The Castle of Otranto

Walpole’s novel holds a unique position in literary history because it was the first popular novel to blend elements of Medieval Romance with the more contemporary novel form.

How successfully does The Castle of Otranto strike a balance between Medieval Romance and the modern novel?

• How much of the characters’ individual psychology does Walpole share with the reader?
• What nods to realism—in character, plot, and so on—do you see in this novel? How are these elements also influenced by Medieval Romance?
• How do the novel’s language and setting attempt to evoke older forms of Romance?

Teaching Suggestion: If students struggle to identify medieval and modern elements in the novel, it may help to ask them to imagine which elements of the novel would be excluded if it were a genuine Medieval Romance and which elements of the novel would be excluded if it were an example of strict Realism. Once they have identified the two types of elements, they will be better prepared to offer an evaluation of the balance between these elements.

Differentiation Suggestion: English language learners, students with dyslexia, and students with attentional and executive function differences may struggle to review enough text to thoroughly answer this prompt. They may benefit from gathering evidence with a partner or small group before responding to the prompt.