The Castle of Otranto led to many other novels written with the gothic theme. One element consistent within the gothic is the idea of virtue/vice binary. What textual evidence is there to support this idea?
As a Gothic text, The Castle of Otranto provides various tropes through which terror and disgust are expounded upon. The characterization of Manfred in particular is intriguing in that he is portrayed not only as the novel's antagonist, but also as a man who succumbs to villainous behavior because of his own lack of self-control. Manfred defines the Gothic villain perfectly: he is a powerful male figure who allows his sinful passions and evil nature to obscure the reason and goodness he possesses. Self-control, the Christian virtue that was often discussed in other literature of the period, is something that he utterly lacks. Manfred abandons Christian virtues in favor of Gothic passion -- a passion so intense that it obscures his ability to reason, resulting in his seeking an incestuous affair and the dissolution of his legitimate marriage.
