Edmund Burke’s section The recapitulation points out passion with regards to pain and danger, society and sympathy (131).  First, Burke explains how passion relates to self-preservation and how it can affect us in different ways depending on the outcome of our passions. We saw in Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto how Manfred reacted to his only son Conrad being killed under the giant casque (28). He was less concerned about losing his son than he was about losing his only heir. Manfred then makes the startling decision to divorce his wife Hippolita and marry Isabella, his son’s bride.  When Manfred says to Isabella, “My fate depends on having sons; and this night, I trust, will give a new date to my hopes.” (34), you can tell he’s desperate. His actions are fueled by self-preservation even if it would hurt his family.

Burke’s second point of passion is in regards to society, specifically love (132). When Burke says, “when an idea of its object is excited in the mind with an idea at the same time of having irretrievably lost it” (132), it’s similar to Theodore and Matilda’s first meeting. Matilda in a sense worships a picture Alfonso’s in the gallery and then meets a young peasant whom looks exactly like him. The sublime here is realizing you’ve found your love only to learn he will be killed by Prince Manfred. “’Bear him away into the court-yard,’” said Manfred: “’I will see his head this instant severed from his body.”’ Matilda fainted at hearing these words.” (58).

Burke’s last point on passion is on sympathy and he states sympathy is “a choice in which we are directed by the pleasure we have in the object” (132) “The nature of this passion is to put us in the place of another in whatever circumstances he is in, and to affect us in a like manner” (132). We can see this in Theodore’s behavior towards Isabella. Theodore was already Manfred’s prisoner but put his life in danger in order to help her escape in the cloisters. We see this when Theodore tells Isabella “’I value not my life,”’ said the stranger, “’and it will be some comfort to lose it in trying to deliver you from this tyranny.”’ (37). We also see it when Theodore fights and nearly kills Frederic “He assured her he would die rather than suffer her to return under Manfred’s power” (75). He has selflessly protected Isabella numerous times out of sympathy even if it means his demise.