Line #24 Literature/TheCastleOfOtranto


1	[[quoteright:295:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/castle_of_otranto.jpg]]
2	The first official [[GothicHorror Gothic novel]], ''The Castle of Otranto'' was written by Horace Walpole and published in 1764.
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4	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 desperate 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.
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6	Walpole's ''Otranto'' arguably sets the stage for the creation of the Gothic horror genre, which would inspire later authors down the line.
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8	His work also introduces the tropes that would be prominent within the genre, and still be recognizable today.
9	----
10	!! ''The Castle of Otranto'' provides examples of:
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12	* AbdicateTheThrone: A variation. Faced with the loss of both his children and the true heir of Otranto revealed, Manfred complies to step down from his title alongside Hippolita and retire into the church.
13	* AndNowYouMustMarryMe: Manfred tries to do this to Isabella in order to try to avert the destruction of his line, setting up the conflict.
14	* ArrangedMarriage: Isabella was engaged to marry Manfred’s son at the start of the novel.
15	%%* TheAtoner: Manfred becomes this at the end.
16	* CrazyJealousGuy: Manfred, starting an enduring Gothic villain tradition.
17	* {{Curse}}: When a giant helmet falls on and kills 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."
18	* DeadPersonConversation: Frederic is visited by an apparition, who commands him to not go through with marrying Matilda.
19	%%* DistressedDamsel: Isabella
20	* DistressedDude: Theodore is imprisoned and rescued by Matilda.
21	* DomesticAbuse: Not just due to ValuesDissonance, either, because Isabella is initially terrified of Manfred because of how she's seen the way he treats his wife and daughter.
22	%%* ExtremeDoormat: Hippolita and Matilda
23	%%* FirstGirlWins
24	%%* HauntedCastle: TropeCodifier, taking its inspiration from ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}''.
25	* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Manfred ultimately brought ruin to himself when he [[spoiler:unknowingly stabbed his own daughter in the insane belief Isabella was meeting with Theodore]].
26	* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: It's a wonder why Isabella's father thinks Manfred is a noble man, not knowing what problems he's caused his daughter before he got to Otranto.
27	* {{Homage}}: To Walpole's idol Creator/WilliamShakespeare, which the author was always up-front about.
28	* ItsProbablyNothing: Bianca and Matilda agree the strange noises must just be "the wind."
29	* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Matilda is willing to give up Theodore to Isabella.
30	%%* LoveAtFirstSight: 3 cases, 1 with pre-emptive LampshadeHanging.
31	* LoveTriangle: Isabella loves Theodore, who loves Matilda, who loves him back.
32	* LukeIAmYourFather: Father Jerome is Theodore's father.
33	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: When Manfred realizes [[spoiler:he fatally attacked his own daughter, he is immediately horrified at his wrongdoing]].
34	%%* NiceGuy: Theodore
35	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Nice job mortally wounding the knight who came looking for Isabella, Theodore...
36	* OffingTheOffspring: Manfred, in full-on IfICantHaveYou mode, busts in on what he thinks is a tryst between Isabella and Theodore, but instead of Isabella, [[spoiler:it is Matilda who Theodore is meeting with, and she is tragically stabbed to death]].
37	%%* OnlySaneMan: Theodore and Isabella.
38	%%* PluckyGirl: Isabella
39	%%* ProperLady: Hippolita and Matilda
40	* ReallyRoyaltyReveal: [[spoiler:It's later revealed that Theodore is the true heir to Otranto]].
41	* 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.
42	%%* ServileSnarker: Bianca, Diego, and Jacques
43	%%* SpiritedYoungLady: Isabella
44	* SupernaturalAid: The ghosts of the castle for Isabella.
45	* TakingTheVeil: Hippolita retires to join the church along with her husband.
46	%%* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: Matilda
47	* TropeCodifier: For Gothic tropes.
48	%%* VillainProtagonist: Manfred

Context Literature / TheCastleOfOtranto