For my paper, I wanted to evaluate whether Horace un/intentionally channeled the writing style of Sophocles. In Horace’s Castle of Otranto, tragedy is the first theme that appears in the gothic novel. The first major event in the novel lead to everyones eventual fate (a theme that Sophocles greatly stresses in Oedipus Rex).

In The Castle of Otranto, the “prophecy” is similar to the prophecy in Sophocles’s “Oedipus Rex” in which they both challenge characters to protect their position in the castle or of higher power. The prophecy sends its “beholders” on a protection rage where they would do anything to avoid this prophecy from coming true. The action of them trying to protect their future is in fact what leads them to their  own  undoing. With just this bit information, I seek to establish a relationship between the ideals of Gothic/Romantic novels and Tragedy as a genre. Horace fails to mention that not only does he “creates” this new gothic novel by redefining romance novels, but that he also uses the concept of tragedy, fate and sight/blindness to create this new genre. While I was reading this novel, every page I read somewhat screamed to me “Sophocles”, “tragedy”, “comedy” so I decided to question whether or not this novel is just an upgrade to Sophocles greatest works. (I would include comedy depending on whether or not I include Shakespeare’s reference in the preface of Horace’s novel)

The terror in Horace’s work could be a direct comparison to tragedy, for terror stems from tragic events and etc.

I seem to get stuck trying to find a proper way to provide evidence for this idea. I feel the problem stems from not having a clear question or that I might be misunderstanding the assignment as a whole.

Some background information:

Tragedy: is a form of drama based on human suffering that invokes an accompanying catharsis or pleasure in audiences. (Wiki)

Fate is a theme that often occurs in Greek writing, tragedies in particular. The idea that attempting to avoid an oracle is the very thing which brings it about is a common motif in many Greek myths, and similarities to Oedipus can for example be seen in the myth of the birth of Perseus. (Wiki)

“Amicus Plato; that is, DINAH was my aunt; —sed magis amica veritas—but Truth is my sister,” (pages 53-54) is said by Tristram’s father to Uncle Toby in regards to the “Shandy Family Scandal.” In this short excerpt, the phrase “Amicus Plato sed magis amica veritas,” stood out the most. This phrase is of Latin root, and when it is translated it means “Plato is my friend, but truth is a better friend.” Aristotle’s great work called Nicomachean Ethics is the root of the creation of this phrase. In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle discusses the concepts of ethics and, in direct relation to this statement, the ethics of friendship. Aristotle elaborates on what qualities a good friend has and how it should benefit the two in that friendship. However he makes a statement that he would “rather be in accord with the truth than with the friendship with our master, Plato.” Many other great writers took his saying and tried to make some sense of it. Thomas Aquinas is one person who goes into great depths defining this controversial phrase. He suggests, “Although we should have friendship for both truth and our fellow man, we ought rather to love truth because we should love our fellow man especially on account of truth and virtue.

To get a better understanding of this phrase, we could apply this definition back to the text “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman.” Great-aunt Dinah made her famous entrance in Volume 1 and Volume 2 in which she is the foundation of embarrassment and disgrace for the Shandy Family. She is this foundation because of her decision to marry a coachman and for having a child very late in her life. When Walter states “Dinah was my aunt; but truth is my sister,” it could mean that although he does not agree to her bringing shame to the family in that manner, it is the truth behind it that prevails. This overall can help us understand Walters characteristics better because it moves I sync with Tristram’s painting of a “speculative,” “systematic,” philosopher in grain.

“The Helmet! The Helmet,” is what the volley of voices shouted in the beginning of The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole. In this moment, Manfred’s only hope to extend his family line and to procure an heir to maintain his family’s name in the Castle of Otranto was eliminated faster than anyone would have thought to imagine while reading this gothic novel. The thought of a huge helmet crushing someone may be funny to some who is reading this tale, however, it is Manfred’s fear that is expressed deeply in the moments directly after discovering his sons body crushed beneath this helmet. It is Manfred’s fear that his only option to gain an heir is now void and this eventually conjures this idea to get married to Isabella, who was set to marry Manfred’s, now, dead son Conrad. This fear is a good example of terror as a sublime.

In Edmund Burkes “A philosophical enquiry into the origin of our ideas of the sublime and beautiful,” he defines sublime in the context of terror. He states “No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.” This excerpt means that fear is in fact the emotion that robs the mind of its power of acting and reasoning. Manfred’s fear of not having an heir is terrorizing him to the point where he would do anything to ensure that his future is secure, even if it means leaving his wife and marrying his son’s fiancé. Moreover, it is the same fear that has lead to his undoing. The prophecy that “the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it” is also something that increased Manfred’s fear. The thought that his son’s death was the beginning of the end of his family’s line instilled fears that clouded his judgment and robbed Manfred of appropriate reasoning.