The Castle of Otranto
Considered the first Gothic novel written in England, "The Castle of Otranto" is the story of Manfred who has usurped the throne of Otranto from Alfonso the Good. When the story opens, it is the wedding day of Manfred's son, but as he is walking through the courtyard a giant helmet falls on his head and kills him. Manfred, having no other male heir, decides to put off his wife and marry his son's intended, Isabella, himself. A young knight appears to ...
