SECTION F: NON-AFRICAN PROSE
THE CASTLE OF OTRANTO – HORACE WALPOLE
Examine the relationship between Manfred and Hippolita
Explanation
Manfred, the Prince of Otranto, is married to Hippolita, a lady he later points out to be a distant relation of his.
They have two children, Matilda, their eighteen-year-old daughter and Conrad, their fifteen-year-old son.
Hippolita is described as “an amiable lady” and is presented in the novel as a subservient wife who treats her husband with utmost respect. Her love for and dedication to her husband is not reciprocated. This is so because Manfred’s attitude towards her is one of utter disdain, though he himself says of her, “true, I honour Hippolita’s virtue, I think her a saint…”.
In the first place, he does not take her suggestions into consideration. When Manfred hatches the plot for the marriage between Conrad and Isabella, Hippolita calls his attention to the fact that Conrad, their ailing son, is too young to marry. Manfred responds by blaming her inability to give him more than one heir. The marriage plan ends disastrously with the mysterious death of Conrad on the wedding day.
Manfred’s inhumane treatment of his wife only intensifies after Conrad’s death. Hippolita, on
recovering from the initial shock at the news, demands regular updates on her “lord” — the way she refers to Manfred. Manfred, on the other hand, does not even mention his wife or daughter, as the first words he utters to the ladies in the chapel after the incident are: “Take care of the Lady Isabella”. Hippolita sends Matilda, their daughter to see how Manfred is coping with his loss. When Matilda attempts to do so, she cannot find words to explain to her mother the ‘bitter’ reception she has received from her father, on her return to Hippolita.
Hippolita, on her part, registers her disappointment that Manfred has not requested to see her when she says mournfully: “But will he not let me see him? Will he not permit me to blend my tears with his, and shed a mother’s sorrow in the bossom of her lord?”
She is also worried that Conrad’s tragic death must have affected Manfred very badly and demands that she be taken to see him, when she says to her maids: “Raise me, my maidens; I will see my lord. Bear me to him instantly: He is dearer to me than my children.”
It is heart-rending that Manfred does not care or ask to see his wife but sends to summon Isabella instead. Hippolita, in her innocence, thinks that Manfred is apprehensive of meeting herself and Matilda and that, that is why he chooses to send for Isabella instead. She tells Isabella, “Console him. dear Isabella and tell him I will smother my own anguish rather than add to his”.
This is contrary to an ideal marriage relationship situation where, at least, both the husband and wife show concern for each other. Little does Hippolita know that Manfred is desirous to propose to Isabella. She trusts her husband very much.
When Isabella, on hearing the proposal, flees the castle, Manfred is in hot pursuit of her. Recognising Manfred’s footsteps on the stairs, Hippolita hastily goes out anxious to meet him for the first time after son’s death. He pushes her “rudely off’ demanding to know Isabella’s whereabouts and even mentions Hippolita is jealous of Isabella. Hippolita, though surprised at this utterance, being the obedient wife she is, carries out Manfred’s orders to send he-chaplain to him. Hippolita later tells Manfred that the ‘gigantic leg’ is just a figment of the imagination Manfred is relieved but his attitude towards his does not improve; in fact, it gets worse.
It is evident that the relationship between Manfred and his wife is strange and appears to be unhappy one for hippolita.