largely motivated by his hunger for power, it also demonstrates
during the height of its popularity, before Walpole, “gothic” was the failure of the little piety he has to overcome his passion.
looked down upon even more, and associated with barbarism. Passion, in the sense of both lust and rage often overpower
Walpole’s novel helped to change that, and his unfettered Manfred’s ability to reason and to choose right over wrong. For
enthusiasm for the Middle Ages was extraordinary. One of example, when he makes sexual advances on Isabella, both his
many accomplishments he is well known for is Strawberry Hill, lust for her and his anger over her escape motivate him to hunt
a faux-medieval castle Walpole built for himself and on which for her throughout the castle. When Theodore remarks on the
he based The Castle of Otranto. similarity between the helmet that kills Conrad and that of
Though many of the literary devices found in Otranto are now Alfonso’s statue, Manfred charges him with treason, unaware
recognized as archetypically “Gothic,” Walpole’s novel indulged that his accusation is unreasonable and illogical. Only at the
in humor in a way that later Gothic works such as DrDracula
acula and end of the novel, after Manfred mistakes Matilda for Isabella
Frank
ankenstein
enstein did not. Part of this is achieved merely by his and kills his own daughter, does he repent his sins and commit
presentation of Gothic and supernatural elements. For himself to faith by becoming a monk.
example, Conrad’s death by giant helmet, while tragic to the Like Manfred, the other characters of the novel struggle to
story’s characters, is completely absurd. The setting itself, often place their faith above their worldly desires. Despite Father
merely eerie in later Gothic works, is also occasionally Jerome’s warnings about Manfred’s cursed lineage, Theodore
humorous. The castle’s “deep and hollow groan” is “the effect of is unable to forget Matilda, with whom he has fallen in love,
pent-up vapours” — in other words, the castle is farting. even after he marries Isabella. Matilda, who had long ago
Another aspect of Walpole’s humor is the way he claims that committed herself to piety, forgets her former desire to
the story, in fact, was written by a 16th century Catholic priest become a nun in favor of her newfound love, Theodore. By the
and then was translated by a man named “William Marshal, end of the novel, however, she reverts to her former state of
Gent.” This claim about the origin of the text is fairly obviously absolute filial piety, ignoring Theodore’s pleas to marry her and
false, and funny in its own right. At the same time, it allows focusing entirely on her parents. Frederic, Isabella’s long-lost
Walpole in his first preface to the novel to masquerade self- father, travels to Otranto to free his daughter but is tempted
praise as self-deprecation, and includes tongue-in-cheek hints both by Manfred’s offer of Matilda and by the thought of
at the novel’s true authorship. More generally, Walpole seems controlling Otranto. Only when he is visited by the ghost of a
to revel in the story’s “Gothicness” while also poking fun at it in hermit and when the ghost of Alfonso appears does he
the first preface. In the first preface, Walpole claims the novel is suppress his passion for Matilda and renounce his desire to
merely entertainment while in his preface to the second rule Otranto. Hippolita, Manfred’s devoted wife, finds herself
edition, he claims that it was “an attempt to blend the two kinds agreeing to divorce in order to fulfill Manfred’s wishes, despite
of romance, the ancient and the modern,” that is, to find a happy Father Jerome’s insistence that to do so would be against
medium between the fanciful character of medieval romance heaven. Ultimately, however, Hippolita is not forced to divorce
and the realism of the modern novel. The apparently Manfred, but her devotion to him, which she once privileged
contradictory aims professed by Walpole have made readers over her piety, is finally overcome when she becomes a nun in a
question to what extend the book should be interpreted at face local convent. In each of these instances, Walpole sets up a
value or as a spoof of medieval literature. binary between spiritual and worldly desires. That every
character’s worldly desire is in some way thwarted by forces
attributed to heaven, points to the sense in the novel that the
THE DIVINE VS. THE MUNDANE divine should hold sway over the mundane and the human.
The balance between spiritual belief and worldly
desires is a struggle many of the novel’s characters LINEAGE AND LEADERSHIP
face. Manfred, the usurping prince of Otranto, is
the most extreme example of this, as he succumbs to worldly The Castle of Otranto is deeply concerned with
temptation both politically and romantically. For example, after paternity and its relation to political rule. The novel
the death of his only male heir, Manfred attempts to preserve presents three major revelations about lineage, the
his lineage and political rule by committing various sins: seeking consequences of which drive the plot forward. The first
a divorce from his wife Hippolita; nearly murdering Hippolita; revelation is that of Theodore’s paternity. Shortly before
attempting to rape and marry his would-be daughter-in-law Theodore is to be executed, Jerome recognizes him as his son

and thus as a member of the noble house of Falconara. Not only elements that are tied to the story’s two classes of people.
does this new information determine many of Jerome’s Modeling his mixture of comedy and tragedy on that of
decisions regarding Isabella and Manfred but it also legitmizes Shakespeare’s plays, the lower class characters are associated
the noble qualities of speech, piety, bravery, and heroism that with comedy and the upper class characters with tragedy.
Theodore possesses. Frederic, who has been posing as a knight, The peasants, such as Bianca and Diego, are often portrayed as
reveals himself as Isabella’s father and the only known blood naïve, inarticulate, morally inferior, and prone to superstition,
relative (and thus, legitimate heir) of Alfonso the Good. It is while the nobles, such as Hippolita and Frederic, are portrayed
Isabella’s connection to Alfonso, and thus her claim over as dignified, articulate, intelligent, moral, and level-headed. One
Otranto, that first motivates Manfred to arrange a marriage example of this behavioral distinction occurs when Manfred
between Isabella and Conrad, and it is Frederic’s distant charges Theodore with treason and accuses him of witchcraft,
relation to Alfonso and attraction to Matilda that almost after Theodore notices a similarity between the giant helmet
precipitates a marriage between Manfred and Isabella. At the that kills Conrad and the helmet formerly on Alfonso’s statue.
end of the novel, it is Jerome’s revelation that Theodore’s While Manfred’s friends (i.e. the nobles) urge him against such
grandfather is Alfonso that causes Otranto to be passed into an unfounded punishment, the peasants form a mob and
the hands of its rightful ruler. wholeheartedly cheer his accusations, believing that Manfred’s
In the preface to the first edition of the novel, Walpole decision is just.
comments upon the relative uselessness of the story’s The roles and behaviors of Theodore and Manfred suggest a
supposed moral: a quote from the Bible that claims “the sins of blood distinction between the nobility and the peasantry.
fathers are visited on their children to the third and fourth Though Theodore is originally presented as a peasant, his
generation.” This moral proves literally true for Manfred’s remarkable bravery, articulation, and conviction to do good
family: Though Ricardo’s sin of poisoning Alfonso for power distinguish him as a noble, a fact that is later confirmed when
does not result in the punishment of either Ricardo or his son Jerome reveals his true parentage. Similarly, though Manfred is
Manuel, the third and fourth generations of Ricardo’s line meet originally presented as a noble, his rage, evil machinations, and
disaster: Manfred kills his daughter and is himself forced to frequently inarticulate speech betray his claim to nobility, in
abdicate, Conrad is crushed to death by a giant helmet, and particular his claim that he is the rightful ruler of Otranto (and
Matilda is murdered by her father. in fact, of course, Manfred is the grandson of a non-noble man
In fact, Walpole’s criticism that the story does not have a “more who rose to the throne only through murder and treachery).
useful” moral may actually be an ironic hint that it does have a Ironically, the peasants often stumble upon truths often
more useful moral, one concerned with bloodlines and dismissed by the novel’s noblemen and noblewomen. For
rulership. The novel’s intense occupation with the will of example, when Bianca gossips to Matilda about the young
heaven, in conjunction with its concern with lineage, emphasize peasant Theodore, she guesses (correctly) that he is a prince in
the importance of “rightful” rulership — rulership determined disguise, while Matilda scorns the silliness of Bianca’s
by blood and endorsed by heaven. Though Theodore was for imagination. Similarly, all the servants believe (correctly) that
most of his life a slave and a peasant, his noble lineage renders Manfred’s desire to see Conrad married is motivated by his
him fit to reign in the eyes of God, or in the novel’s case, St. fear of a prophecy, while the nobles believe he is anxious for his
Nicholas. This privileging of certain bloodlines both suggests son’s health. However, it is worth remembering Walpole’s, or
class distinctions between nobility and peasantry, and recalls a rather “William Marshal’s” sly suggestion that the story was
justification rulers traditionally used to defend their power, that written by an “artful” priest looking to “confirm the populace in
of the divine right of kings, a political doctrine in which their ancient errors and superstitions.” Though the fictional
monarchs claimed that their rule was ordained by God. translator’s commentary on the ideological-motivation of the
However, as Horace Walpole was a Whig, and as Whigs fictional author Muralto might undermine a worldview of class
generally did not support absolute monarchy or the divine right distinctions, Walpole’s second preface also reinforces this class
of kings, the story’s endorsement of these ideas likely belong to distinction, as he perhaps exploits the peasants’ comic quality
Walpole’s fictional Catholic priest, Onuphrio Muralto. to make the nobles’ storylines and characters all the more
Walpole’s speculation about Muralto’s agenda in the first attractive and engaging.
preface is perhaps a veiled criticism of Muralto’s belief in the
divine right of kings.
GENDER AND MARRIAGE
A recurring element in The Castle of Otranto is the
CLASS, COMEDY, AND TRAGEDY
female characters’ absolute devotion to their
In the second preface to The Castle of Otranto, husbands and fathers. For example, despite her
Walpole acknowledges his authorship of the work husband’s temper and repeated rejections of her, Hippolita is
and defends his use of both comedy and tragedy, entirely devoted to Manfred. Even when presented with

Manfred’s sins, betrayals, and intention to marry their ward
CASTLE OF OTRANTO
and former daughter-in-law-to-be Isabella, Hippolita passively
agrees to Manfred’s demand for a divorce and refuses to Castles are a staple of Gothic literature, their
acknowledge Manfred’s wrongdoing. Both Matilda and Isabella formidable and intricate structure representative
are instilled with a “dreadful obedience” to her parents. Though of gothic themes. In The Castle of Otranto, a story centered
she is in love with Theodore, Matilda is nearly forced into a around a particular castle, the castle represents evil in the form
marriage with Isabella’s father, while Isabella unhappily agrees of sexual deviancy and the corruption of power. It is in the
to a marriage with Conrad because she believes her father castle’s eerie rooms and dark passageways that Manfred
arranged the engagement. However, when Isabella begins to pursues Isabella, intending to rape her. This sexual violence is
pray to heaven to avoid marriage with Manfred, Hippolita stops also incestuous — Isabella is not only Manfred’s de facto
her, claiming that her father should have the final say. By doing daughter but also his contracted daughter-in-law, engaged to
so, Hippolita, though extremely pious, implicitly assumes that a his son. Further, as Manfred’s and Hippolita’s home, the castle
woman’s prayers to divinity are not or should not be as represents another dimension of incest through Manfred’s
important as the commands of one’s father or husband. claim that his marriage to Hippolita is itself incestuous.
Hippolita even goes so far as to claim, “It is not ours to make The castle also serves as the locus for wealth and power, and
election for ourselves: heaven, our fathers, and our husbands, the corruption that often accompanies power. The very walls of
must decide for us.” Hippolita’s belief in such a male-dominated the castle represent how rulership of Otranto has been
worldview suggests that women have no agency of their own; usurped by Manfred’s family, as the castle is haunted by the
all of their decisions must be decided by men or God. That restless ghosts of Alfonso and Ricardo. And when Manfred
Hippolita groups “fathers” and “husbands” with “heaven” himself falls from power, so too do the walls of the castle.
suggests that men have a claim to female obedience equal to
that of God. Further, this patriarchal viewpoint oppresses
women even more profoundly than is at first evident, as it also THE GIANT SUIT OF ARMOR
implies that women are unable to become as close to God as The giant suit of armor that appears in pieces
men. throughout the story serves to fulfill the prophecy
While the women of the novel adore, respect, and obey the given to Manfred’s grandfather by St. Nicholas: “the Castle and
men in their lives, the men view the women as little more than Lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family
objects that will unquestioningly fulfill their desires. For whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit
example, once Hippolita is unable to produce another male heir, it.” The armor that used to belong to Alfonso’s statue literally
Manfred decides to discard her and nearly murders her, as she becomes too big for the castle, making it a very literal symbol of
is no longer useful to him as a reproductive tool. Matilda is Nicholas’s prophecy and suggesting that Manfred’s rule will
objectified both by her father and by her potential suitor. soon end. As the herald of Manfred’s downfall, each
Despite her original intention to become a nun, Manfred appearance by the giant suit of armor in some way thwarts
decides to marry her off to Frederic without consulting her in Manfred’s plans: the giant casque or helmet crushes Conrad to
order to maintain his control over Otranto. Frederic, too, death shortly before the wedding that will cement his family’s
objectifies Matilda by discussing the engagement without her power; the giant foot and leg in armor interrupts Diego and
consent and by using his own daughter as currency to obtain Jaquez’s search for Isabella, allowing her more time to escape
Matilda. from Manfred; the giant hand and arm in armor stops Bianca
from spying on Isabella at Manfred’s behest; and the giant
In the time in which the story is set and in which Walpole wrote,
sabre or sword contains a prophecy that leads to Frederic’s
this objectification of women was also economic. Women were
arrival, which interrupts Manfred from executing Theodore,
regarded as property, and their key selling point was their
the true heir to Otranto.
marriageability — that is, their virginity and their ability to
reproduce. Consequently, noblewomen’s bodies were often The armor, as a kind of embodiment of St. Nicholas’s prophecy,
pawns used by their families to forge alliances and gain also represents the hand of God in determining the fates of the
property and power. characters and (in an example of Walpole’s tongue-in-cheek
humor) literally includes a giant hand that helps influence the
course of events in the narrative. The way the armor thwarts
SYMBOLS Manfred thus further emphasize Manfred’s descent into evil,
and, conversely, Alfonso’s link to heaven.
Symbols appear in teal text throughout the Summary and
Analysis sections of this LitChart.

QUO
QUOTES
TES Page Number: 22
Note: all page numbers for the quotes below refer to the Dover
Explanation and Analysis
Publications edition of The Castle of Otranto published in
2004. Defending his presentation of the servants as simple and
comical in a work of tragedy, Walpole argues that this
authorial decision is justified by the natures of nobles and
The First Edition Preface Quotes peasants, and by the utility of simple characters in making
Letters were then in their most flourishing state in Italy, the story’s noble characters more moving. By assigning
and contributed to dispel the empire of superstition, at that specific behavioral traits to nobles and peasants, Walpole
time so forcibly attacked by the reformers. It is not unlikely, reinforces distinctions in class as well as genre. Walpole’s
that an artful priest might endeavor to turn their own arms on assumption that the lives and minds of peasants must be
the innovators; and might avail himself of his abilities as an merry rather than melancholy complements a literary
author to confirm the populace in their ancient errors and tradition of restricting tragedy to noble characters and
superstitions. comedies to peasant characters. That the peasant
characters exist in Walpole’s novel largely to heighten by
comparison the dramatic lives of the nobles indicates that
Related Themes: their characters are written not as full human beings but as
plot devices.
Page Number: 17

Chapter 1 Quotes
In the first preface to the novel, Walpole, writing as the
The Castle and Lordship of Otranto should pass from the
fictional translator William Marshall, Gent., has just dated
present family whenever the real owner should be grown too
the story to the Crusades and is now discussing the
large to inhabit it.
historical period of the fictional Italian author of the
“original” story, Onuphrio Muralto. Gent speculates that
Muralto, a Catholic priest writing during the Renaissance Related Characters: Theodore, Alfonso, Manfred
and after the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, may
have been using his writing talents to reinforce Catholic Related Themes:
beliefs among the general population and to combat
Protestant skepticism of “superstitions.” Walpole’s first Related Symbols:
preface serves to undermine the story’s class distinctions,
its implicit advocation of the divine right of kings, and the Page Number: 27
Catholic church’s conflicting moral messages.
These words are a prophecy about rulership of Otranto. At
The Second Edition Preface Quotes the beginning of the novel, Manfred is rushing his son
Conrad’s wedding in order to avoid the prophecy, which
The simplicity of their behaviour, almost tending to excite
foretells the end of Manfred’s reign. It is this prophecy that
smiles, which, at first, seems not consonant to the serious cast
drives the entirety of the plot, from Manfred’s arrangement
of the work, appeared to me not only not improper, but was
of Conrad’s wedding to his own pursuit of Isabella, to the
marked designedly in that manner. My rule was nature.
gigantic pieces of armor that mysteriously appear around
However grave, important, or even melancholy, the sensations
the castle. By the end of the novel, it is revealed that these
of princes and heroes may be, they do not stamp the same
pieces of oversized armor belong to Alfonso, the last true
affections on their domestics: at least the latter do not, or
ruler of Otranto. Though Manfred spends almost the
should not be made to, express their passions in the same
entirety of the novel committing sins to fight against this
dignified tone. In my humble opinion, the contrast between the
prophecy, which was originally delivered by St. Nicholas to
sublime of the one and the naïveté of the other, sets the
Manfred’s grandfather, Manfred allows the prophecy to
pathetic of the former in a stronger light.
pass after he accidentally kills his daughter, finally repenting
and seeking atonement as a monk.
Related Themes:

In vain did Manfred’s friends endeavour to divert him from
this savage and ill-grounded resolution. The generality Explanation and Analysis
were charmed with their lord’s decision, which, to their
After Hippolita orders her daughter Matilda to check on her
apprehensions, carried great appearance of justice; as the
father, Matilda, the dutiful daughter, obeys. However, when
magician was to be punished by the very instrument with which
she reaches the door, Manfred does not recognize her and
he had offended: nor were they struck with the least
orders her to leave. Manfred’s inability to recognize Matilda
compunction at the probability of the youth being starved; for
here echoes his more general inability to recognize Isabella
they firmly believed, that, by his diabolical skill, he could easily
as his daughter – whether as his daughter-in-law, or as his
supply himself with nutriment.
de facto daughter from having been his ward – that is
inherent in his desire to force Isabella to marry him and give
Related Characters: Alfonso, Theodore birth to his heir.
Manfred’s declaration, “I do not want a daughter,” points
Related Themes:
both to his desire for a son, a new male heir, and to his
desire to have Isabella as a wife rather than a daughter. This
Related Symbols: passage also suggests perhaps that Isabella is a proxy for
Matilda, making Manfred’s desire for Isabella all the more
Page Number: 31
incestuous.
In this passage, Manfred has just sentenced Theodore to be
trapped under the giant helmet that killed Manfred’s son Manfred rose to pursue her; when the moon, which was
Conrad. The characters’ differing reactions to such an now up, and gleamed in at the opposite casement,
unjust punishment reveals the easily swayed, and presented to his sight the plumes of the fatal helmet, which
bloodthirsty minds of the peasants, as well as the kinder, rose to the height of the windows, waving backwards and
more moral minds of the nobles. While the nobles are able forwards in a tempestuous manner, and accompanied with a
to understand that Manfred’s punishment of Theodore is hollow and rustling sound…. “Heaven nor hell shall impede my
completely unwarranted, the peasants illogically and with designed!” said Manfred, advancing again to seize the princess.
no evidence agree with Manfred’s hasty and angry At that instant, the portrait of his grandfather, which hung over
punishment. The peasants’ belief that Theodore is a the bench where they had been sitting, uttered a deep sigh, and
sorcerer points to the superstitious natures that Walpole heaved its breast.
has painted for them. That the passage aligns Manfred’s
own behavior with that of the peasants and against the Related Characters: Manfred (speaker), Ricardo, Isabella
inclinations of the nobles is a hint that Manfred himself is
not in fact from a noble line despite the fact that he is the Related Themes:
ruler of Otranto.
Related Symbols:
She was, however, just going to beg admittance, when Page Number: 34
Manfred suddenly opened the door; and, as it was now
twilight, concurring with the disorder of his mind, he did not
distinguish the person, but asked angrily, who it was? Matilda Manfred, having had the light taken away by his servant, has
replied, trembling, “My dearest father, it is I, your daughter.” just cornered Isabella in the dark gallery of the castle and
Manfred, stepping back hastily, cried, “Begone! I do not want a declared his intention to rape and marry her. Now, Isabella
daughter”; and flinging back abruptly, clapped the door against has just begun to run away, and though Manfred tries to
the terrified Matilda. follow her, he is stopped by the light of the moon, a symbol
of goodness and chastity, and by the movement of the giant
helmet’s feathers, which wave from side to side as if shaking
Related Characters: Manfred, Matilda (speaker) their heads.
Related Themes: Manfred is thwarted time and again by manifestations of
divine will. When he declares that neither heaven nor hell
Page Number: Book Page 32 will stop him, he is immediately distracted by his

Ashamed, too, of his inhuman treatment of a princess, who
grandfather’s moving portrait, which leads him only to a returned every injury with new marks of tenderness and
slammed door. The implication seems to be both that duty; he felt returning love forcing itself into his eyes—but not
heaven stands against Manfred’s plans, and that the legacy less ashamed of feeling remorse towards one, against whom he
passed down to him by his grandfather – the rulership of was inwardly meditating a yet more bitter outrage, he curbed
Otranto – leads to a dead end. Yet instead of taking these the yearnings of his heart, and did not dare to lean even
hints and ceasing his efforts, Manfred instead refuses to towards pity. The next transition of his soul was to exquisite
stand down. He is working against heaven and fate. villainy. Presuming on the unshaken submission of Hippolita, he
flattered himself that she would not only acquiesce with
patience to a divorce, but would obey, if it was his pleasure, in
That excellent lady, who no more than Manfred doubted endeavouring to persuade Isabella to give him her hand.
the reality of the vision, yet affected to treat it as a
delirium of the servant. Willing, however, to save her lord from Related Characters: Isabella, Hippolita, Manfred
any additional shock, and prepared by a series of grief not to
tremble at any accession to it, she determined to make herself Related Themes:
the first sacrifice, if fate had marked the present hour for their
destruction. Related Symbols:
Related Characters: Diego, Manfred, Hippolita Page Number: 44

Related Themes:
After his initial feverish search for Isabella failed, Manfred
Related Symbols: has calmed down at the reassurance of his wife and begins
to feel remorse for his treatment of both Hippolita and
Page Number: 44 Isabella. However, though he is beginning to feel shame, he
simultaneously feels “a yet more bitter outrage” against
Explanation and Analysis Isabella and his fickle emotions soon bring him back to
Though both are sure of its reality, Hippolita and Manfred “exquisite villainy,” as his anger and pride overcomes his
dismiss the servants’ report of a giant leg in armor as conscience.
superstition. However, as they will soon learn, they are Both highly patriarchal and unreasonably proud of his
wrong to do so, as the armor represents the end of ability to persuade others, Manfred deludes himself into
Manfred’s rule. Hippolita’s decision to offer herself up as a believing that his wife will be so obedient that she would
sacrifice leads her to anticipate disaster throughout the readily betray her morals for him. Though Hippolita does in
novel, and as a result, she is all too ready to consent to a fact agree to a divorce, she does so only passively and
divorce from Manfred when he asks her to do so. without enthusiasm. The passage also captures the way that
Constantly putting Manfred’s needs before her own, female submission, while seen at the time as a virtue, leads
Hippolita’s willingness to sacrifice herself for her husband’s to men requiring and demanding even more submission,
sake is a sign of her selflessness and wifely submission, but even to the point of demanding submission to sinful
at the same time it involves placing her husband’s authority behavior.
above the authority of God, which is a sin.

Chapter 2 Quotes
“O that dear mother! yes, Bianca, ‘tis there I feel the Explanation and Analysis
rugged temper of Manfred. I can support his harshness to me Interrupting Jerome from telling Hippolita of his
with patience; but it wounds my soul when I am witness to his wrongdoings, Manfred asserts that priests and woman have
causeless severity towards her.” “Oh! madam,” said Bianca, “all no place in the political sphere, and asks to speak to Jerome
men use their wives so, when they are weary of them.” “And yet alone. As he will do again and again in his conversations with
your congratulated me but now,” said Matilda, “when you Jerome throughout the novel, Manfred insists on a
fancied my father intended to dispose of me!” “I would have you separation between church and state, a separation which, in
a great lady,” replied Bianca, “come what will. I do not wish to the world of the novel, is shown to be against divine will.
see you moped in a convent, as you would be if you had your Just as he declares that his wife should have no say in his
will, and if my lady, your mother, who knows that a bad husband rule, Manfred argues that a mere priest has no authority
is better than no husband at all, did not hinder you—” over him. However, unlike Hippolita who submits easily to
Manfred’s wishes, Jerome is less tractable in his convictions
and becomes Manfred’s main adversary and foil.
Related Characters: Bianca, Matilda (speaker), Hippolita,
Manfred Further, the implications of Manfred’s argument that
Jerome has no authority over the realm of politics is that
Related Themes: God has no authority over politics, and is therefore a
resistance to the idea of God’s ultimate authority. In the
Page Number: 46 world of the novel – and religious thought at the time the
novel was written – that is a sinful position.
At the beginning of Chapter 2, shortly after Isabella’s
disappearance, Matilda is in her room, ruminating over the
“Holy father,” said Hippolita, “it is your office to be no
day’s events in the company of her servant Bianca. Ever the
respecter of persons: you must speak as your duty
dutiful daughter, Matilda is used to her father’s indifference
prescribes—but it is my duty to hear nothing that it pleases not
but cannot stand his poor treatment of her mother. Bianca’s
my lord I should hear.”
explanation for Manfred’s behavior, that all men “use” their
wives, and her belief that women should be married,
suggest that in her view, women are meant to be married Related Characters: Hippolita (speaker), Father Jerome,
and to be “used” – that women are objects that exist for Manfred
men.
Related Themes:
In contrast, Matilda’s desire to become a nun is thus a desire
to remain independent of a male-dominated society in Page Number: 53-43
which women are oppressed.
After Manfred declares that it is not Hippolita’s place as a
“Father,” interrupted Manfred, “I pay due reverence to woman to listen to what he does not wish her to hear,
your holy profession; but I am sovereign here, and will Hippolita folds easily, submitting to her husband’s desires.
allow no meddling priest to interfere in the affairs of my However, like Manfred, she makes the mistake of implicitly
domestic. If you have aught to say, attend me to my chamber—I supporting a separation between church and state, or in her
do not use to let my wife be acquainted with the secret affairs case, church and everyday life. By speaking of Jerome’s
of my state; they are not within a woman’s province.” obligations to God and her own duties to her husband as if
they are comparable, Hippolita implies that her worldly
duties as a wife, rather than her moral obligations as a
Related Characters: Manfred (speaker), Hippolita, Father
Christian, are of the utmost importance to her. Only at the
Jerome
end of the novel is Hippolita able to put her priorities in
their “proper” order by becoming a nun in the local convent.
Related Themes:
Page Number: 52
I fear no man’s displeasure when a woman in distress puts
herself under my protection.

Related Characters: Theodore (speaker), Manfred, Isabella the best solution for him and his people is to marry Isabella,
who is “dear to [him] as [his] own blood.” Manfred does not
Related Themes: seem to realize that such a marriage would also be
incestuous and that his proposed solution – to avoid incest
Page Number: 57 with his wife by marrying his ward and almost-daughter-in-
law – is illogical.
The gaping lies in Manfred’s speech, meant to prove his
Believing that Theodore and Isabella are in love, Manfred is
suitability as a ruler, ironically prove that he is not suitable
interrogating the peasant about his relationship to Isabella.
to be prince. Though he claims that marrying Isabella would
In response, Theodore declares here that Isabella is under
be “the best, the only way to extinguish the feuds” between
his protection.
himself and Frederic’s men, a far easier solution to end the
Theodore’s brave, though perhaps impetuous, declaration feud and to avoid the supposed incest with Hippolita, would
allows him to take on the roles of hero and knight. That be to renounce his claim over Otranto and retire to the
Isabella is “a woman in distress…under [his] protection” convent, just as he does at the end of the novel. The double
emphasizes that even narratives of chivalry, where women meaning of Manfred’s insistence that he is “born for his
are to be protected, are patriarchal constructs in which people” is ironic, as Manfred, the grandson of a chamberlain,
women must simultaneously be protected from men and was never meant to be born into rulership at all, and as he
are dependent on men for their safety. Women in chivalric could have easily given Otranto over to Frederic to provide
tales provide much the same roles as Walpole’s servant his people with a successor.
characters; just as the servants make the nobles appear
grander, so too do damsels in distress make knights appear
all the more heroic.
Matilda disengaged herself from her women, stole up to
the black tower, and unbolting the door, presented herself
Chapter 3 Quotes to the astonished Theodore. “Young man,” said she, “though
filial duty and womanly modesty condemn the step I am taking,
Know then, that I have long been troubled in mind on my yet holy charity, surmounting all other ties, justifies this act. Fly,
union with the princess Hippolita…for we are related within the the doors of thy prison are open: my father and his domestics
forbidden degrees. My only difficulty was to fix on a successor, are absent, but they may soon return.”
who would be tender of my people, and to dispose of the Lady
Isabella, who is dear to me as my own blood. I was willing to
restore the line of Alfonso, even in his most distant kindred…. I Related Characters: Matilda (speaker), Manfred, Theodore
would submit to anything for the good of my people—were it
not the best, the only way to extinguish the feuds between our Related Themes:
families, if I was to take the Lady Isabella to wife—you
Page Number: 71
start—but, though Hippolita’s virtues will ever be dear to me, a
prince must not consider himself; he is born for his people. Explanation and Analysis
While all of Manfred’s men are racing Frederic’s knights to
Related Characters: Manfred (speaker), Alfonso, Isabella, find Isabella, Theodore is locked in a prison that is now
Hippolita unguarded. By freeing Theodore from prison, Matilda
reverses traditional gender roles of knight and damsel in
Related Themes: distress. It is not the princess who is freed from the locked
tower by a knight, as would normally be expected of heroic
Page Number: 69-70 tales, but rather the knight who is freed by the princess.
Explanation and Analysis Playing a “masculine” role, Matilda is aware that her actions
After inviting Frederic’s men into the castle, Manfred is go against both her father’s wishes and against “womanly
determined to appease them in order to maintain his rule, modesty.” However, her violation of both worldly norms is
and so he recycles for the knights the same story that he justified by “holy charity,” which “surmount[s] all other ties.”
believes worked on Jerome. Claiming that he wishes to Unlike her mother, whose Christian morals often yield to
avoid incest by divorcing his wife, Manfred proposes that her husband’s wishes, Matilda’s freeing of an unjustly

imprisoned man confirms that spiritual values must be

Related Symbols:
placed above all else.
Page Number: 80
Arriving there, he sought the gloomiest shades, as best Explanation and Analysis
suited to the pleasing melancholy that reigned in his mind. At the beginning of Chapter 4, after Theodore mistakenly
In this mood he roved insensibly to the caves which had injures Frederic and brings him to the castle with Isabella,
formerly served as a retreat to hermits, and were now reported Frederic reveals a prophecy inscribed on a giant sword led
round the country to be haunted by evil spirits. He recollected him to Otranto. This is the second prophecy of the novel,
to have heard this tradition; and being of a brave and and it claims that near the helmet matching the sword,
adventurous disposition, he willingly indulged his curiosity in Frederic’s daughter Isabella will be in danger, and that only
exploring the secret recesses of this labyrinth…He thought the “Alfonso’s blood,” can save her and free Alfonso’s ghost.
place more likely to be infested by robbers than by those That Isabella is the “maid” to be “saved” reinforces gender
infernal agents who are reported to molest and bewilder stereotypes of women as damsels in distress, especially if
travelers. “Alfonso’s blood” is Theodore, her future husband, or
Frederic, her father. In both cases, the prophecy would
Related Characters: Theodore affirm the idea that women must always be under their
fathers’ or husbands’ authority and protection. This is
Related Themes: similar to the legal doctrine known as coverture, which
originated in the Middle Ages and which decreed that
Page Number: 74 married women had no legal rights, as their legal status was
“covered” under that of their husbands. However, one
possible positive feminist reading of the prophecy is that
After being freed by Matilda and set on a path towards a Isabella, who is also related to Alfonso, saves herself by
labyrinth of hidden caves, Theodore is searching for escaping Manfred’s clutches.
Isabella, eager to prove himself. Now with his set of armor
Just as the first prophecy (that the current ruler of Otranto
from Matilda, Theodore’s bravery and desire for
shall be supplanted when “the real owner should be grown
“adventure” make him the typical heroic knight, situating the
too large to inhabit it”) motivates many of Manfred’s
reader firmly in a story of medieval romance. Theodore’s
decisions and actions, the second prophecy also plays an
“insensible” roving is not unlike the tendency of knights in
important role in the story’s plot. The second prophecy
chivalric tales to wander aimlessly through forests or the
provides Frederic with a mission, leading to his arrival at
countryside, only to stumble upon adventure.
Otranto and his search for Isabella, both of which hinder
Despite reports of evil spirits haunting the caves, Theodore Manfred’s plans to execute Theodore, who becomes the
pushes onward, believing that the stories are untrue. Like ruler of Otranto.
Matilda and other nobles in the story, Theodore dismisses
such reports as superstition, further distinguishing himself
as a noble (as opposed to a superstitious peasant).
And jealousy, that, for a moment, had raised a coolness
between these amiable maidens, soon gave way to the
Chapter 4 Quotes natural sincerity and candour of their souls. Each confessed to
the other the impression that Theodore had made on her; and
Where’er a casque that suits this sword is found, this confidence was followed by a struggle of generosity, each
With perils is thy daughter compass’ed round; insisting on yielding her claim to her friend.
Alfonso’s blood alone can save the maid,
And quiet a long restless prince’s shade.
Related Characters: Theodore, Isabella, Matilda
Related Characters: Frederic (speaker), Alfonso, Theodore, Related Themes:

Isabella
Page Number: 85
Related Themes:

It is not ours to make election for ourselves: heaven, our
Explanation and Analysis fathers, and our husbands, must decide for us. Have
patience until you hear what Manfred and Frederic have
Now that Isabella has returned to the castle with Theodore,
determined. If the marquis accepts Matilda’s hand, I know she
Matilda suspects that the two are in love with each other,
will readily obey. Heaven may interpose and prevent the rest.
while Isabella, in love with Theodore herself, perceives that
he is actually loves Matilda. After a tense conversation in
which both women are reluctant to declare their love, the Related Characters: Hippolita (speaker), Isabella, Matilda,
two princesses talk more sincerely, each willing to give up Frederic, Manfred
their romantic claims for the sake of her friend.
Related Themes:
That romantic love gets in the way of Matilda and Isabella’s
friendship suggests that romantic love is a corrupting force. Page Number: 87
Just as Manfred’s desire for Isabella causes him to become
irrationally jealous and manipulative, the women’s love for Explanation and Analysis
Theodore evokes jealousy and insincerity in them both. Advising Isabella to listen to her father first, Hippolita
However, unlike Manfred, who gives himself completely to declares that it is not the place of a woman to make any
his lust for power and Isabella, the princesses are able to choices for herself and that such choices must be made by
revert to their better natures by renouncing their romantic “heaven, our fathers, and our husbands.” Without
desires. distinguishing between the level of authority that heaven,
fathers, and husbands each have over women, Hippolita
implies that fathers and husbands have at least equal
“Thou art as much too good for this world,” said Isabella, authority over women compared to heaven. Just as she
“as Manfred is execrable—but think not, lady, that thy assumed in Chapter 2 that Jerome’s obligations to the
weakness shall determine for me. I swear, hear me all ye angels” divine were comparable to her obligations to her husband,
— Stop, I adjure thee,” cried Hippolita; “remember thou dost not Hippolita mistakenly implies that men’s authority over
depend on thyself; thou hast a father.” women is as important as divine authority.
Though Hippolita is a pious woman, her approach to
Related Characters: Hippolita, Isabella (speaker), Frederic, adhering to Christian principles is passive at best. Though
Manfred Father Jerome is a spiritual authority, she turns to him to
explain the moral ramifications of Frederic’s marriage to
Related Themes: Matilda only after she has already proposed the marriage
idea to Manfred. Leaving the decision up to Manfred and
Page Number: 87 Frederic as the male authorities, Hippolita does not actively
try to shape or prevent a certain outcome but rather leaves
Explanation and Analysis it to heaven to prevent an immoral situation.
After Matilda and Isabella reconcile, Hippolita arrives to
announce that she has proposed a marriage between
Matilda and Frederic. Isabella, knowing that this will make
“Come, come,” resumed the friar, “inconsiderate youth, this
Manfred’s plans to marry her easier, begins to pray.
must not be; eradicate this guilty passion from thy
However, Hippolita stops her, telling Isabella that she must
breast.”—“Guilty passion!” cried Theodore, “Can guilt dwell with
listen to her father (Frederic) first.
innocent beauty and virtuous modesty?”—“It is sinful,” replied
Hippolita’s interruption of Isabella’s prayer shows once the friar, “to cherish those whom heaven has doomed to
again that Hippolita’s priorities are not in order. By claiming destruction. A tyrant’s race must be swept from the earth to
that Isabella’s fate depends on her father, Hippolita is the third and fourth generation.”
implying that Frederic’s authority as a father is greater than
the divine authority of the angels. Just as she does with her
own husband, Hippolita privileges female obedience to Related Characters: Father Jerome, Theodore (speaker),
worldly, masculine authority above Christian obligations to Matilda, Manfred
divine will.
Related Themes:

Page Number: 89-90 marrying Matilda, and places his romantic desires and
desire to control Otranto above his divinely sanctioned
Explanation and Analysis mission.
Shortly before Hippolita seeks Jerome’s advice about a Though Manfred’s marriage to Isabella would already be
marriage between Frederic and Matilda, Jerome is advising sinful, as she is his de facto daughter and was meant to be
his son to relinquish his love for Matilda. Jerome’s warning his daughter-in-law, the double marriage between the two
against “guilty passion” reinforces the novel’s previous men and each other’s daughters would be even more
implications that romantic love is a corrupting force. incestuous because of the complicated in-law relationships
Jerome’s declaration that it is sinful to love a “a tyrant’s resulting from the marriages. At the times that both
race,” which is doomed for destruction, originates from the Walpole and his persona Muralto were writing, marriages
Bible. In his first preface to Otranto, Walpole, posing as the between in-laws were still considered incestuous. For
story’s fictional translator, criticizes the fictional Italian example, in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which Walpole claims to
“author” of story, Onuphrio Muralto, for using this Bible emulate, the marriage between Gertrude and Claudius is
quote on the grounds that it as an ineffective moral for the considered incestuous because Claudius is both Gertrude’s
story because tyrants rarely care about the consequences brother-in-law and her husband. The double marriage that
of their actions if those consequences are delayed to the Manfred proposes would result in even more confusing
third and fourth generations. Walpole (still posing as the relationships, as both fathers would also be their daughters’
translator rather than the actual narrator of the story) sons-in-law and as both daughters would be each other’s
further adds that this message of unavoidable doom is stepmothers.
undermined by Muralto’s conflicting message that prayer
will save them. Though Matilda and Conrad (the fourth
generation following Richard, the original tyrant) both die, Chapter 5 Quotes
Manfred (the third generation) avoids death by repenting That prince had discovered so much passion for Matilda,
and retiring to the convent. Walpole, a Protestant, that Manfred hoped to obtain all he wished by holding out or
purposefully calls attention to his construction of these withdrawing his daughter’s charms, according as the marquis
conflicting religious lessons, perhaps to highlight the often should appear more or less disposed to co-operate in his views.
contradictory messages posed by Catholic doctrine.
Related Characters: Matilda, Frederic, Manfred
Manfred, in the mean time, had broken his purpose to Related Themes:
Frederic, and proposed the double marriage. That weak
prince, who had been struck with the charms of Matilda, Page Number: 94
listened but too eagerly to the offer. He forgot his enmity to
Manfred, whom he saw but little hope of dispossessing by
force; and flattering himself that no issue might succeed from Delighted at the extent of Frederic’s temptation for Matilda,
the union of his daughter with the tyrant, he looked upon his Manfred decides to use his daughter to manipulate Frederic
own succession to the principality as facilitated by wedding into yielding to Manfred’s plans. Having forgotten the
Matilda. reason for his arrival at Otranto, Frederic’s “passion” for
Matilda renders him more easily manipulated and thus
corruptible.
Related Characters: Isabella, Matilda, Frederic, Manfred
Manfred’s ability to use Matilda as a carrot to wave in front
Related Themes: of Frederic stems from a patriarchal system that objectifies
women and exploits female bodies. As Matilda’s father,
Page Number: Book Page 91 Manfred is able to dispose of her as he wishes. As a woman’s
marriageability was often tied to her physical appearance
Explanation and Analysis and virginity, the female body became a form of currency
While Jerome is urging Hippolita not to consent to divorce, exchanged by wealthy and noble fathers for land, wealth, or
Manfred is proposing that he and Frederic marry each power.
other’s daughters. Frederic, forgetting his mission to save
Isabella from Manfred, is deeply tempted by the thought of

The moment Theodore appeared, the walls of the castle “Thou guiltless, but unhappy woman! unhappy by my
behind Manfred were thrown down with a mighty force, crimes!” replied Manfred, “my heart, at last, is open to thy
and the form of Alfonso, dilated to an immense magnitude, devout admonitions. Oh! could—but it cannot be—ye are lost in
appeared in the centre of the ruins. “Behold in Theodore the wonder—let me at last do justice on myself! To heap shame on
true heir of Alfonso!” said the vision: and having pronounced my own head is all the satisfaction I have left to offer to
these words, accompanied by a clap of thunder, it ascended offended Heaven. My story has drawn down these judgements:
solemnly towards Heaven, where, the clouds parting asunder, let my confession atone—but ah! what can atone for
the form of St. Nicholas was seen, and receiving Alfonso’s usurpation, and a murdered child! a child murdered in a
shade, they were soon wrapt from mortal eyes in a blaze of consecrated place!—List, sirs, and may this bloody record be a
glory. warning to future tyrants!
Related Characters: Alfonso (speaker), Manfred, Theodore Related Characters: Manfred (speaker), Matilda, Hippolita
Related Themes: Related Themes:
Related Symbols: Page Number: 105

Page Number: 104
Repentant for killing his daughter and awed by the
Explanation and Analysis appearance of Alfonso’s ghost, Manfred is finally ready to
After Manfred kills Matilda’s (thinking she was Isabella), the atone for his sins and to listen to Hippolita, marking a
castle is beset by an earthquake that drives out its drastic change from his previous refusal to listen to
inhabitants. As soon as Theodore goes out into the court, anything a priest or woman had to say. Confessing his
the walls behind Manfred come crashing down, indicating murder of Matilda and the story of how his grandfather
that Manfred’s power, residing in the castle walls, is now usurped the throne, Manfred presents his story as a
destroyed. “warning to future tyrants.”
In the ruins’ place appears the giant ghost of Alfonso, However, one could argue that, because Walpole dismissed
fulfilling the ancient prophecy Manfred feared. Alfonso’s the effectiveness of Muralto’s “message” in his first preface,
likeness to Theodore bolsters the ghost’s message that Manfred’s transformation from a lustful, power-hungry
Theodore is the rightful ruler of Otranto. Though the other tyrant to a repentant monk seems less a warning against
supernatural phenomena in the story are hinted or would-be tyrants than a warning against the Catholic
speculated by the characters to be of divine will, the religious agenda of an “artful priest.” That said, it is never
appearance of Alfonso’s ghost, the story’s last supernatural entirely clear just how seriously Walpole takes any of these
phenomenon, is clearly divinely ordained, as the ghost rises various layers of the story (the fictional translator
to heaven and as St. Nicholas appears “in a blaze of glory.” interpreting an Italian story by a fictional author who was a
This final divine intervention pushes Manfred, Hippolita, Catholic priest), and to what degree he created all of these
and Frederic to suppress their worldly desires for the sake layers mainly to add mystery and excitement to his effort to
of their faith, and establishes that with the rise of Theodore write a rollicking good story.
to the rulership of Otranto that the order of things ordained
by heaven has been set right.

SUMMARY AND ANAL

ANALYSIS
YSIS
The color-coded icons under each analysis entry make it easy to track where the themes occur most prominently throughout the
work. Each icon corresponds to one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this LitChart.
THE FIRST EDITION PREFACE

The author of the preface, “William Marshal, Gent.,” claims that Writing as “William Marshal, Gent.,” Horace Walpole poses as the
he found a 1529 copy of The Castle of Otranto in its original work’s translator and discoverer. In this first preface, Walpole begins
Italian in the library of an ancient Catholic family in northern to set up the novel’s “Gothicness” through setting – namely that the
England. Marshal claims that the manuscript takes place “in the story’s events occur long ago in a far away country (medieval Italy,
darkest ages of Christianity” but that the story’s language is far to Walpole’s British readers).
from barbaric.
He dates the story’s origins between the first and last crusades Walpole’s framing of the story as an ancient tale both lends it
(1095-1243) and narrows this down further, proposing that credibility and allows him to treat it as a spoof. Part of Walpole’s
the story takes place before Aragon kings took power in humor is derived from his hyperbolic self-praise. Pretending to be
Naples, based on the Spanish names of the story’s servants and the “translator,” Walpole uses his historical knowledge as an
on “the beauty of the diction, and the zeal of the author antiquarian to make the claim that the author (himself) possesses
(moderated, however, by singular judgment.” literary “beauty” and “singular judgment” all the more convincing.
Marshal notes that letters and literature flourished in Italy and Indulging in self-praise, Walpole hyperbolically asserts that his
speculates that “an artful priest” may have taken advantage of language is so powerful that it could “enslave” hundreds of people.
his command of language to “confirm the populace in their At the same time, Walpole (still pretending to be the translator of
ancient errors and superstitions,” resulting in a work that the text) attributes the effort to “enslave” to the religious agenda of a
“would enslave a hundred vulgar minds,” more so than any of Catholic priest, an indictment of Catholicism that the Protestants of
the books from Luther’s time to the time that Marshal is writing England would be likely to agree with (and enjoy). The translator’s
(the 18th century). claim that this “artful priest’s” writing is more powerful than any
book from Luther’s time sneakily insinuates the falseness of
Catholic superstition compared to the less powerful but more
truthful Protestant (or Lutheran) writings.
He claims that the work can only be viewed as an At the time that Walpole was writing, the story’s medieval setting
entertainment but still feels the need to defend its and its associated superstitious beliefs were regarded as barbaric.
supernatural elements, which he notes are rejected by modern Walpole’s defense of such features in his “translation” of a fictional
(18th century) writers but were not at the time that Otranto’s medieval author’s work is presented as a historical artifact rather
author, “Onuphrio Muralto,” was writing. Marshal argues that than as a deliberate use of the supernatural in literature.
Muralto’s presentation of such elements is consistent with
what people would have believed in the time that the story was
set.
©2020 LitCharts LLC www.LitCharts.com Page 17

He also praises the work’s language, the realistic quality of the Walpole’s praise of the literary qualities of the story serve to make
characters, and the pacing of the story, which is driven by the up for the presence of the supernatural, and he further defends his
author’s use of terror and pity. He defends a possible objection authorship through his presentation of the peasants as simple and
to the presentation of the servants as too comical, arguing that superstitious compared to the dignified nobility. However, his
their “naiveté and simplicity” is key to uncovering important defense is not concerned with class distinctions or genre but rather
information and to driving the plot forward. with the utility of the servants as plot devices.
Marshal then defends his own defense and praise of the work Taking the roles of editor and translator, Walpole, as Marshal, points
by showing that he is aware of the story’s faults, most notably to the story’s faults, which are assumed to be Muralto’s religious
the moral of the story: “the sins of the fathers are visited on lesson about the inevitability of doom passed from sinful fathers to
their children to the third and fourth generation.” Marshal future generations (an idea that originates in the Christian Bible)
claims that the moral is weakened by the story’s suggestion and about Muralto’s contradictory lesson that prayer can avert
that disaster can be avoided by praying to St. Nicholas, and that disaster. After he criticizes Muralto’s Catholic religious agenda,
this was an example of the monk’s Catholic religious agenda. Marshal then immediately praises the story’s “lessons of virtue” –
Nevertheless Marshal expects his readers will enjoy the story, which is perhaps Walpole’s recognition (and creation) of the
as its “piety” and “lessons of virtue” make it superior to most fictional translator’s own hypocrisy.
romances.
He praises the original Italian version, deprecating his English In praising the “original” Italian in comparison to his translation,
translation while exalting Muralto’s style “as elegant, as his Walpole masks self-praise as self-deprecation, deliberately pointing
conduct of the passions is masterly.” Though he believes the to an ancient Italian work that he himself created. By hinting that
story and its characters are fictitious, Marshal theorizes that the story is set in Strawberry Hill, the faux-medieval castle he built
the story is set in a real castle, based on the author’s detailed for himself, Walpole humorously points to himself as the author by
description of certain rooms and objects, and invites curious setting unsuspecting readers on a wild goose chase for the story’s
readers to look for the original castle in the works of other supposedly ancient and original castle.
Italian writers, claiming that doing so will make The Castle of
Otranto “still more moving.”
THE SECOND EDITION PREFACE

Because of the public’s acceptance of the book, Walpole wrote Now writing under his own name, Walpole claims that his
a new preface to the second edition of the novel in which he anonymous publication of Otranto was motivated by his wariness
acknowledges his authorship of Otranto and apologizes for of public reaction. Contradicting “Marshall’s” argument that the
posing as Marshal and Muralto. He claims that he did so story’s supernatural elements were to be expected of a medieval
because he was uncertain of the public’s reaction, as he was author, Walpole’s claim that he is blending medieval and realist
attempting to synthesize for the first time “the two kinds of genres represents the beginning of his own brand of “Gothic.”
romance, the ancient and the modern” — that is, the
imaginative fantasy of medieval romance and the realism that
had become popular in novels by Walpole’s time. The result,
according to Walpole, is the natural actions and feelings of his
characters in response to supernatural events.

Walpole then expands on the explanation he gave in the first Whereas in the first preface, Walpole defended the servants’
preface for his presentation of the servants. Defending the comicality and naiveté as a matter of plot, here he argues that his
contrast between the comic quality of the servants and the representation of the servants was determined by realism and by his
serious tone of the rest of the novel, he argues that “[his] rule desire to make his principal characters more dignified by
was nature,” implying that unlike princes, servants do not lead comparison. By doing so, he simultaneously reinforces class
“grave, important, or even melancholy” lives. He further argues distinctions in genre (where tragedy concerned nobles and comedies
that this contrast makes the noble characters more attractive, often concerned peasants) and exploits his peasant characters for
and their plotlines more engaging. the sake of his noble characters.
He uses Shakespeare as his model, highlighting the comic relief Walpole’s justification for mixing comedy with tragedy is
provided by lower-class characters from Hamlet and Julius Shakespeare’s own mixing of genres. Criticizing Voltaire for
Caesar
Caesar. Responding to Voltaire’s objection to “this mixture of criticizing such practices, Walpole exhibits his nationalist literary
buffoonery and solemnity,” Walpole claims Shakespeare’s pride. By comparing one of England’s most-renowned writers
superiority over Voltaire. He also points to a preface from one (Shakespeare) with one of France’s (Voltaire), Walpole insinuates the
of Voltaire’s earlier works, Enfant Prodigue, in which the preface literary superiority of the English over the French. By pointing to the
author wrote that there is “un mélange de serieux et de preface of one of Voltaire’s early works as proof of his own genre
plaisanterie” (or, a mixture of seriousness and jest) in comedy. argument, Walpole further discredits Voltaire’s later criticisms of
Walpole argues that if such a mixture can exist in comedy, it can Shakespeare.
also exist in tragedy.
Though he acknowledges that the author of the preface in Though Walpole does not substantiate his claim that Voltaire is the
Voltaire’s book was actually Voltaire’s editor and not Voltaire author of Enfant Prodigue’s preface, such a claim further
himself, he then claims that they – Voltaire and his editor – are compares Walpole with Voltaire, since Walpole himself was his own
in fact the same person, based on one of Voltaire’s previous editor, or rather “translator,” in disguise. By then criticizing French
writings. Walpole then shifts gears, criticizing French poetry in poetry, by proclaiming Shakespeare’s superiority to Voltaire and his
relation to Shakespeare, before telling the reader that he wrote French contemporaries, and by claiming that he is imitating
Otranto both as “a new species of romance” and as a faint Shakespeare, Walpole is implying that his writing, like
imitation of Shakespeare: “the brightest genius this country, at Shakespeare’s, is superior to Voltaire and French poetry.
least, has produced.”

CHAPTER 1
Manfred, the prince of Otranto, has two children, a beautiful, The narrator’s description of Matilda as a young, beautiful virgin
virginal 18-year-old daughter Matilda, whom he ignores, and a points to the economic value assigned to virginity — whose
sickly, unaccomplished 15-year-old son Conrad, whom he associated qualities of marriageability and reproductive utility
favors. At the beginning of the story, Manfred is impatiently motivate Manfred’s interest in Isabella and his disinterest in his wife
waiting for the marriage between his son and Isabella, the Hippolita, who is sterile. However, Manfred still favors his son over
daughter of the Marquis of Vincenza. Hippolita, Manfred’s wife, his daughter, a sign of his sexism even within an already patriarchal
previously noted several times the danger of an early marriage system in which Matilda would be considered valuable currency.
for their son, but Manfred only ever responded by blaming her Though the peasants are correct in guessing Manfred’s motivations
for her supposed sterility. Though Manfred’s friends attribute for the early marriage, they have no evidence to support their
his impatience to the poor health of his son, they are afraid to assumption, showing that even if they have a kind of instinctual
comment because of Manfred’s temper. In contrast, the sense of the truth they are also simple and superstitious in
servants gossip widely that Manfred is trying to avoid an comparison to the nobles, who attribute kinder reasons to
ancient prophecy (that “the Castle and Lordship of Otranto Manfred’s impatience.
should pass from the present family whenever the real owner
should be grown too large to inhabit it”), despite their inability
to see how the prophecy could be connected to Conrad’s
marriage.
The wedding is set for Conrad’s birthday, and on the day of the As Walpole pointed out in his prefaces, terror drives the story
event, everyone but Conrad is at the chapel. A servant sent to forward. Without knowing what made the servant fearful, everyone
retrieve the young groom rushes back to the chapel in fear and in the chapel is in terror. Hippolita even swoons, an act that
points wordlessly to the court. Everyone is in terror; Hippolita overwhelmed noblewomen often do in Gothic literature. The cruel
faints, and Matilda and Isabella take care of her, while Manfred irony is that Conrad dies on both his birthday and the day he was to
goes out to the court, only to discover that a giant helmet with be married, but the manner in which he dies also makes this irony
black feathers had fallen from the sky and crushed Conrad to humorous: that he is killed by a giant helmet falling from the sky is
death. utterly absurd. The helmet, the story’s first supernatural
appearance, also triggers the fulfillment of the prophecy feared by
Manfred. The appearance of the giant helmet, combined with the
prophecy that the real ruler of Otranto would be “too large” to fit in
a castle, suggests that true ruler was the owner of the armor.
Manfred, at first speechless, seems less upset by the death of Though Conrad was his favorite child, Manfred’s lack of concern for
his favorite child and more interested in the giant helmet. him suggests that his interest in Conrad was linked more to his
Utterly unconcerned for his wife and daughter, his first words marriage with Isabella, which will cement Manfred’s family’s claim
are an order to “take care of the Lady Isabella.” The servants to the throne, than to Conrad himself. Manfred’s ominous order to
bring a shocked and distraught Hippolita to her room. Matilda “take care of the Lady Isabella” foreshadows his later sexual
assists her, as does Isabella, who regards Hippolita as a mother advances on Isabella. That Isabella views Hippolita as a mother
and who is secretly relieved not to have to marry Conrad – implicitly poses Manfred as a father figure, albeit one that terrifies
both because she does not love Conrad and because Manfred’s her. This de facto father-daughter relationship between Manfred
temper toward Matilda and Hippolita terrifies her, despite his and Isabella makes Manfred’s sexual interest in her doubly
unusual kindness towards her. incestuous, as she was also meant to be his daughter-in-law.

In the court, all of Manfred’s attention is on the giant helmet. The contrast between Manfred’s and the peasant’s behavior seems
When a young peasant observes its similarity to the helmet on at first to contradict the dichotomy that Walpole has set up
the statue of Alfonso the Good in the church of St. Nicholas, between the naïve and superstitious peasants and the dignified and
Manfred flies into a rage, grabs the peasant, accuses him of refined nobility. That the peasant is observant, dignified, strong, and
treason, and threatens to kill him. Surprised yet remaining humble, especially in comparison to Manfred’s unwarranted rage,
dignified, the peasant easily removes himself from Manfred’s reveals their true natures (spoiler alert): the peasant as Otranto’s
grasp and humbly asks what he did wrong. Without responding, rightful ruler and Manfred as a usurper who stole the throne.
Manfred orders his servants to seize him.
At that moment, a few peasants returned from the church, After the peasant is proved right, Manfred is even more
confirming that Alfonso’s statue was missing its helmet. unreasonably angry. His order to have the peasant imprisoned
Panicked and enraged, Manfred accuses the young peasant of shows that he is not a just ruler, and is more like a peasant than a
killing Conrad through witchcraft and orders his men to nobleman – a fact emphasized by the contrast in the other
imprison the peasant underneath the giant helmet. While the peasants’ and noble’s reactions. While the other peasants (and
other peasants form a mob, cheering Manfred’s vilification of Manfred) accuse the young peasant of witchcraft, the nobles
the young peasant, Manfred’s friends urge him, unsuccessfully, recognize how illogical and unfounded their accusation is.
not to pass such a severe and unwarranted punishment.
Hippolita, who has regained her consciousness, is now entirely Despite Manfred’s cruelty towards her and her sterility, Hippolita is
focused on Manfred’s wellbeing and orders Matilda to watch completely devoted to her husband. When she sends Matilda to
over him. Matilda, ever the dutiful daughter, obeys, despite her comfort him, Manfred’s inability to recognize his own daughter
fear of her father. However, when Manfred opens the door, he foreshadows two things: his inability to recognize Isabella as a
is unable to recognize Matilda, asking who she is. When daughter (and desire to marry her) and another instance later in the
Matilda responds that she is his daughter, Manfred yells at her book when Manfred will fail to recognize Matilda, with deadly
to leave, saying “I do not want a daughter.” consequences. His declaration that he does not want a daughter
suggests both that he wants a son (i.e. a male heir) instead and that
he wants Isabella as a wife rather than as a daughter (in order to
produce sons).
Not wanting to upset her mother, Matilda returns to Hippolita That Manfred has the light taken away, leaving himself and Isabella
with news that Manfred is well. A servant arrives, summoning in darkness, represents the nefariousness of his plans. Manfred’s
Isabella to speak with Manfred in the gallery. When Isabella forgetting of Isabella’s name suggests how his mind is overwhelmed
arrives, Manfred orders his servant to take away the light. by his desires (and also how for him all women are just means to an
Forgetting Isabella’s name, he is at first confused but soon end). That Manfred forgets Isabella not long after forgetting Matilda
regains his focus, telling Isabella that his son was unworthy of also suggests that for Manfred the two of them are connected: that
her, renouncing his fondness for his son, and claiming that “the for Manfred Isabella might be a proxy for Matilda, and his desire for
line of Manfred calls for numerous supports.” Isabella is therefore a stand-in for an even more incestuous desire
for his own biological daughter. Manfred’s insistence that he
requires “numerous supports” – a euphemism for multiple women
producing multiple heirs – is sinful both because of his desire for
bigamy and because of the incest that would result from such a
marriage.

Surprised, Isabella believes that Manfred suspects her lack of At first unsuspecting of Manfred’s motives, Isabella’s loyalty toward
love towards Conrad. Isabella tells him not to worry, that she Manfred and Hippolita as parents shows that she is a dutiful
would have been faithful to Conrad had they married and that daughter and would have been a dutiful wife. Unlike Manfred,
she will always view Manfred and Hippolita as her parents. Isabella is able to recognize that a marriage between herself and
Cursing Hippolita, Manfred insinuates that he will be a better Manfred would not only be incestuous and sinful but also a betrayal
husband for her than Conrad, but Isabella, forsaking marriage of Hippolita. However, Manfred is intent on producing male heirs to
until her father arrives to arrange another engagement, does extend his family’s rule, regardless of the sinful means by which he
not understand until Manfred declares outright his intention to will try to reach his goals. His desire for power outweighs any care
marry her. Despite Isabella’s protests that he is her father-in- about morality.
law and Hippolita’s husband, Manfred claims that he is
divorcing his wife in order to produce more sons through
Isabella. Grabbing a horrified Isabella, he proclaims his
intention to have sex with her that night.
Screaming in fear, Isabella runs away but is followed by As Isabella tries to reason with him that Manfred’s attempt to rape
Manfred, who is momentarily distracted by moonlight shining her is against divine will, Manfred’s pride and worldly desires make
on the giant helmet through the window. Though Isabella him unable to see that he is not as powerful as God. Yet as soon as
claims that Manfred’s intentions are against heaven’s will, he declares his superiority to heaven, he is hindered by supernatural
Manfred claims that neither heaven nor hell will stop him. At phenomena.
that moment, while Isabella escapes, a painting of Manfred’s
grandfather moves out of its portrait and leads Manfred to a
room, only to have the door slam shut before he can enter.
Meanwhile, a frightened Isabella is thinking frantically about Isabella’s flight from Manfred is fraught with what became typical
where to go. Despite her initial instinct, she decides not to go to features of the Gothic novel – these features were inspired by
Hippolita, as she suspects both that Manfred would find her Otranto itself. Secret passageways, silences, eerie winds and noises,
there and that he would kill Hippolita. Remembering an and lights suddenly going out, proliferated not only in Gothic novels
underground passage leading away from the castle, she but also remain as elements of what might be described as the
decides to seek sanctuary at the church of St. Nicholas. Her descendants of Gothic novels: modern horror novels and films.
journey to the secret passage is haunted by an eerie silence,
howling winds, and the sounds of creaking doors. At the door of
the passageway, her lamp is suddenly blown out by the wind
and she sees a mysterious figure, whom she fears is the ghost
of Conrad.
However, the figure is a stranger, whose kind voice offers to In helping Isabella escape through the trap door (another Gothic
help Isabella and to protect her from Manfred with his life. staple), the peasant, who was wrongfully imprisoned by Manfred,
Together, Isabella and the stranger open a trap-door, but soon shows that he is kind and chivalrous. When he helps Isabella escape,
hear the voices of Manfred and his servants. Isabella goes his character begins to emerge as the story’s hero.
down the stairs before Manfred arrives, but the trap-door
slams shut between herself and the stranger. Manfred,
believing he will find Isabella, discovers instead the young
peasant, who had escaped from the giant helmet. Manfred
questions the peasant, who spins the truth in order to protect
Isabella.

While Manfred contemplates pardoning the peasant, two Once again, Manfred’s hunt for Isabella is thwarted by the
servants, Diego and Jaquez, arrive in fear. With some difficulty supernatural, this time in the form of a giant leg in armor. The
because of their rambling and inarticulate speech, Manfred peasant’s bravery, uncharacteristic of a peasant’s stature, hints that
learns that during the servants’ search for Isabella, they he is not a peasant at all, but rather a noble. The peasant’s interest
encountered a giant leg in armor in the court. The peasant in “adventure” was typical of medieval knights in chivalric literature.
expresses interest in pursuing the “adventure,” and Manfred,
impressed that his bravery is “above [his] seeming,” allows the
peasant, along with a few servants, to accompany him to
Hippolita’s apartment.
The narrator then flashes back to Manfred in the moments Intent on marrying Isabella, Manfred is cruel to Hippolita, who
immediately after Isabella escaped him. Manfred, searching for nevertheless remains a faithful and devoted wife. The one-sidedness
Isabella in Hippolita’s room, rejects his wife’s affection, asking of their relationship is evidence of the patriarchal society they live
only for Isabella. He accuses a confused Hippolita of jealousy, in.
ominously declaring that she will soon understand, and orders
her to send him her chaplain before leaving the room.
Back in the present, Manfred meets Hippolita and her chaplain Hippolita, concerned about her husband, tries to reassure Manfred
in the gallery. Hippolita, who had been informed by Diego of by denying the supernatural events recounted by the servants.
the giant leg in armor, assures him that it was merely a story, However, by doing so, Hippolita is placing her love for her husband
though secretly, both Hippolita and Manfred believe it was real. above what is presented in the story as divine will. Emotionally
Calmed by Hippolita’s kindness, Manfred begins to feel fickle, Manfred almost repents his crimes, but is unable to relinquish
remorse and shame for his treatment of Hippolita and Isabella. his sinful desires. Note how it is his wife’s own submissiveness – her
However, emboldened by the thought of his wife’s submission, behavior as a “model” subservient wife – that pushes Manfred to
he is unable to maintain this state of mind and turns back to further sin. In treating Manfred as the ultimate authority, Hippolita
“exquisite villainy,” now convinced that Hippolita will not only enables his sinning.
agree to a divorce but convince Isabella to marry him. He then
orders his men to guard every exit and orders the peasant to
remain in one of the castle’s rooms to be questioned further
the next day.
CHAPTER 2
Now in her own room, Matilda is restless and overwhelmed The contrast between Matilda and Bianca is another example of the
with emotion at her brother’s death, Isabella’s disappearance, story’s distinction between nobles and peasants. While Matilda is
and the ominous tone and rage Manfred had exhibited toward focused on the gravity of the story’s events, Bianca is more
her mother. Her servant, Bianca, fills her in on the latest gossip interested in the castle gossip.
about the discovery of the young peasant and the giant leg in
armor. Matilda, however, is more concerned about Isabella, her
mother, and her brother’s burial.

When Bianca speculates about Manfred’s desire for grandsons, Bianca’s seemingly contradictory claims that men “use” their wives
the two women have a discussion about marriage, in which but that “a bad husband is better than no husband” suggests that in
Bianca claims that “all men use their wives,” as Manfred does such a worldview, women are meant to be married and to be used,
Hippolita, “when they are weary of them,” but that “a bad that they are objects. Matilda’s gratefulness that her father has
husband is better than no husband at all.” Matilda explains that rejected marriage proposals for her is darkly ironic, both because
she would much rather become a nun and is thankful that her Manfred will later be all too ready to trade her off to Frederic for
father has rejected numerous proposals for her. Bianca then Isabella, and because Manfred’s desire for Isabella, arguably a proxy
teases Matilda for her adoration of a painting of Alfonso, a for Matilda, poses similarities to a set of medieval stories
heroic past ruler of Otranto, but Matilda claims she is not in –Constance tales – which often involved kings rejecting marriage
love with the painting and reveals that her mother has told her proposals so that the fathers could fulfill their sexual desire for their
to pray at Alfonso’s tomb. Despite her mother’s lack of daughters.
explanation for this, Matilda, as a dutiful daughter, does so
without question.
While the women are talking, they hear a voice from the room Once again, the contrast between Bianca and Matilda’s behavior
below Matilda’s. Though Bianca becomes terrified that it is a reveals their differences in class. Whereas Bianca oversimplifies a
ghost, Matilda opens a window and realizes that it is a stranger situation about which she has no direct knowledge and pries into
singing. Though they cannot see each other, the stranger others’ lives, Matilda is more logical and respectful of others’
reveals himself to be polite, well spoken, pious, and unhappy. privacy. Even despite her father’s strange behavior and temper
Bianca assumes that because he is unhappy, he is in love, and towards her mother, Matilda maintains her filial loyalty by ending
she immediately wants to pry into his life, but Matilda is her conversation with the stranger.
skeptical of Bianca’s reasoning and decides to respect his
privacy. However, when the stranger asks about the missing
princess, Matilda becomes suspicious that he is spying on her
father and ends the conversation.
Bianca reveals that the servants believe the stranger helped Like the mob of peasants in Chapter 1, Bianca jumps to conclusions
Isabella escape. She insinuates that the stranger is unhappy with no evidence. Despite being the confidante of both Isabella and
because he is in love with Isabella and that he may have been Matilda, Bianca gossips about Isabella to Matilda with little regard
responsible for Conrad’s death, suggesting that perhaps the for the conflict that her speculations may sow between the two
stranger is a prince in disguise. Matilda dismisses Bianca’s princesses. One of Bianca’s wild speculations, however, is correct —
speculations and resolves to question him about Isabella later. the stranger does turn out to be a prince in disguise, recalling
Bianca continues to chatter, suggesting that Isabella and the Walpole’s assertion in the first preface that the servants often bring
stranger perhaps orchestrated Conrad’s death and that to light important parts of the story through their
Isabella secretly mocked Matilda’s aspirations for nunhood. simplemindedness.
Despite Bianca’s gossip, Matilda steadfastly defends Isabella
and their friendship.
At that moment, a servant interrupts them with the news that In the story’s first interaction between Manfred and Jerome, the two
Isabella has sought sanctuary at St. Nicholas’s church and that men argue, as they will throughout the story, about who has greater
Father Jerome of the church is now informing Manfred, who is authority. While Manfred asserts that religion has no right to
in Hippolita’s room. The narrator jumps to the interaction interfere in his rulership, Jerome insists that God’s will is greater
between Jerome and Manfred, in which Manfred tries to than any human king’s. Manfred’s mistake, according to the story’s
question Jerome alone to prevent Hippolita from learning fictional author and Catholic priest Muralto, is to presume that his
information he doesn’t want her to know. Jerome nearly tells worldly authority is greater than or equal to divine will. Manfred’s
Hippolita why Isabella sought sanctuary, but Manfred impiety is also accompanied by his misogynistic claim that women
interrupts him, claiming that as a priest, he has no business in have no place in politics.
Manfred’s affairs, and that, as a woman, neither does Hippolita.
Jerome, however, asserts his status as “minister of a mightier
prince than Manfred.”

Jerome then passes along a message from Isabella to both While Isabella’s message to Manfred and Hippolita is meant to
Manfred and Hippolita, affirming her compassion for Conrad’s assure her own safety, her message also reaffirms her status as
loss and her respect for them both as her parents, and Manfred’s and Hippolita’s de facto daughter, thereby maintaining
requesting their consent to stay at the church. Angry, Manfred her filial duty and making clear to Manfred the boundaries that
refuses and blames the young peasant for Isabella’s flight. such a relationship entails. However, Manfred refuses to adhere to
While Manfred tries to assert his role as Isabella’s parent in such boundaries and tries to assert his role as her father in order to
order to regain her for himself, Jerome repeatedly questions become her husband. Jerome’s defense of Isabella marks the
the propriety of such an arrangement, insinuating his beginning of his role as her protector in the story. Hippolita’s
knowledge of Manfred’s wrongdoings without explicitly submissive refusal to hear of her husband’s suspicious behavior will
informing Hippolita, who decides not to hear anything her also recur throughout the novel.
husband does not want her to learn. Hippolita goes to her
oratory, a private room for prayer, leaving the two men alone.
Now in his own room, Manfred has a private discussion with Attempting to sway Jerome to agree to a sinful divorce, Manfred
Jerome and claims that his attempt to rape Isabella was commits the sinful acts of bribery and lying. Like the mob of
motivated by “reasons of state.” He tries to bribe Jerome with peasants, he is illogical, unable to supply a valid reason for his
money for the church into persuading Hippolita to agree to a attempted rape of Isabella. Whereas Manfred is willing to commit
divorce and become a nun, arguing that his life, his family, and any sin for the sake of his own power, Jerome refuses to accept his
the state of Otranto depend on a divorce and his having a son. bribe and false excuses in order to protect Isabella.
Unwilling to betray Isabella even for the good of the church,
Jerome accuses Manfred of “incestuous design,” and vows to
protect Isabella. He urges Manfred to resign himself to God’s
will.
Realizing that his line of argument isn’t working, Manfred Manfred once again exhibits his lack of reasoning skills: right after
backtracks and claims that his desire to divorce Hippolita stems Jerome accuses him of “incestuous design,” Manfred feigns remorse
instead from his tortured conscience over the possible illegality over his supposedly incestuous marriage to Hippolita, asking the
and incestuous nature of their marriage. Jerome recognizes priest to sanction a divorce so that he will be able engage in yet
Manfred’s attempt to manipulate him but decides to play along, another incestuous marriage with Isabella. Jerome’s ability to see
as he fears for Hippolita, Isabella, and whomever else Manfred through Manfred’s deceit, and Manfred’s inability to detect Jerome’s
might harm if angered. When Manfred interrogates Jerome foreshadows the novel’s later revelation of their true natures,
about the peasant, Jerome unwisely confirms a romantic Jerome as a noble and Manfred as a false king.
connection between the peasant and Isabella, thinking it might
help her later.
Seething over the false information Jerome gave him, Manfred That Theodore looks exactly like Alfonso, Otranto’s last king before
has the peasant brought from his room to the great hall for the rise of Manfred’s line, foreshadows his eventual ascension to
questioning. As Manfred begins to question the peasant, whose power. That Theodore is a doppelganger is of little surprise in a work
name is Theodore, Matilda and Bianca happen to be walking by. of Gothic fiction – where such things are common –but unlike most
Seeing for the first time the stranger with whom she had been doppelgangers, Theodore is good, rather than evil. Just as they were
talking the night before, Matilda is stunned to realize that the in the first chapter, Manfred angrily delivers Theodore an unjust
peasant looks exactly like the painting of Alfonso that Bianca sentence, and Theodore accepts it with grace and resignation. The
had teased her about. Manfred, who is furious about the contrast between the two represents the fundamental differences of
peasant’s supposed love for Isabella, sentences Theodore to their natures, which contradict their social roles at the moment.
death. Overhearing the sentence, Matilda faints, causing Theodore behaves like a noble and will later become ruler, whereas
Bianca to scream out, “The princess is dead!” Manfred Manfred, who behaves poorly, will later lose his power, which he
dismisses her “womanish panic” and has Theodore brought out only gained illegitimately.
to the court for his execution. Resigned but dignified, Theodore
accepts his impending execution but asks for a confessor.

When Jerome arrives as a confessor, he realizes that he This is the first of the novel’s revelations of long-lost fathers and
inadvertently put Theodore in danger. Remorseful, he secret identities. Theodore, whose behavior has been described as
confesses to fabricating a relationship between Isabella and above his social standing as a peasant, is now revealed to be of
Theodore, which further angers Manfred. As Theodore kneels noble lineage, suggesting that manners and morals are determined
down to be executed, his shirt slips over his shoulder and by blood. Manfred, who has exhibited wildly unjust behavior, is by
uncovers a birthmark. Jerome recognizes the mark and reveals implication, perhaps not of noble blood. The interruption of
that he is Theodore’s long-lost father and was previously the Theodore’s execution is, much like Isabella’s escape, facilitated by
Count of Falconara. Manfred promises to spare Jerome’s son if the appearance of the supernatural. Just as his hunt for Isabella was
he brings Isabella back to the castle. Theodore nobly but thwarted by divine will, so is Manfred’s decision to execute the true
impetuously declares he is prepared to sacrifice his life. Before ruler of Otranto.
Jerome can respond either to Manfred or to Theodore, they
are interrupted by the sound of a trumpet outside the castle
gate. At the same time, the feathers of the giant helmet bow
down by themselves.
CHAPTER 3
Shaken by the helmet’s moving feathers, Manfred seeks an Just as Manfred almost repented in Chapter 1 for treating Hippolita
explanation from Jerome, who says that Manfred has angered poorly, he nearly does so again by turning to Jerome’s authority.
heaven and must submit himself to the church. At Jerome’s However, once again, he is unable to overcome his pride and hunger
request, Manfred agrees to let Theodore live and has Jerome for power.
see who is waiting outside the castle. The herald outside asks
for “the usurper of Otranto,” which angers Manfred. Eager to
reassert his dominance, Manfred reneges on his promise to
Jerome and ransoms Theodore’s life in exchange for Isabella.
Once Jerome is ushered out and Manfred imprisons Theodore The announcement made by the herald reveals that Manfred is
in a tower, the herald announces the reason for his arrival: on even more devious than previously shown. Whereas at the
behalf of his lord Frederic, he is demanding the safe return of beginning of the novel, Isabella was under the impression that her
Frederic’s daughter, Isabella, who had fallen into Manfred’s engagement to Conrad had been arranged by Frederic, here the
hands after he bribed her guardians. Frederic also demands reader learns that Manfred had bribed her guardians to make the
control of Otranto, as Frederic is the closest blood relative to wedding happen. As the herald’s claim shows, legitimate rule is
Alfonso. The herald challenges Manfred to single combat. The determined by bloodlines. Despite the fact that Frederic is the best
narrator reveals that Manfred was aware of the legitimacy of claimant to the throne, Manfred continually tries to undermine the
Frederic’s claim over Otranto, and that it was for this very rules of rightful kingship, just as he does with marriage and religion.
reason that he had tried to unite his line with that that of
Frederic through Isabella. Thinking he might be able to
convince Frederic to give him Isabella’s hand in marriage, and
wanting to prevent Frederic from learning anything about
Isabella’s flight, Manfred invites Frederic’s champion into the
castle. Meanwhile, Jerome is extremely anxious about the fates
of Theodore, Isabella, and Hippolita. These anxieties are only
intensified when he reaches the church, where he discovers
that Isabella has gone missing again. Jerome deduces that
Isabella heard a rumor from one of the monks that “the
princess was dead” and fled the church, believing that Manfred
had killed Hippolita and would be coming for her next.

Back at the castle, Frederic’s champion has brought a host of This is the first appearance of the giant sword, the appearance of
knights and servants with him, as well as a gigantic sabre, or which helps to fulfill the prophecy about the end of Manfred’s
sword. Manfred claims he will fight Frederic’s champion the lineage. That the sword is a weapon, which is meant to attack,
next day and presents a façade of hospitality, all the while rather than a piece of armor, which is meant to protect, suggests
asserting the legitimacy of his rule, trying to gain the knights’ that an abrupt and perhaps violent change will occur.
confidence first through a friendly feast, then through pity for Acknowledging Isabella as “my own blood,” Manfred makes the
his recently lost son Conrad. The knights barely respond to same illogical argument to Frederic’s men that he made to Jerome:
Manfred’s obviously contrived efforts to appease them, but that he must commit incest in order to avoid incest.
Manfred continues to talk and begins to discuss his marriage to
Hippolita. As he did with Jerome, he claims that his supposedly
incestuous marriage has troubled him and that in order to
avoid incest and restore Alfonso’s line, he intended to marry
Isabella, “who is dear to [him] as [his] own blood.”
At that moment, Jerome and his fellow friars arrive at the Manfred’s plans are again thwarted by divine will—however this
castle, interrupting Manfred’s speech. Jerome then reveals to time, his attempt to assuage Frederic’s men are interrupted by
Manfred, as well as to Frederic’s knights, of Isabella’s flight monks, rather than by the supernatural. Though the truth about
from sanctuary. Manfred pretends that he himself sent Isabella Isabella’s escape is revealed, Manfred nevertheless attempts to
to sanctuary in the first place, and Jerome, fearing for maintain his control through deceit and sin.
Theodore’s life, decides not to correct him. However, another
friar declares that Isabella had in fact escaped from the castle
to the church just the night before. One of Frederic’s knights
then proclaims Manfred’s treachery and begins to organize a
search for Isabella. Manfred secretly gives orders to contain
the knight’s men even as he appears to assist him.
Manfred also gives orders for his men to search for Isabella. By rescuing Theodore from a locked tower, Matilda reverses
But this leaves Theodore’s tower unguarded, and Matilda takes traditional gender roles – Matilda acts as the usually male knight in
the opportunity to rescue Theodore. The two of them instantly shining armor, while Theodore plays the damsel in distress.
fall in love. Matilda offers to send him towards the sanctuary of However, once he is free, he refuses to occupy a normally “feminine”
the church, but Theodore refuses on the grounds that role by dismissing sanctuary as the domain of “helpless damsels, or
sanctuary is “for helpless damsels, or for criminals.” So, instead, for criminals,” — without recognizing that he himself was helpless
Matilda gives him a suit of armor as well as directions toward and was charged as a criminal (though he was innocent). By giving
the caves behind the forest. Theodore the suit of armor, Matilda gives him not only a means of
protection but also a symbol of nobility and a masculine token of
chivalry, thus returning him to a traditional gender role.
Theodore goes to one of the church’s convents to tell Jerome Now in the suit of armor and seeking adventure, Theodore is the
that he is free, but when he arrives he discovers that Jerome is archetypal chivalric knight from medieval literature. As an
elsewhere and that Manfred’s men are searching for Isabella. archetypal damsel in distress, Isabella is the perfect quest for
Gallant and eager for an adventure to prove himself, he races to Theodore to prove his worth as a knight; by doing so, he solidifies his
find Isabella first in order to protect her from Manfred. He identity as the story’s hero.
soon finds her in the caves to which Matilda had given him
directions and vows to protect her. When Isabella is reluctant
to retreat further back into the caves with a strange man, he
assures her that he is in love with another woman.

Not long after, an armed knight approaches the mouth of the The chapter ends with the revelation of another long-lost father in
cave. Theodore, unaware of the arrival of Frederic’s knights, disguise, but this time it is Isabella’s father Frederic who appears.
believes that this man is working for Manfred and badly Isabella’s comment to Manfred in Chapter 1 that she will not marry
wounds him. Only then does Theodore discover that the knight until her father’s return, combined with Frederic’s arrival, suggests
is Frederic’s champion. After confirming that the woman in the that another wedding may soon be underway.
cave is Isabella, the knight, believing that he is dying, reveals his
secret identity: he is Frederic, Isabella’s father, and the three of
them return to the castle.
CHAPTER 4
The castle’s doctors examine Frederic’s wounds, none of which Frederic’s desire for Matilda mirrors that of Manfred’s for Isabella.
are life-threatening. As he is being cared for, Frederic meets Like Manfred, who was unable to recognize his daughter Matilda,
Hippolita and Matilda, and falls in love with Matilda. And Frederic is at first unable to recognize Isabella. Both Manfred and
though Matilda’s love for Theodore remains, she is uncertain of Frederic are fathers who desire each other’s daughters, suggesting
his love for her because he arrived at the castle with Isabella, perhaps a latent incestuous desire for their own daughters.
who is also clearly in love with Theodore. Wishing to spend Matilda’s uncertainty about Theodore’s affection foreshadows her
more time with Matilda, Frederic tells them all his backstory – later tense interaction with Isabella.Frederic’s arrival at Otranto
that he fought in the Crusades and was captured by “infidels.” (and thus an impediment to Manfred’s plans) is revealed to have
While captured, he dreamt that his daughter was in danger and been driven by divine will, that of St. Nicholas. The giant sword
that he would learn more about what to do by going to a forest contains the second prophecy of the novel, one that further
near Joppa. After he was freed, he searched for the forest, as emphasizes Isabella’s role as a damsel to be saved.
his vision directed him, and was led to a hermit on his deathbed.
With his dying breaths, the hermit told Frederic about a secret
from St. Nicholas: where to find a giant sword. Once Frederic
and his men unearthed the sword, they saw that it contained a
prophecy saying that “Alfonso’s blood alone” can save Isabella
at Otranto.
Manfred arrives and is shocked to see an armor-clad Theodore, In telling Manfred how he came to be at Otranto, Theodore
whom he mistakes for Alfonso. When Manfred realizes it is confirms his nobility by mentioning a document confirming his
Theodore, he is furious that Theodore escaped. Assuming identity. As Manfred will later reveal, such documents about
Jerome helped him, Manfred demands to know how Theodore bloodlines are especially significant for determining rulership. That
came to be separated from and then reunited with his father. the ship that freed Theodore was a Christian ship reinforces the
Theodore reveals that he was kidnapped as a child by pirates, novel’s alignment of good and evil with Christian and non-Christian
along with his mother. Though she died not long after, she left characters.
him a note saying that he was the son of the Count of
Falconara. He remained the pirates’ slave until two years
before the story takes place, when a Christian ship set him free.
After unsuccessfully searching for his father at his castle and in
Naples, he wandered into Otranto and began to work as a
farmhand in order to support himself. Frederic vouches for
Theodore’s bravery, warmth, and honesty, after which they all
retire to their rooms.

The next day, Matilda and Isabella decide to meet, as they are Matilda’s and Isabella’s love for Theodore forms a wedge in their
both in love with Theodore, who has come between them. friendship, causing them temporarily to place their jealousy over
Aware that Theodore is in love with Matilda, Isabella decides to their better natures. It is only when they relinquish their claim to
encourage Matilda to become a nun as she always wanted, romantic love that they are able to revert back to their selfless and
while Matilda wishes to find out from Isabella if Theodore has generous natures. The narrator thus presents romantic love as a
feelings for her. After some awkwardness in which both women divisive, corrupting, and in Manfred’s and Frederic’s case,
are reluctant to admit their feelings, Isabella confesses that potentially incestuous force.
Theodore is in love with Matilda. Both women try to give up
their claim to the other for the sake of their friendship, until
they are interrupted by the arrival of Hippolita.
Hippolita, who believes that Otranto will fall into Frederic’s Though Hippolita becomes aware of at least some of husband’s
hands, announces that she has proposed to Manfred a misdeeds, she refuses to believe them, choosing her devotion to her
marriage between Frederic and Matilda in order to unite the husband over her conscience. Though Hippolita’s proposed
claims of both lines. The two young princesses are horrified, resolution, divorce and nunhood, may be a sacrifice in her own eyes,
especially Isabella, who hints at Manfred’s crimes and tells it is exactly what her husband wants and would only make
Hippolita that Manfred intends to divorce her. Though she Manfred’s attempt to marry Isabella that much easier. That
believes in Isabella’s innocence, a grief-stricken Hippolita Hippolita stops Isabella from praying to heaven so that she will obey
makes excuses for her husband, suggesting that Isabella her father first indicates the extent to which Hippolita’s priorities
perhaps misunderstood the situation, and hinting at a are out of order; just as she privileged her husband’s wishes over her
disastrous destiny she believes will befall them all. She then conscience, Hippolita privileges fatherly authority over divine
resolves to agree to the divorce and to become a nun in one of authority.
the nearby convents, believing that this “sacrifice of [her]self
may atone for all.” When Isabella begins to pray to the angels of
heaven that she won’t have to marry Manfred, Hippolita stops
her, reminding her that her father has authority over her.
Despite her newfound awareness of Manfred’s crimes,
Hippolita refuses to acknowledge them.
Hippolita then finds Jerome in the church, seeking his guidance Originating from the Bible, Jerome’s declaration about the
about the morality of a divorce. At that moment, Jerome is destruction of a tyrant’s race both foreshadows Matilda’s death and
urging his son to suppress his feelings for Matilda, as “a tyrant’s categorizes it as divinely sanctioned. Theodore’s love for her, despite
race must be swept from the earth to the third and fourth his father’s warning, is therefore a struggle between his passion and
generation.” Unused to having to obey a father’s orders, his piety.
though, Theodore finds himself unable to stop loving Matilda.
Hippolita asks Jerome to dismiss his son, and once they are
alone asks for his opinion about marriages between Matilda
and Frederic, and between Isabella and Manfred, as well as her
consent to a divorce. Though Hippolita finds both proposals
agreeable, Jerome vehemently opposes them, explaining that a
divorce resulting in the marriage between Manfred and
Isabella would be against heavenly will.

While Hippolita is conversing with Jerome, up at the castle Like Hippolita and Theodore, Frederic has difficulty controlling his
Manfred is proposing to Frederic that they marry each other’s worldly desires for both Matilda and political rule, and is tempted by
daughters. Frederic, tempted by the prospects of eventually Manfred’s proposal. The double marriage that Manfred proposes
ruling Otranto and marriage to Matilda, weakly protests the would be incestuous not only because of Isabella’s position as
double marriage for the sake of appearances, but eventually Manfred’s de facto daughter, but also because the marriages would
agrees on the condition that Hippolita give her consent. result in entangled in-law relationships already considered
incestuous. If Frederic and Manfred were to marry each other’s
daughters, they would be their own daughters’ sons-in-law.
Manfred then immediately seeks out Hippolita, who is still Manfred is still unable to recognize the authority of the divine over
talking to Jerome at the church. As they have done so several the worldly, and refuses to recognize any authority that Jerome, as a
times already, Manfred and Jerome engage in a verbal tussle priest, might have. Meanwhile, Manfred treats the Church as a
about whether Jerome’s religious authority supersedes political entity rather than a spiritual one when he leaves a spy
Manfred’s political authority. Manfred, claiming to know the within it.
procedures for divorce better than Jerome, leads Hippolita
away to speak with her privately. But before he leaves, he
secretly orders one of his spies to remain in the church.
CHAPTER 5
On their way back to the castle, Manfred worries about what Hippolita’s easy agreement to a divorce is both a sign of her wifely
he is convinced is a love affair between Isabella and Theodore, submission and of her earlier belief that it will somehow allow her to
but he nevertheless resolves to gain Isabella for himself. He sacrifice herself to prevent an unspecified disaster for her family.
uses every possible argument to convince Hippolita to divorce, Manfred’s decision to use his daughter for his own gains is evidence
only to find that Hippolita readily, though passively, agrees to of a patriarchal society, a system in which women are objectified
go through with it. Manfred decides to use Matilda as a and exploited by men.
bargaining chip to convince Frederic to give him Isabella.
Delighted with his wife’s response, he quickly leaves to inform Like Jaquez and Diego in Chapter 1, and unlike the novel’s noble
Frederic. On the way back to Frederic, though, he meets characters, Bianca rambles inarticulately when responding to
Bianca. Knowing that Bianca is Isabella’s and Matilda’s Manfred’s questions. Her acceptance of Manfred’s bribe contrasts
confidante, he tries to ascertain the exact nature of Isabella’s with Jerome’s earlier rejection of a bribe from Manfred, showing
and Theodore’s relationship. However, after a long, rambling, that she, as a peasant, is represented as morally inferior to the
and unsatisfactory response from Bianca, Manfred knows little story’s nobles.
more than he did before. Still, he bribes Bianca with a jewel to
spy on Isabella.
Manfred finally reaches Frederic, but just as he is about to tell Manfred’s plans are again thwarted by the supernatural. The
Frederic his good news, Bianca bursts in. She is terrified, and in appearance of this divine intervention as a giant hand evokes the
her terror she tells Manfred that as she was going to do her “hand of God,” a pointedly over-the-top message that Manfred’s
spying she was scared away from Isabella’s quarters by the actions will not be tolerated by the forces of heaven.
sight of a giant hand in armor.

Frederic, having learned of Manfred’s treacherous spying, now Despite learning of Manfred’s deceit, Frederic is still tempted by
decides not to go through with the double wedding. Manfred, worldly desire and power. Manfred’s attempts to sway him further
however, tries to sway him by praising his daughter’s beauty. reveal the gender structures of marriage and power in a patriarchal
Frederic remains tempted by the thought of Matilda, and even society. By using his daughter’s appearance to tempt Frederic,
more so by the power of ruling Otranto. And yet, he still wavers Manfred appropriates his daughter’s body to facilitate an exchange
in his decision, and decides to see if Hippolita truly consented. for political rule. Matilda’s and Isabella’s bodies are currency to
At that moment, however, an announcement is made that a these men, both of whom believe that by disposing of their
banquet has been prepared, and Manfred, still hopeful that he daughters through marriage, they will gain Otranto.
can convince Frederic, tries to manipulate him by seating him
next to Matilda at the feast and by getting him drunk.
Once the banquet is over, Frederic desires Matilda more than Persuaded by Manfred’s temptations, Frederic succumbs to his
ever and goes to see Hippolita in her oratory in order to worldly desires and is stopped only by the ghost’s reminder that
confirm her consent. At the oratory, Frederic finds a mysterious Frederic’s mission was not to hand Isabella over to Manfred but
cloaked figure kneeling in prayer. However, when he rather to save her from Manfred. Another example of divine
approaches the figure he discovers that it is not Hippolita as he intervention in the novel, the appearance of a ghost is also a
thought, but a skeleton in a hermit’s cowl – it is the ghost of the common feature of Gothic literature. It is worth noting that despite
hermit he met in Joppa. The ghost scolds him for subordinating Frederic’s temptation for power and lust, the appearance of the
his mission to save his daughter below his own carnal desires ghost does shift him to a new path. This stands in stark contrast to
and orders him to forget Matilda. Torn between “penitence and Manfred, who despite being thwarted by the supernatural multiple
passion,” Frederic falls in agony to the floor and prays to the times, never ceases to focus on his worldly desires. While Theodore
saints. Hippolita then arrives to find his motionless body on the serves as a contrast to Manfred by displaying constant nobility to
floor, and thinking he is dead, screams out. The noise brings Manfred’s constant ignobility, Frederic offers a different kind of
Frederic back to his senses, and he exits the room tearfully, contrast: he is similar to Manfred, but his example shows that even
hinting at his love for Matilda but leaving Hippolita with little one such as he can give himself to heaven rather than pursue only
explanation. Heading for his own room, he runs into Manfred, his own worldly desires.
who wants to celebrate with him. But Frederic, still shaken by
the apparition, brushes off the drunk and irritable Manfred,
who had just been rejected once again by Isabella.
Furious at these rejections, Manfred becomes all the more Manfred’s stabbing of Matilda fulfills Jerome’s previous warning
enraged when his spy at the church informs him that Theodore about her fated destruction. Just as moonlight distracted Manfred
and a lady are secretly meeting at Alfonso’s tomb in the church. from Isabella’s initial escape, here it guides Manfred to the murder
Believing that Isabella rejected his sexual advances because of of his own daughter, suggesting that like Conrad’s death by a giant
her eagerness to meet Theodore, Manfred decides to spy on helmet, her death also occurred by divine will. Also note how, earlier
them himself. Guided by faint moonlight from the church in the book, at different times Manfred couldn’t recognize Matilda
windows, Manfred is able to sneak up behind the couple or Isabella. Here he again fails to recognize them, mistaking them
undetected. When he hears the couple discuss getting married, for each other, to deadly result. There is a suggestion here that
his fury rises and he stabs the woman from behind, believing treating women like objects has made Manfred blind in a way that
that it is Isabella. However, it is not Isabella but Matilda, his dooms him. Only now that he has killed his daughter does Manfred
own daughter. Realizing his mistake, Manfred tries to kill finally begin to feel real remorse for his actions.
himself but is stopped by a few monks, who were drawn to the
commotion. Though the monks try to help her, Matilda urges
them to help her father instead and insists that she be brought
to her mother in the castle.

The monks and Theodore are bringing Matilda to the castle, Even on her deathbed, Matilda clings to her filial duty, forgiving her
with Manfred following behind in despair. Hippolita, who had father for killing her. Despite her newfound love for Theodore,
heard the news, rushes toward the church to find her daughter Matilda pays more attention to her mother than to him, privileging
but faints halfway there and is revived by Isabella and Frederic. her love for her mother over romantic love. Isabella’s clear-headed
In a gesture of daughterly devotion, Matilda clasps the hands of decision to take charge of the situation foreshadows her later
both her mother and her father to her heart, and a remorseful position as Theodore’s wife and princess of the castle.
Manfred throws himself on the ground, cursing himself.
Worried that Manfred’s and Hippolita’s emotions will
overwhelm Matilda, Isabella takes charge, ordering Manfred to
his apartment. She also has Matilda brought to the nearest
room in the castle. Though Theodore tries to marry her before
she dies, Matilda focuses almost entirely on her mother,
forgives her now absent father for killing her, and dies shortly
thereafter.
As Theodore mourns over the body, Isabella is walking That the castle walls fall only behind Manfred suggests that his
Hippolita back to her room, when they meet Manfred in the power as ruler has now fallen apart. The appearance of the giant
court. Manfred, who was on his way to see Matilda, realizes ghost in the ruins’ place signals Manfred’s replacement as ruler of
that his daughter is dead, and at that moment, the earth rocks the castle by Alfonso’s heir, Theodore, and fulfills the prophecy
and the giant helmet clamors. Believing the end of days is here, about the rightful owner of the castle having “grown too large to
Frederic and Jerome rush out to the court, dragging Theodore inhabit it.”
behind them. As soon as Theodore steps out, part of the castle
walls behind Manfred crash down, and a giant ghost-like image
of Alfonso appears over the ruins, declaring that Theodore is
the true ruler of Otranto.
Everyone in the court falls to the ground in recognition of the For the first time in the novel, Hippolita criticizes her husband for
“divine will.” Hippolita decries “the vanity of human greatness” his pride in worldly power rather than his humility for divine power.
and declares to Manfred that only retiring to the church’s Manfred’s readiness to repent and to listen to his wife is a marked
convents will save them. Grief-stricken for his daughter’s change from his previous impiety and misogynistic attitudes. His
death, Manfred repents for his crimes and is finally ready to revelation that his grandfather had both murdered the rightful ruler
listen to Hippolita. In order to atone, he confesses to killing his of Otranto and forged a will to obtain power for himself further
daughter in the church and reveals the story of how he came to confirms Jerome’s declaration that a tyrant’s third and fourth
rule Otranto. His grandfather Ricardo had been Alfonso’s generations will be destroyed. Both Matilda and Conrad (the fourth
chamberlain and, during the Crusades, murdered Alfonso and generation) were killed; however, Manfred (the third generation) is
then forged Alfonso’s will in order to gain power. Returning to able to escape destruction by praying to St. Nicholas, recalling
Otranto, Ricardo’s ship was wrecked in a storm, and Ricardo Walpole’s earlier criticism in his first preface about “Muralto’s”
then made a deal with St. Nicholas ensuring his survival and conflicting moral lessons.
rule over Otranto in return for building a church and two
convents dedicated to the saint. St. Nicholas accepted, but also
decreed that Ricardo’s line would rule only until the rightful
ruler grew too large to inhabit the castle.

Jerome then completes the story by recounting Alfonso’s After Theodore’s right to rule is declared by the ghost of Alfonso,
secret past. Before Alfonso fought in the crusades, he married Jerome reaffirms this right by confirming his son’s bloodline,
a Sicilian woman named Victoria, who gave birth to a baby girl suggesting that both noble blood and divine will are necessary for
who eventually became Jerome’s wife. This means that “legitimate” rule, evoking the medieval concept of the doctrine of the
Theodore is a direct descendant of Alfonso. In atonement for divine right of kings, in which kings ruled because it was the will of
his sins, Manfred abdicates the throne and retires to one of the God that they hold the throne. Because of the ghost’s declaration,
nearby convents to become a monk, while Hippolita retires to Manfred, Hippolita, and Frederic finally overcome their worldly
the other convent to become a nun. Frederic relinquishes his desires. Theodore’s marriage to Isabella unites two families’ claims
own claim to Otranto, and offers Theodore Isabella’s hand in to the throne. As the only surviving and successful marriage in the
marriage. Because Theodore is still in mourning for Matilda, he novel, Theodore’s and Isabella’s marriage is founded not on
is reluctant at first, but after bonding with Isabella over their romantic love, as was Theodore’s relationship with Matilda, but
shared loss, he eventually decides to marry her. rather on companionship.

To cite any of the quotes from The Castle of Otranto covered in the
HOW T
TO
O CITE Quotes section of this LitChart:
To cite this LitChart: MLA
MLA Walpole, Horace. The Castle of Otranto. Dover Publications.
2004.
Lee, Sophia. "The Castle of Otranto." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 20
Jan 2017. Web. 21 Apr 2020. CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
AL
CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
AL Walpole, Horace. The Castle of Otranto. Mineola, NY: Dover
Publications. 2004.
Lee, Sophia. "The Castle of Otranto." LitCharts LLC, January 20,
2017. Retrieved April 21, 2020. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-
castle-of-otranto.

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The Castle of Otranto

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Explanation and Analysis

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Related Characters: Diego, Manfred, Hippolita Page Number: 44

Explanation and Analysis

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imprisoned man confirms that spiritual values must be

Related Characters: Frederic (speaker), Alfonso, Theodore, Related Themes:

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Related Themes: Related Themes:

Related Symbols: Page Number: 105

Explanation and Analysis

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SUMMARY AND ANAL

THE FIRST EDITION PREFACE

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THE SECOND EDITION PREFACE

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