Frederic’s encounter with the spirit
As I, King Fredrick climbed the stairs to the apartments of Princess Hippolita, in hopes to find my dear sweet Matilda and to gaze upon her once again, my heart pounded with anticipation. I hope that Lady Hippolita would not find me forward, but for what a care might I have? The tyrant, that usurper… has taken the home that is rightfully mine. Yet, in his care I find the most virtuous woman to ever beheld my eyes. I care not what anyone may think of me this hour, I will sway Lady Hippolita to divorce, and make Matilda mine and mine alone. As I pushed the door ajar, I was not amazed to find Lady Hippolita not within sight but this stranger person who of solemnly seeming to be in prayer within. I had wished not to be discovered, so I quickly began to turn away once more and see of whom my mind desires, but the person stood, to my embarrassment of being discovered. I quickly formulated an excuse in my mind “Reverend Father, I sought the Lady Hippolita.” When the person responded, the room and all the air within seemed to stiffen at the sound of his voice. “Hippolita!” replied a hollow voice; “camest thou to this castle to seek Hippolita?” And as he turned it was as if my heart had stopped its beat, all ice within my veins had come to bear its fruit, as my eyes beheld a great horror of a skeleton man wrapped in the hermit’s cowl stood facing me. “Oh death, have you come for me?” my mind thought as my mouth screamed for the protection of the saints, my soul had tried to leave my body indeed
I feel like maybe this spirit was a good spirit trying to protect the females in the castle Most likely to protect the princesses and to keep them secure. Spirits can be evil or good, as far as this spirit it seems this wasn’t evil. But also the fact that the princesses were not in sight can also have a doing of the spirit, can be possible. Maybe the spirit was an ancestor too, we can relate this to the frame of Alfonso and how there was a weird sound while Manfred and Isabella were in Manfred’s room in chapter one. There can be many possibilities.
I think the spirit in a way, reminded Frederic about what he was meant to do and without him reminding him about what his goal was (The Premonition). He would have probably not have saved his daughter from what could have happened.
The ghost might serve as a representation of Frederick’s conscience and a reminder, a “memento mori”, even as Frederick revels, that the candle flame that is a human can flicker out at any time.
“the spirit in a way, reminded Frederic about what he was meant to do”
I agree
“Spirits can be evil or good”
Duality
Spirits can be good and evil. I think in this passage it was good spirit trying to protect the women in the castle.