This eBook has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. The Castle of Otranto is generally regarded as the first gothic novel. It tells the story of Manfred, lord of the castle, and his family. On the wedding-day of his sickly son Conrad and princess Isabella, Conrad is crushed to death by a gigantic helmet that falls on him from above. This inexplicable event is particularly ominous in light of an ancient prophecy. Manfred, terrified that...