The Castle of Otranto Summary Horace Walpole

The Castle of Otranto Summary

Prince Manfred

Horace Walpole wrote, The Castle of Otranto. In his story, he depicted Prince Manfred and his family, which includes his wife, Hippolita, and his children, Conrad and Matilda. The story begins on a wedding day. It was Manfred’s son, Conrad, and Princess Isabella. The wedding doesn't happen, however, for Conrad is crushed to death by an enormous helmet moments before the event. Among the crowd is a handsome young peasant named Theodore, who muses that the helmet is like the one from the statue of Otranto’s founder, Alfonso. Though he has no reason to suspect Theodore of Conrad’s death, Manfred makes an enormous to-do about the peasant’s putative guilt and imprisons him under the helmet.

The death of his son terrifies Manfred that a prophecy that the castle will expire from their family is starting to come true. Manfred plots to divorce his wife, Hippolita, because she has did not bear him a correct heir and marry Isabella himself. Even though strange things begin to happen within the castle, Manfred isn't deterred. When Manfred informs this to Isabella, she is shocked and flees into a passage beneath the castle. There she meets Theodore, newly escaped from the helmet; he aids her in escaping to a close-by convent.

The look for Isabella continues until Manfred confronts Theodore within the vault of the castle. Theodore utters he does not know Isabella, but Manfred’s conceit and anger persist. Matilda hears Theodore’s woeful singing and speaks to him briefly, admiring his piety and wondering if she can help him.

Father Jerome arrives from the convent and assures Manfred of Isabella’s safety, but he adds that Manfred’s decides to divorce his wife and marry the lass offends Heaven. Manfred orders the execution of Theodore. As Theodore takes his shirt out, Jerome distinguishes the mark below his shoulder and identifies him as his son, lost for years. Theodore, then, is that the heir to Jerome, who was once the count of Falconara before his house was ruined and he turned to religion. Jerome pleads for his son’s life, and Manfred proffers to extra him in a switch over for the discharge of Isabella.

They are interrupted as a herald enters, proclaiming that an excellent knight has arrived to rescue Isabella. The wily Manfred invites the mysterious knight, whose face is not seen, to palaver. The conversation ends and the search for Isabella recommences. In the interim, Matilda gratis Theodore from his captivity and assists him to arm himself and flee the castle. Theodore finds Isabella in the woods and hides her in a cave, vowing to protect her. The great knight arrives and demands the girl, but Theodore, thinking he is an ally of Manfred’s, engages him in battle. Wounded seriously, the knight says he's Frederic, Isabella’s father who was presumed dead within Palestine. Isabella weeps over him, and Theodore helps her take him back to the castle.

Back within the castle, Frederic’s wounds are declared not too serious, and Manfred works on convincing him to wed Matilda if he will get to marry Isabella. He intends to stay Otranto in his name, as he knows that Frederic’s line has also claimed lineage from Alfonso. Frederic is wary initially, but he's very interested in Matilda and thus agrees. Manfred tells Hippolita the reality about his plans, and, ever the dutiful wife, she seeks counsel from Jerome a few divorce. She also tells Matilda about her planned nuptials to Frederic, but by this time Matilda has realized she is in love with Theodore and is quite dismayed.

Manfred believes that Isabella is going to be meeting with Theodore for a tryst at the church, so he takes a knife with him. It is actually Matilda who is meeting Theodore, but Manfred doesn't know this and accidentally kills his daughter.

Shock reverberates through the family and everyone else. Theodore is eventually revealed to be truth prince of Otranto with Matilda dead, and therefore the grieving Manfred is left to repent. He abdicates the principality and retires to religion alongside Hippolita. Theodore becomes a prince and is married to Isabella, for she is that the just one who can truly understand his sorrow.