The Castle of Otranto

1
The Castle of Otranto

• Kevin Bowers, Lillian Calcaterra, Rebecca
  Dickinson, Rae Felts, Ryan MacInnis, Debbie
  Santos

2
Character List

• Manfred Manfred is the lord of the Castle of
  Otranto. He is the father of Conrad and Matilda
  and the husband of Hippolita. he becomes obsessed
  with the idea of ending his marriage for the 
  much younger Isabella, who was supposed to marry
  his son. 
• Hippolita Hippolita is the wife of Manfred and
  the mother of Conrad and Matilda.
• Conrad Son of Manfred and Hippolita.  In the
  first pages of the novel, he is crushed by a
  giant helmet on his way to his wedding with
  Isabella.
• Matilda Matilda is the daughter of Hippolita
  and Manfred. At the end of the novel, she is
  accidentally stabbed by her father.

3
Character List (cont.)

• Isabella Isabella is the daughter of Frederic
  and the fiancée of Conrad  After the death of
  Matilda, Theodore settles for Isabella and the
  two become the lord and lady of the castle.
• Theodore  Theodore appears to be a mere minor
  character,  However, he emerges as a main
  character after Manfred orders him to be
  imprisoned. He is revealed later in the novel to
  be lost son of Friar Jerome. He also later goes
  on to rule the Castle of Otranto.
• Friar Jerome He is the Friar at the monastery
  near the Castle of Otranto.  It is later
  discovered that he is Theodores father.
• Bianca Bianca is the servant of Matilda 

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Family Tree
5
Important Scene Conrads Death

• The scene where Conrad dies is extremely
  important. His first words that he utters are
  take care of Lady Isabella (Walpole 29). Here
  rather than inquiring about his sons status or
  even grieving, he turns to his family and
  instructs them to take care of Isabella. Here, is
  where we see his love for Isabella start to
  flourish as he neglects his family.
• These two scenes really show who Manfred is as a
  character as he neglected his children and
  epitomizes a sadistic, narcissistic villain. His
  lack of love for his children is evident in these
  two scenes as his selfishness and neglect for
  their wellbeing really hones in on his character.

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Important Scene Theodores Discovery

• Right before Theodore tells his story, and Jerome
  is realized as his wretched father Manfred
  recognizes him as Alfonso. He even admits, he
  has unhinged the soul of Manfred (80)
• Theodore starts his story My story is very
  brief. I was carried, at five years of age, to
  Algiers, with my mother, who had been taken by
  corsairs from the coast of Sicily. She died of
  grief in less than a twelvemonth. The tears
  gushed from Jeromes eyes, on whose countenance a
  thousand anxious passions stood expressed.
  Before she died, Theodore continued, she bound
  a writing about my arm under my garments, which
  told me I was the son of the Count
  Falconara.-It is most true, said Jerome I am
  that wretched father. (81)
• This scene is one of great importance because we
  can now see that Manfred is not the heir to the
  castle and neither are his children, whether a
  son or daughter. It causes the story another
  twist, and gives us the truth we are looking for.

7
Important Scene Run in With the Spirit

• The Marquis was not surprised at the silence
  that reigned in the Princesss apartmentQuitting
  the Princess thus abruptly, he hastened to his
  own apartment inwards (99).
• Although we only know Fredric as Isabellas
  father and the king of another city, his want to
  marry Matilda is clearly not going over well.
  This scene shows us the importance of the
  supernatural in this story, and gives us a sense
  of how much they took into account any run ins
  with the spirits. Fredric has his heart set on
  marrying Matilda, but is tossed into a fit of
  emotions in the oratory as soon as the spirit
  makes his decree.

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Important Scene The Skeleton Spectre

• Frederic, the father of Isabella (also called
  the marquis) is visited by a spectre in chapter
  five (page 99).  This spectre is a skeleton
  wearing ragged clothing.  Frederic finds him in
  Hippolitas apartment, kneeling in front of an
  altar.
• When the spectre turns around Frederic falls down
  on his knees, in fear.  He says Angels of grace,
  protect me!  The spectre replies Deserve their
  protection!   The spectre is a holy hermit who
  has come to Frederic to tell him To forget
  Matilda! He also reminds Frederic of the wood
  of Joppa and the buried sabre.  

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Important Scene Matildas Death

• The death scene, in which Manfred mistakes
  Isabella for his own daughter is a crucial point
  in the novel. Theodore says Manfred will never
  permit this union-No this shall prevent it!
  cried the tyrant, drawing his dagger, and
  plunging it over her shoulder into the bosom of
  the person that spoke (Walpole 101). This scene
  shows the monstrous acts by Manfred when he hears
  that Isabella and Theodore will wed. This
  confusion of identity relates to Manfreds
  relationship with Matilda as he shows her no
  compassion or human recognition.

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Important Scene The Monastic Life

• When Manfred and Hippolita sign themselves over
  to the Monastic life. In the very end of the book
  both know that they are not large and in charge
  anymore, so Manfred basically admits defeat and
  takes the easy way out by entering the Monastery.
  He was able to avoid any consequence by this
  decision, and giving the castle over to its
  rightful prince, Theodore. (106 in the last
  paragraph)

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Work Cited

• Walpole, Horace. The Castle of Otranto. Mineola,
  NY Dover Publications, 2004. Print.