The Castle of Otranto – Horace Walpole by Horace Walpole

"The sins of the fathers are visited on their children to the third and fourth generation."

Manfred, the tyrant lord of the castle of Otranto, is desperate to secure his lineage after his son is crushed to death by a gigantic helmet on his wedding day. Convinced that an ancient prophecy is coming true, Manfred resolves to divorce his wife and marry his son's terrified fiancée, Isabella. A series of supernatural events ensues, involving bleeding statues, giant armor, and ghostly apparitions.

Published in 1764, this is widely considered the first gothic novel. It introduced the tropes that would define the genre: the haunted castle, the damsel in distress, and the atmosphere of gloom and terror. It is a surreal and melodramatic nightmare.