The Castle of Otranto

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Hippolyta is a figure from ancient mythology.

• What is the rhetorical purpose of giving the character “Hippolita” this allusive name? (topic sentence)
• Offer plot detail and characterization from the text, as well as evidence from outside sources about the mytho-historic figure of Hippolyta that support your interpretation.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, show how this allusion relates to the text’s portrayal of Women as Weak, Distressed Possessions.

2. Manfred is clearly an evil character, but he does have clear and understandable motivations for his behavior.

• Does Walpole intend for the audience to sympathize with Manfred at any point, or is he thoroughly villainous despite his understandable motivations? (topic sentence)
• Offer at least three pieces of textual evidence that support your interpretation.