The Mysteries of Udolpho

"The Mysteries of Udolpho" by Ann Ward Radcliffe is a gothic romance written in the early 19th century. The story centers around Emily St. Aubert, a young woman navigating the trials of love, loss, and mystery against the backdrop of picturesque yet foreboding landscapes, particularly focused on the imposing castle of Udolpho, which carries a weighty sense of dread and danger.

Fate sits on these dark battlements, and frowns,

And, as the portals open to receive me,

Her voice, in sullen echoes through the courts,

Tells of a nameless deed.