Although a complex read, The Castle of Otranto was an amusing escape
into a Gothic world of magic, horror, ghosts and dynasties. As mentioned
in our class discussion and in Walpole’s introduction to the novel (not
written by him), his intention with the novel was to make an attempt at
establishing a new Gothic style of writing - and for that, I admire him
for being ambitious. His novel presents authentic reactions to
imaginary actions, while also throwing in some comedy to balance the
tragedy.
I am a fan of Gothic novels; I think they are fun reads
that transport us to alternate universes, which is the case here. What’s
really great about this novel is that it’s short, it’s full of action
and excitement and it wastes no time. It throws us right into many (arm
hair-raising) events. I felt that some of the revelations were a bit
predictable. However, it’s a fun, pleasant diversion.
One of the most prominent ingredients of this Gothic work is the castle, which to me is the central to the narrative. Do you agree? Are there any others worth mentioning?
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