The Castle of Otranto (The World's Classics)

Reed, Joseph W.,Walpole, Horace

ISBN 10: 0192816063 / ISBN 13: 9780192816061

Published by Oxford University Press, 1982

About this Item

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Castle of Otranto (The World's Classics)
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication Date: 1982
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0192816063
• ISBN 13: 9780192816061
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

One of the first, great Gothic novels, and one of the most influential books in literary history, this thrilling tale abounds in adventure, suspense, and supernatural occurrences. In a realm where a villain reigns, mysterious events aid in fulfilling a prophecy that spells doom for the ruler and justice for the rightful heir.

From the Back Cover

This Broadview edition pairs the first Gothic novel with the first Gothic drama, both by Horace Walpole. Published on Christmas Eve, 1764, on Walpole's private press at Strawberry Hill, his Gothicized country house, The Castle of Otranto became an instant and immediate classic of the Gothic genre as well as the prototype for Gothic fiction for the next two hundred years. Walpole's brooding and intense drama, The Mysterious Mother, focuses on the protagonist's angst over an act of incest with his mother, and includes the appearance of Father Benedict, Gothic literature's first evil monk. Appendices in this edition include selections from Walpole’s letters, contemporary responses, and writings illustrating the aesthetic and intellectual climate of the period. Also included is Sir Walter Scott’s introduction to the 1811 edition of The Castle of Otranto.