A young orphaned heiress, Emily St. Aubert, is sent to live with her aunt in the remote Castle Udolpho. There she is subjected to supernatural occurrences, eerie landscapes, and the sinister machinations of the castle's inhabitants, including her aunt’s enigmatic husband, Montoni. Montoni wants to marry Emily off to a friend of his, but as her heart belongs to another she must fight for her survival and happiness.
The Mysteries of Udolpho is the quintessential Gothic romance. Its influence can be seen in later works of literature, particularly in the horror and mystery genres, where its themes of suspense and psychological tension continue to captivate readers. Jane Austen famously satirizes The Mysteries of Udolpho in her novel Northanger Abbey.
ANN RADCLIFFE [1764-1823] was an English novelist. She was a pioneer of Gothic fiction and the most popular author of her time. Her work inspired many later authors, among them Edgar Allan Poe, Honoré de Balzac, and Sir Walter Scott.