In THE CASTLE OF OTRANTO by Horace Walpole, in medieval Italy during the Crusades, it\'s the wedding of the century between Conrad, son of Manfred, and Isabella, a beautiful and distinguished daughter from an old family. However, shortly before the two are to be married, a giant helmet crashes down upon Conrad, killing the groom and his father, Manfred\'s sanity.Β
Afraid of an old prophecy and that Manfred will lose his prestige, he begins to ponder on how to secure his family\'s future permanently, ultimately deciding to put his loyal and beloved wife Hippolita into a convent and marry his dead son\'s wife for himself in hopes of gaining more heirs. However, Isabella is reluctant and refuses to fall into his schemes, while Manfred is relentless and determined in his pursuit. Ultimately, who will in this tale of cat and mouse?Β
In THE OLD ENGLISH BARON by Clara Reeve, a knight by the name of Sir Philip is going back home to an estate after serving Crusades. Upon his way, he discovers an old friend has died and then meets the heirs, including a mysterious boy of peasant stock: Edmund Twyford. Finding Edmund appealing, Sir Philip promises to be there in case the young man will need help in the future and leaves. Years pass, and little does he know of the hell that Edmund Twyford will experience at the hands of his master\'s children and that hell will have everyone scrambling to discover the secrets of Edmund\'s parents. Will those secrets be uncovered, or are they destined to be forever hidden?Β
For readers that are all too used to modern language and storytelling, THE CASTLE OF OTRANTO, as well as its predecessor, THE OLD ENGLISH BARON, are definitely from another world of stories and will take a lot of time to get used to namely because of the language, the things that the authors pay attention to and very unusual plots. While both THE CASTLE OF OTRANTO and THE OLD ENGLISH BARON inspired the horror genre, I would imagine that the horror genre has grown a lot since THE CASTLE OF OTRANTO and THE OLD ENGLISH BARON made their appearances in the late 18th century.Β
For readers who want to read the predecessors to the horror genre and see what 18th century novels were like and what they were concerned with, then THE CASTLE OF OTRANTO and THE OLD ENGLISH BARON are definitely recommended reads
Manfred, the lord of the castle of Otranto, has long lived in dread of an ancient prophecy: it's foretold that when his family line ends, the true owner of the castle will appear and claim it. In a desperate bid to keep the castle, Manfred plans to coerce a young woman named Isabella into marrying him.
Isabella refuses to yield to Manfred's reprehensible plan. But once she escapes into the depths of the castle, it becomes clear that Manfred isn't the only threat. As Isabelle loses herself in the seemingly endless hallways below, voices reverberate from the walls and specters wander through the dungeons. Otranto appears to be alive, and it's seeking revenge for the sins of the past.
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