The Gothic Novel

Horace Walpole is the inventor of the Gothic Novel, the first Gothic Novel was The Castle of Otranto and it contains all the elements of this genre. The fisrts publiched was in 1764.
The basic elements are:

• Setting in a castle
• An ancient prophecy
• Visions or portents
• Supenatural or inexplicable events. 
•  Atmosphere of mystery and suspense