The Castle of Otranto (Legend Classics)

Horace Walpole

Summary

“He was persuaded he could know no happiness but in the society of one with whom he could for ever indulge the melancholy that had taken possession of his soul.”
The Castle of Otranto is a macabre tale that revolves around a haunted castle. Manfred, the lord of Otranto, finds his son, Conrad, smashed by an enormous helmet on his wedding day. It is soon revealed that according to an ancient ambiguous prophecy Conrad's death might have been an ominous event that signifies the end of his lordship. To rectify the situation Manfred decides to marry his son's bride despite having a wife. Will Manfred plot succeed? Is he indeed a true prince of the castle?
Walpole got the inspiration for this bizarre story from a dream. He gave his novel a very authentic embellishment using the plan of Strawberry Hill castle for the set in the novel. He also went as far as to make a believable spoof in the Preface to the first edition that the novel was recovered and translated from an old Italian manuscript. Not as culturally present and talked about a title as other Gothic classics like Frankenstein or Dracula, Otranto became the cornerstone text of the genre. The echoings of Otranto are even noticeable in more contemporary gothic tales such as Toni Morrison's Beloved where a building is more than a location but an entire mysterious entity in itself.
The Legend Classics series:Around the World in Eighty DaysThe Adventures of Huckleberry FinnThe Importance of Being EarnestAlice's Adventures in WonderlandThe MetamorphosisThe Railway ChildrenThe Hound of the BaskervillesFrankensteinWuthering HeightsThree Men in a BoatThe Time MachineLittle WomenAnne of Green GablesThe Jungle BookThe Yellow Wallpaper and Other StoriesDraculaA Study in ScarletLeaves of GrassThe Secret GardenThe War of the WorldsA Christmas CarolStrange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr HydeHeart of DarknessThe Scarlet LetterThis Side of ParadiseOliver TwistThe Picture of Dorian GrayTreasure IslandThe Turn of the ScrewThe Adventures of Tom SawyerEmmaThe TrialA Selection of Short Stories by Edgar Allan PoeGrimm Fairy TalesThe AwakeningMrs DallowayGulliver’s TravelsThe Castle of OtrantoSilas MarnerHard Times

Available since: 12/11/2022.

Other books that might interest you

The Rainbow Trail

Zane Grey

A disillusioned minister searches the Utah desert for a girl who went missing years ago in this sequel to western classic Riders of the Purple Sage.With Riders of the Purple Sage, Zane Grey invented the western literary form. His timeless novel tells the tale of a mysterious gunman named Lassiter and a Mormon woman named Jane Withersteen, who risk everything to escape the tyranny of a polygamist Mormon minister. Together with a little girl named Fay Larkin, they trap themselves behind a boulder in the lush but secluded Surprise Valley. Ten years later, a disillusioned minister named John Shefford comes looking for Surprise Valley—and Fay. Though his faith in God is shaken, he refuses to lose hope that she can be saved. But as the trail leads Shefford to a secret Mormon village, he begins to wonder—even if he does find her—who she has become.

Show book

Riders of the Purple Sage

Zane Grey

The first great Western, a story of courage and adventure in Utah canyon countryWhen Jane Withersteen’s father dies, he leaves her in sole possession of the family’s cattle ranch, situated on one of the most valuable pieces of land in Utah. The river that runs through the property gives Jane control of the local water supply—and the great power that comes with it. Coveting the property, a local Mormon leader named Tull tries to force Jane into a polygamous marriage—a fate that she resists. As Jane’s defiance grows stronger, so does the ire of the townsfolk, and the marriage seems all but inevitable until the infamous gunslinger Lassiter rides into town, bringing a quick trigger and frontier-hardened bravery that just may be Jane’s last great hope.Renowned for its rich depiction of the West, Riders of the Purple Sage is an unforgettable adventure story of love, honor, and courage, and perhaps the most popular Western of all time.This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.

Show book