Response 1

After reading “Castle of Ontranto” I now have a better understanding of gothic literature from a traditional standpoint. Being that this text was one of the first gothic texts of its time it highlighted most of the themes in a gothic novel like the super natural, nobility with a tyrant, a damsel in distress, a lot of swooning and death. The family structure was very peculiar throughout the text, starting with the death of Conrad. It would be expected for a father to mourn the death of his only son but Manfred just saw a lost opportunity to continue his lineage. After Conrad is smashed to death by a giant helmet Manfred sees an opportunity in his sons betrothed to carry on his legacy. His sons almost bride, Isabelle is shocked and afraid that the man whom she saw as her own father could force her into this incestuous courtship and flees for her life. The family dynamic continues to shatter as Manfred seeks to divorce his wife because she cannot bare him another son and is of no use to him. One would think this would cause angry or fury in his wife but she trusts her lord in making the right decisions for his family. Manfred’s other child Matilda is annoyingly obedient and in the end dies without ever being with the man she loves. The lack of family structure is a strong theme for a gothic novel because it leaves everything to uncertainties. This lack of order allows the plot to flow in unique ways because Manfred only cares about power and the opportunities each person gives him. In the end both his children are dead and he is left powerless because greed is immoral.