The Castle of Otranto is a foundational text in the history of Gothic literature. Through its mix of supernatural horror, psychological tension, and exploration of medieval themes, it established many of the tropes and conventions that would shape the genre for centuries to come. It remains a crucial work for understanding not just the Gothic genre, but the broader cultural and aesthetic movements of the 18th and 19th centuries. The novel’s full title is The Castle of Otranto: A Story, translated from the Original Italian of Onuphrio Muralto, which Walpole presents as a translation of a fictional work from the 16th century.