The Castle of Otranto

by Horace Walpole

Overview

In a faraway medieval realm, Manfred, an arrogant and evil prince, rules with an iron fist. Banishing his wife to the castle dungeon, he confines -- and plans to wed -- the lovely Isabella, fiancee of his recently deceased son. The prince's plans are foiled, however, when a well-meaning peasant helps the young woman escape through the castle's underground passages. Grisly, supernatural events further aid in fulfilling a prophecy that spells doom for the prince and justice for Isabella's rescuer and rightful heir to the throne. One of the first and greatest of Gothic novels, this thrilling tale ranks among the most influential books in literary history. Serving as the model for plots, characterizations, settings, and tone for hundreds of successors, The Castle of Otranto abounds with colorful scenes, adventure, suspense, and inexplicable phenomena.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781545453513
Publisher:	CreateSpace Publishing
Publication date:	04/22/2017
Edition description:	Large Print
Pages:	72
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.15(d)

About the Author

Horace Walpole (1717–1797) was an English historian, politician, and writer. He revived the Gothic style of architecture decades before the Victorians, and penned the proto-Gothic novel The Castle of Otranto.

Table of Contents

	Introduction: Horace Walpole and The Castle of Otranto	vii
	The Castle of Otranto
	Sir Walter Scott's Introduction	3
	Preface to the First Edition	17
	Preface to the Second Edition	21
	The Castle of Otranto	27

Editorial Reviews

"Containing a Harry Potter-like array of animated portraits, supernatural adventures in vaults and cellars and astonishing, inexplicable events."  —Telegraph

"By turns lurid, sensational and amusing, this eighteenth-century gothic romance remains a tour de force."  —Guardian

From the Publisher