| The Castle of Otranto Contributor(s): Walpole, Horace (Author), Gamer, Michael (Author) |
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ISBN: 0140437673 ISBN-13: 9780140437676 Publisher: Penguin Group OUR PRICE: $9.90 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: January 2002 Annotation: On the day of his wedding, Conrad, heir to the house of Otranto, is killed in mysterious circumstances. Fearing the end of his dynasty, his father, Manfred, determines to marry Conrad's betrothed, Isabella, until a series of supernatural events stands in his way. . . . Set in the time of the crusades, "The Castle of Otranto" (1764) established the Gothic as a literary form in England. With its compelling blend of psychological realism and supernatural terror, guilty secrets and unlawful desires, it has influenced a literary tradition stretching from Ann Radcliffe and Bram Stoker to Daphne Du Maurier and Stephen King. This Penguin Classics edition includes a full selection of early responses to the novel, as well as a critical introduction, chronology of Walpole's life and works, suggestions for further reading, and full explanatory notes. "[Walpole] is the father of the first romance and surely worthy of a higher place than any living writer." (Lord Byron) |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Fiction | Classics - Fiction | Gothic - Fiction | Horror - General |
| Dewey: FIC |
| LCCN: 2002278393 |
| Lexile Measure: 1030 |
| Series: Penguin Classics |
| Physical Information: 0.5" H x 5.08" W x 7.88" (0.36 lbs) 208 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: The founding work of Gothic fiction On the day of his wedding, Conrad, heir to the house of Otranto, is killed in mysterious circumstances. His calculating father Manfred fears that his dynasty will now come to an end and determines to marry his son's bride himself - despite the fact he is already married. But a series of terrifying supernatural omens soon threaten this unlawful union, as the curse placed on Manfred's ancestor, who usurped the lawful Prince of Otranto, begins to unfold. First published pseudonymously in 1764, purporting to be an ancient Italian text from the time of the crusades, The Castle of Otranto is a founding work of Gothic fiction. With its compelling blend of sinister portents, tempestuous passions and ghostly visitations, it spawned an entire literary tradition and influenced such writers as Ann Radcliffe and Bram Stoker. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators. |