The social norms from the 18th century is difficult to understand. There’s a text that stood out to me while Manfred was telling Isabella how he felt about having a son with her, since Manfred son, Conrad, was mash by a large helmet the morning of his wedding with Isabella. Isabella start to feel comfortable and afraid, so she ran off to escape from him. Then, ” At the instant, the portrait of his grandfather, which hung over the bench where they had been sitting, uttered a deep sigh and heaved its breast.” (34) this scene shows how Manfred grandfather led him to were Isabella ran, maybe he didn’t want to see his grandson lose the throne of the castle. Yet, Manfred was planning on divorcing Hippolita for Isabella because he believe that Isabella will grant him with a son. The author is trying to show us that its normal for a prince to leave his princess if he doesn’t except a son from her. And that he is willing to hurt anyone to get to Isabella or to force her in to marriage, this was acceptable in royalty during the 18th century. Furthermore, Manfred said to Isabella “too long has she cursed me by her unfruitfulness. My Fate depends on having sons, and this night I trust will give a new date to my hopes. ” (34) He states that Hippolita cursed him because she didn’t give him a son. Manfred believes that Isabella Is willing to give him what he hoped for.Unfortunately, it was not expect for Hippolita to be fine with the divorce between her and Manfred, for him wanting to marry Isabella. Since Hippolita is a devout woman, she will obey his order.
Reference:
-Walpole, Horace. The Castle of Otranto. Cassell and Company, Limited, London, Paris, New York & Melbourne, 1901. Print.
It was extremely irritating to see how the women were treated in this novel but it seems to open a gateway for a lot of literature during that time. To me, it seemed like the author blamed the women in a way (or at least made them at fault) and I feel like that happened with a lot of literature from this time period. For example, it seems like he blames Isabella and Matilda for their beautiful looks, and it’s because of their looks that they are causing feuds throughout the castle.
The part about Manfred wanting to have relations with Isabella seemed really strange to me being that was his son’s fiancé. You would think he wanted to stay faithful to his wife but that wasn’t the plan. He didn’t care too much about either of their feelings.
I can agree with you that the social norms of the 18th century are much different than what we are used to seeing in the 21st century but there are not that many major differences between both of our time periods. I think you may have personally had this approach to the reading because this reading was specially written this way to display and highlight the new era of writing the Gothic and being the first of its time these where the major ways to display it.