The Helmet In The Castle Of Otranto

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The Castle of Otranto The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole brings out many distinctive characteristics of gothic fictions, one of which is symbolism amid supernatural elements. Emerging as the most controversial object in the story, the helmet, representing Alfonso the Good, reveals to readers the contemporarily believed significance of pure succession in the eighteenth century. The helmet appears five times throughout the story; each time emphasizes harder the palpable presence of prince Alfonso’s spirit. At the very beginning, Conrad gets killed by “an enormous helmet, an hundred times more large than any casque ever made for human being” (p.12) falling from the sky. Coincidentally, we soon discover afterward that Alfonso’s statue in the church of St. Nicholas is missing also a helmet. Despite the difference in material, the connection between the fallen and missing helmet is undeniable. On one hand, as the former ruler of Otranto, Alfonso would want Conrad – the potential illegitimate successor, to die in order to preserve the purity of the castle’s heir-ship. On the other hand, Conrad’s tragic death is caused by a mysterious helmet which is suggested to come from Alfonso’s statue. The coincidence implies Alfonso’s spirit behind the incident, using the helmet as his earthly embodiment. The helmet is mentioned the second time when Manfred proposed himself to Isabella. Its “tempestuous manner” (p.17) speaks for Alfonso’s disagreement with Manfred’s aggressive intention. Later on, Theodore is able to escape from confinement under the casque with the help of a gap created from the helmet’s weight breaking the court’s pavement. This gap seems purposefully formed to prevent Theodore from dying of starvation. Clearly, Alfonso would not allow that to happen since Theodore is his grandson, therefore, the legitimate heir of the castle. The appearance of the
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