Originally published anonymously with a foreword that claimed this to be a translation of a middle age Italian manuscript. It was popular upon its release and ushered in the Gothic novel genre.

Chapter 1

We open the book to Manfred, the Lord of Otranto celebrating the wedding of his only son Conrad’s wedding. Within the very first page a freak tragedy occurs. A giant ceremonial helmet falls off its perch and crushes Conrad- killing him. Manfred in a blind rage seizes the nearest person - a young peasant, and accuses him of the murder. Manfred orders the peasant to be crushed under the helmet. Everyone voices their displeasure but Manfred will hear none of it.

Later, the bride Isabella, daughter to the Marquis of Vicenza who claims dominion over Otranto, is summoned to a gallery by Manfred. Instead of comforting her, Manfred explains that he is now going to marry Isabella. He also plans to divorce his wife Hipollita who has not borne him many children. Isabella is shocked and flees with Manfred in pursuit. Already we have the first main trope of a Gothic novel - a cruel castle lord pursuing a young maiden. During the chase Manfred passes the picture of his grandfather, and another Gothic trope- a ghost steps out and beckons Manfred to follow him to a locked door.

Isabella flees beneath the castle in some ancient tunnels and finds the young peasant. The helmet was so large it cracked a hole in the floor and he was able to slip through it into these ancient tunnels. The young peasant helps Isabella escape but in doing so alerts Manfred of his presence. Manfred, on finding him, is interrupted in the interrogation by a couple of bumbling comedic relief servants. They tell Manfred of a ghostly set of gigantic armor that made a frightening rattle noise. Tired Manfred returns to his chambers.

Already within the first chapter we have the framework of what becomes a Gothic novel. A castle with secret passages, a villainous castle lord, a pursued young woman, and supernatural happenings.

The supernatural occurrences become set up for later in the novel when Manfred’s actual claim to the principality of Otranto comes into question.

Chapter 2

Matilda and her servant Bianca are in Matilda’s room where they discuss marriage, how handsome the young peasant was, hear some possibly supernatural sounds, and briefly talk with a singer in a window below. A servant comes in and informs them that the local priest - Father Jerome has found Isabella in his church. He says Isabella wishes to remain in the church until she can find a suitable marriage and that she explicitly finds Manfred and his wife as her “parents.” Manfred of course says - no return her to my castle.

Manfred and Father Jerome have a private conversation. Manfred explains his plot to marry Isabella and divorce Hipollita and asks the priest for his assistance. Father Jerome finds this appalling and attempts to delay by sending a letter to the church for advice. Manfred inquires the priest on the young peasant, certain there is some connection with Isabella. The priest, wanting to throw Manfred off Isabella by harbouring some animosity lies and confirms his suspicion. This backfires. Now enraged, Manfred orders the youth before him. Who are you, how do you know Isabella and such. The peasant says his name is Theodore. Meanwhile Matilda and Bianca overhear the interrogation and come over. Bianca thinks he looks like Alfonso’s picture in the gallery.

Manfred, still enraged, orders Theodore’s head off. All the servants can see the injustice and Matilda faints- our first Gothic fainting!

Bear him away into the court-yard, said Manfred; I will see his head this instant severed from his body. -Matilda fainted at hearing those words. p51

Theodore wishes for his last rites and when Father Jerome comes over Theodore’s shirt slips over his shoulders exposing a red arrow shaped birthmark. Father Jerome recognizes the birthmark and youth as his lost son. He begs Manfred to spare Theodore. Manfred attempts to make a deal regarding Isabella, but before anything is struck someone is at the castle gates.

Chapter 3

Manfred instructs Father Jerome to see who is at the door. Jerome inquires and the reply is “the Knight of the Gigantic Sabre.“ He wishes to speak to the “usurper of Otranto.” Manfred, enraged at the insolence, instructs Jerome to fetch Isabella and his son Theodore led under guard to the top of the black tower.

Manfred asks who are you? The knight replies he is from the Marquis of Vicenza and he demands Isabella returned and Manfred to give up Otranto which he has "usurped from said Lord Frederick, the nearest blood to the last rightful Lord Alfonso the good.” If he doesn’t comply, the knight will fight him in single combat. Lord Frederick is approaching but still a league away. Manfred had heard this claim before. Frederick’s ancestors had assumed the title of Otranto after Alfonso died without heirs. Manfred’s father and grandfather had taken Otranto and been too powerful for Vicenza to dispossess them. Lord Frederick’s wife died in childbirth to Isabella and so grief stricken he left for the crusade where he was reported to have been wounded, made prisoner, and died. When Manfred learned this he bribed Isabella’s guardians to marry her to his son to further his claim to Otranto. Now that his son is dead, he needs to marry Isabella for legitimacy. Manfred tells the knight his lord is welcome inside safely for parlè.

Father Jerome returning to the church hears a rumor that Hippolita is dead. Isabella is also missing, assumed to flee Manfred’s suspicion when he hears of his wife’s death.

Manfred opens the gates and the knight and his host enter. Banners, footmen, pages, and horses make a formidable host. They are also carrying something supernatural.

An hundred gentlemen bearing an enormous sword, and seeming to faint under the weight of it.” p60

The crushing helmet stirs on its own. Manfred leads the knights in, he stops to kneel at the casque, helmet, and seems to pray inwardly for a moment.

As they made the circuit of the court to return towards the gate, the gigantic sword burst from the supporters, and falling to the ground opposite the helmet, remained unmoveable. p61

They returned to the hall where the feast was ready. Manfred tries to be confident and ask them questions. But they stay silent and only lift their visors to eat.

After the meal, Manfred leads them into an inner private chamber. Still they remain as silent and mysterious as ghosts. He starts to fumble over himself and starts by telling them his grandfather Don Ricardo was bequeathed Otronto from Alfonso who died childless in the holy land. Frederick may be nearest in blood but “I will hold this by the sword”. Finally Manfred tells them his son is dead and that breaks their silence - “Do you restore her?” was the reply. Manfred attempts a fluff piece about having legitimacy doubts about his marriage with Hippolita. He starts to tell them his plans to marry Isabella when a servant interrupts them that Father Jerome urgently needs to talk.

Father Jerome sets the tension higher when he tells everyone that Isabella is missing from the church. Manfred is utterly flummoxed and the knights angry that she is gone. Manfred and the knights each order their respective parties to search for her. Matilda goes to the black tower and releases Theodore and they flirt a bit. He thought it was her that he helped escape in the tunnel. She helps him into a suit of armor and leads him out of the castle. She tells him to head to some caves by the coast past the forest.

Theodore makes it to the caves where he finds Isabella. He vows to protect her. Another knight appears and demands her.

And who art thou who darest to cross in my way? said the knight haughtily. One who does not dare more than he will perform, said Theodore. p 71

The two cross swords and Theodore mortally wounds the other knight and that is when the mistaken identity is revealed. The other knight is Isabella’s own father - Frederick the Marquis of Vicenza. Manfred’s domestics appear and they all carry Frederick back to the castle.

Chapter 4

Hippolita and Matilda meet the group and carry Frederick to the surgeons who say his wounds are not life threatening. Frederick recounts the tale of how he came to want his daughter back.

While in captivity he had a dream that his daughter was trapped in a castle and in danger. If he escaped to a forest in Jappa he would know more. Luckily he was ransomed out. In Jappa he found a hermit in a cave who directed him to dig. He found the giant sword. On the blade was a prophecy. Wherever the armor matches this sword, the daughter is in danger, Alfonso can save her from a prince’s shade.

Manfred and Father Jerome come in and Theodore, still in his suit of armor, terrifies Manfred believing Theodore to be the ghost of Alfonso.

Theodore tells his story. At the age of 5 he was taken with his mother by raiders. She died shortly after but not before writing that he was the son of the count Falconara. When his estate was raised by rovers, Count Falconara sold everything and became a monk. 2 years ago Theodore escaped and has been looking for his father since.

Matilda and Isabella chat. Isabella hates Theodore for wounding her father while Matilda denies deep friendship with him, but defends him anyway. They both comment how much he looks like Alfonso’s painting. Isabella thinks Theodore has feelings for Matilda.

Hippolita joins them to inform them that to strengthen their position they will marry Matilda to Frederick. Isabella knows this is a bad idea since Manfred plans to divorce Hippolita and marry her. She crys out that she won’t do it.

Father Jerome and Theodore meet at the church, where Jerome tells Theodore not to think about Matilda. Hippolita joins them and divulges their plan to marry Matilda and Frederick. Father Jerome is surprised at Hippolita’s readiness to divorce Manfred. Father Jerome thinks this is all a bad plan.

Meanwhile, Manfred is proposing the double marriage to Frederick. Frederick, smitten with Matilda, agrees only if Hippolita agrees to the divorce.

When Manfred comes to the church he finds Hippolita and Jerome. Father Jerome tells Manfred his plan is terrible and everyone knows about it. Manfred says that doesn’t matter, it’s already done. The nose of Alfonso’s statue drips three blood drops and Father Jerome takes it as a sign of ill portent. Manfred proclaims Jerome and Theodore traitors and secretly leaves an attendant to spy on the church.

Chapter 5

Manfred and Hippolita discuss the plan. Hippolita will support it, but won’t promote it, instead wanting Manfred to resign his dominions. Manfred asks Bianca if Isabella is interested in anyone. She says no, but hey Theodore is a great guy.

Manfred talks to Frederick to further the marriage plans, but is interrupted by Bianca- the giant ghostly armor is back and she is near fainting.

Everyone is invited to the banquet hall for dinner where Manfred nearly makes a fool of himself with heavy drinking. Afterwards Frederick went to find Hippolita in her apartment, but instead finds a ghost. Skeleton face in a monk’s attire, the ghost reminds Frederick that he’s here for the prophecy on the sabre, not “Matilda’s carnal delights p98.”

Frederick leaves Hippolita’s apartment and is interrupted by a drunken Manfred. Manfred wants to spend a few merry hours with him with music and revelling. But Frederick finds this “dissonant with his mood.” Frederick rudely pushes Manfred away and goes to his bedchamber.

Manfred becomes angry at the rude gesture, but the servant spy arrives to inform him Theodore and some lady were seen having a secret conference at the tomb of Alphonso. Manfred assumes this is Isabella.

Provoked by this conjecture, and enraged by her father, he hastened secretly to the great church. Gliding softly between the aisles, and guided by the imperfect gleam of moonshine that shone faintly through the illuminated windows, he stole towards the tomb of Alfonso, to which he was directed by indistinct whispers of the persons he sought. The first sounds he could distinguish were -Does it, alas, depend on me? Manfred will never permit our union. -No, this shall prevent it! cried the Tyrant, drawing his dagger and plunging it over her shoulder into the bosom of the person that spoke -Ah me, I am slain! cried Matilda sinking. P99

It wasn’t Isabella, but instead Matilda that Manfred murders. Theodore is shocked, Manfred awakens almost from a trance and beats his chest and looks to kill himself with the dagger before Theodore can wrestle the blade from him. Hippolita and Father Jerome arrive and Theodore begs his father to marry them before she dies. Hippolita faints. Matilda for her part takes this all with grace and forgiveness. Her passing is gentle and glamorized.

Theodore reveals to everyone the story of his lineage and that he is the rightful heir to Otranto. A thunderclap “and the clank of more than mortal armor” is heard as the wall of the castle falls down. The ghost of Alfonso appears and proclaims Theodore the heir of Otranto. This prompts Theodore to reveal the story of his lineage.

In the morning Manfred gives up Otranto. He and Hippolita both give up their possessions and join convents. Theodore and Isabella eventually marry.

The End.