The Castle of Otranto

A Gothic Story

Third Edition

Horace Walpole
Edited by Nick Groom

Oxford World's Classics

A new edition of one of the earliest and most influential Gothic novels, the best introduction to the work that inaugurated a literary genre.
Nick Groom's wide-ranging introduction explores the novel's Gothic context in the cultural movement that affected political and religious thinking before Walpole developed it as a literary style, helping to explain the novel's impact on contemporaries, its importance, and Walpole's pioneering innovations.
Up-to-date bibliography and notes, drawing on the latest scholarship.
Useful chronology of Walpole and the Gothic context.
Appendix includes extracts from contemporary non-fiction by Walpole and Richard Hurd demonstrating the domestication of medieval Gothic for eighteenth-century readers that fed into The Castle of Otranto.

The Castle of Otranto

A Gothic Story

Third Edition

Horace Walpole
Edited by Nick Groom

Description

'Look, my lord! See heaven itself declares against your impious intentions!'

The Castle of Otranto (1764) is the first supernatural English novel and one of the most influential works of Gothic fiction. It inaugurated a literary genre that will be forever associated with the effects that Walpole pioneered. Professing to be a translation of a mysterious Italian tale from the darkest Middle Ages, the novel tells of Manfred, prince of Otranto, whose fear of an ancient prophecy sets him on a course of destruction. After the grotesque death of his only son, Conrad, on his wedding day, Manfred determines to marry the bride-to-be. The virgin Isabella flees through a castle riddled with secret passages. Chilling coincidences, ghostly visitations, arcane revelations, and violent combat combine in a heady mix that is both chilling and terrifying.

In this new edition Nick Groom's wide-ranging introduction explores the novel's Gothic context in the cultural movement that affected political and religious thinking before Walpole developed it as a literary style, helping to explain the novel's impact on contemporaries, its importance, and Walpole's pioneering innovations in the horror genre.

ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

The Castle of Otranto

A Gothic Story

Third Edition

Horace Walpole
Edited by Nick Groom

Oxford World's Classics

Author Information

Horace Walpole, the 4th Earl of Orford (24 September 1717 - 2 March 1797) was an English art historian, writer, antiquarian and Whig politician.

Nick Groom has published widely for both academic and popular readerships, with particular interest in questions of authenticity and the emergence of national and regional identity. His books include The Gothic (2012) for the Very Short Introductions series, The Union Jack: the Story of the British Flag (Atlantic, 2006), and The Seasons: an Elegy for the Passing of the Year (Atlantic, 2013).

The Castle of Otranto

A Gothic Story

Third Edition

Horace Walpole
Edited by Nick Groom

Oxford World's Classics

From Our Blog

"There is no escape." Horace Walpole and the terrifying rise of the Gothic

This year is the 250th anniversary of Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto, first published on Christmas Eve 1764 as a seasonal ghost story. The Castle of Otranto is often dubbed the "first Gothic novel" due to Walpole describing it as a "Gothic story," but for him the Gothic meant very different things from what it might do today.

Posted on October 3, 2014

Read the blog post

The Castle of Otranto

A Gothic Story

Third Edition

Horace Walpole
Edited by Nick Groom

Oxford World's Classics

Audio Guide

"Look, my lord! See heaven itself declares against your impious intentions!"

One of the most influential Gothic novels, The Castle of Otranto established the literary effects associated with the genre: an ancient castle, secret passages, supernatural visitations, an innocent girl threatened with violence, sudden revelations, terror and excitement.

In this new edition, Professor Nick Groom examines the reasons for its extraordinary impact and the Gothic culture from which it sprang. The Castle of Otranto was a game-changer, and Walpole the writer who paved the way for modern horror exponents.

To listen to Professor Nick Groom, editor of the Oxford World's Classics edition, introduce The Castle of Otranto click on the links below.