History Literature / TheCastleOfOtranto

* TheAtoner: Manfred becomes this at the end.

* DistressedDamsel: Isabella

* ExtremeDoormat: Hippolita and Matilda
* FirstGirlWins
* HauntedCastle: TropeCodifier, taking its inspiration from ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}''.

* LoveAtFirstSight: 3 cases, 1 with pre-emptive LampshadeHanging.

* NiceGuy: Theodore

* OnlySaneMan: Theodore and Isabella.
* PluckyGirl: Isabella
* ProperLady: Hippolita and Matilda

* {{Servile Snarker}}s: Bianca, Diego, and Jacques
* SpiritedYoungLady: Isabella

* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: Matilda
* TropeCodifier for Gothic tropes.
* VillainProtagonist: Manfred

Walpole's ''Otranto'' arguably sets the stage for the creation of the Gothic genre, which would inspire later authors down the line. His work also introduces the tropes that would be prominent within the genre, and still be recognizable today.

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Manfred ultimately brought ruin to himself when he unknowingly stabbed his own daughter in the insane belief Isabella was meeting with Theodore.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: When Manfred realizes he fatally attacked his own daughter, he is immediately horrified at his wrongdoing.

* OffingTheOffspring: Manfred, in full-on IfICantHaveYou mode, busts in on what he thinks is a tryst between Isabella and Theodore, but instead of Isabella, it is Matilda who Theodore is meeting with, and she is tragically stabbed to death.

* ReallyRoyaltyReveal: It's later revealed that Theodore is the true heir to Otranto.

It concerns the story of the prince Manfred and his desire to avoid a curse placed upon his ancestors, which places him at risk of losing his castle and title. Caught in the middle of the prince's bid to secure his position are Theodore, a young man wrongly imprisoned under false accusations by the prince, and Isabella, an innocent maiden who Manfred wants to marry after his son met a terrible fate.

Considered the first Gothic novel, Walpole's ''Otranto'' arguably sets the stage for the creation of the Gothic genre, which would inspire later authors down the line. His work also introduces the tropes that would be prominent within the genre, and still be recognizable today.

* DomesticAbuse: Not just due to ValuesDissonance, either, because Isabella is initially terrified of Manfred because of how she's seen how he treat his wife and daughter.

* DomesticAbuse: Not just due to ValuesDissonance, either, because Isabella is initially terrified of Manfred because of how she's seen him treat his wife and daughter.

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Manfred

%% * PluckyGirl: Isabella
%% * ProperLady: Hippolita and Matilda

%% * SpiritedYoungLady: Isabella

It concerns the story of the prince Manfred and his desire to avoid a curse placed upon his ancestors, which places him at risk of losing his castle and title. Caught in the middle of the prince's bid to hold his position are Theodore, a young man wrongly imprisoned under false accusations, and Isabella, an innocent maiden who Manfred wants to marry after his son met a terrible fate.

It concerns the story of the prince Manfred and his desire to avoid a curse placed upon his ancestors, which places him at risk of losing his castle and title.

The first official [[GothicHorror Gothic novel]], ''The Castle of Otranto'' was written by Horace Walpole and published in 1764. It concerns the story of the prince Manfred and his desire to avoid a curse placed upon his ancestors, which places him at risk of losing his castle and title.

* PluckyGirl: Isabella
* ProperLady: Hippolita and Matilda

* SpiritedYoungLady: Isabella

* NamesTheSame: Made "Manfred," "Matilda," "Theodore," and "Isabella" staple Gothic names.

* WriteWhoYouKnow: Scholars love finding similarities between Otranto and Walpole's home estate Strawberry Hill.

* HauntedCastle: TropeCodifier, taking its inspiration from ''{{Hamlet}}''.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Characters can't be GenreBlind when their genre didn't exist yet.

* {{Shipping}}: According to Creator/WalterScott, 18th century readers felt Walpole broke the "laws of chivalry" by marrying Theodore to Isabella instead of to Matilda.

The first official [[GothicHorror gothic novel]], ''The Castle of Otranto'' was written by Horace Walpole and published in 1764. It concerns the story of the prince Manfred and his desire to avoid a curse placed upon his ancestors, which places him at risk of losing his castle and title.

* ArrangedMarriage: Isabella was engaged to marry Manfred’s son at the start of the novel.

* {{Homage}}: To Walpole's idol {{Shakespeare}}, which the author was always up-front about.

* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Matilda is willing to give up Theodore to Isabella.

* LoveTriangle: Isabella loves Theodore, who loves Matilda, who loves him back.

* NamesTheSame: Made "Manfred," "Matilda," "Theodore," and "Isabella" staple Gothic names.

* OnlySaneMan: Theodore and Isabella.

* {{Shipping}}: According to [[{{Ivanhoe}} Sir Walter Scott]], 18th century readers felt Walpole broke the "laws of chivalry" by marrying Theodore to Isabella instead of to Matilda.

* {{Curse}}: When a bell falls upon Manfred's son, Manfred fears it is the result of a prophecy laid down by his ancestors that states "That the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it."

* ItWasTheWind: Said by Bianca and Matilda ''ver batim''.

* TheAtoner: Manfred becomes this at the end.

* DistressedDude: Theodore is imprisoned and rescued by Matilda.
* ExtremeDoormat: Hippolita
* HauntedCastle: TropeMaker
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Manfred.

* LukeIAmYourFather: Father Jerome is Theodore's father.
* NiceGuy: Theodore.

* PluckyComicRelief: The maid Bianca.
* ProperLady: Hippolita, Matilda and Isabella.
* RescueRomance: Isabella falls in love with Theodore after he helps her escape Otranto, while Theodore falls in love with Matilda when she rescues him from imprisonment.
* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: Matilda.

The first official gothic novel, ''The Castle of Otranto'' was written by Horace Walpole and published in 1764. It concerns the story of the prince Manfred and his desire to avoid a curse placed upon his ancestors, which places him at risk of losing his castle and title.