As I was reading "The Castle of Otranto," I couldn't help but think of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. Catherine Morland filled her mind with these types of Gothic stories and her unrealistic imagination led her to problems with the Tilneys. It was really interesting to read the plot and understand how girls in the eighteeenth/nineteenth centuries could get so twisted in their thoughts and their view of men and relationships within families. After Conrad's death, the way Isabella escapes from Manfred's wrath is unrealistic. The trapdoor, the lock, the moonlight, and the stranger all add to the idea of a prince charming who can rescue a damsel in distress. The idea of running throughout the castle, escaping from parents, and rescuing ladies in trouble are similar to Catherine's idea of Mr. Tilney and what he did to his wife.
I must say that I was expecting the end to be tragic and unique. The fact that Matilda died by her father's hand was surprising but I don't think it was that unusual for these novels. The ending has to be tragic in order to capture the emotions of the readers. I think it was successful and the way Walpole writes the story keeps the reader interested and tied to the story.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Jane Austen actually wrote Nothanger Abbey as a satire of gothic literature, and Catherine Morland and her friends read (or at least talk about, I don't remember) The Castle of Otranto and the Mysteries of Udolpho (which is another Gothic book that the Intro mentioned).
ReplyDeleteI know Jane Austen wrote Northanger Abbey as a satire and I also think a warning about Gothic literature. After reading The Castle of Otranto, I can understand her book better and the reasons for her warning.
ReplyDelete