Medievalism, terror, and the ubiquitous haunted castle are staples of the Gothic horror genre. But the man who unwittingly inspired the likes of Frankenstein , Draculä, Hammer horror movies and even the Goth subculture was blissfully unaware of his impact.Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto started a trend that has endured. The book features Manfred, lord of the castle, and includes sickness, weddings, doom-laden prophesies, a bizarre death, imprisonment, religion, a heroic peasant, and much more.There is a hint of Harry Potter and plenty to grip those who love shows like The Haunting of Hill House and Penny Dreadful .-