Search results
The following brief summaries are designed to quickly give readers an idea of what each story is about. Find something of interest then take a trip into Poe's imagination... Summaries are listed in alphabetical order:
- Ms. Found in A Bottle
- Ligeia
- The Fall of The House of Usher
- William Wilson
- The Murders in The Rue Morgue
- The Tell-Tale Heart
- The Pit and The Pendulum
- The Black Cat
- The Purloined Letter
- The Masque of The Red Death
A voyage in the South Seas is swept off course by a hurricane, and the narrator responds to the life-threatening turn of events.
“Ligeia” describes the two marriages of the narrator, the first to the darkly featured and brilliant Lady Ligeia; the second to her racial opposite, the fair and blonde Lady Rowena. Both women die quickly and mysteriously after their marriage ceremonies, and the narrator’s persistent memories of Ligeia bring her back to life to replace Lady Rowena’...
A woman also returns from the dead in “The Fall of the House of Usher.” The story’s narrator is summoned by his boyhood friend Roderick Usherto visit him during a period of emotional distress. The narrator discovers that Roderick’s twin sister, Madeline, is also sick. She takes a turn for the worse shortly after the narrator’s arrival, and the men ...
Poe again takes up the theme of the twin in “William Wilson.” The narrator discovers that a classmate shares not only the name William Wilson but also his physical build, style of dress, and even vocal intonation. A fear of losing his identity drives the narrator to murder his rival, but the crime also mysteriously brings about his own death.
In this detective story, Poe introduces the brilliant sleuth C. Auguste Dupin. When the Paris police arbitrarily arrest Dupin’s friend for the gruesome murders of a mother and daughter, Dupin begins an independent investigation and solves the case accurately. Uncovering evidence that goes otherwise unnoticed, Dupin concludes that a wild animal, an ...
Obsessed with the vulture-like eye of an old man he otherwise loves and trusts, the narrator smothers the old man, dismembers his body, and conceals the parts under the floorboards of the bedroom. When the police arrive to investigate reports of the old man’s shrieks, the narrator attempts to keep his cool, but hears what he thinks is the beating o...
Captured by the Inquisition, the narrator fends off hungry rats, avoids falling into a giant pit, and escapes the razor-sharp blades of a descending pendulum. As the walls of his cell are about to close in and drive him into the pit, he is saved by the French army.
When the narrator hangs a cat he had formerly adored, the cat returns from the dead to haunt him. The narrator tries to strike back at the cat but kills his wife in the process. The cat draws the police to the cellar wall where the narrator has hidden his wife’s corpse.
In this sequel to “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” Dupinrecovers a stolen letter to foil a villain’s plan. The police attempt thorough investigations but come up with nothing. Identifying with the criminal mind, Dupin discovers evidence so obvious that it had gone unnoticed.
A bloody disease called the Red Death ravages a kingdom. Prince Prospero retreats to his castle and throws a lavish masquerade ball to celebrate his escape from death. At midnight, a mysterious guest arrives and, as the embodiment of the Red Death, kills Prospero and all his guests.
Edgar Allan Poe - The Short Stories. From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the SparkNotes Poe’s Short Stories Study Guide has everything you need to ace quizzes, tests, and essays.
Oct 19, 2019 · Three stories that illustrate some of this variety while offering insight into Poe’s characteristic themes are A Descent into the Maelström, The Purloined Letter, and The Fall of the House of Usher. Among Poe’s central themes is an emphasis on the mysteries of the self, of others, of nature, and of the universe.
This site contains short stories and poems by Edgar Allan Poe (Edgar Allen Poe is a common misspelling), story summaries, quotes, and linked vocabulary words and definitions for educational reading. It also includes a short biography, a timeline of Poe's life, and links to other Poe sites.
Intro. Poe's Stories Summary. Next. Manuscript Found in a Bottle. Literary devices: Genre. Mood. Setting. Style. Tone. View all. M.S. Found in a Bottle. The narrator, a self-professed man of reason, has been travelling for a long time, and recently started a voyage on a cargo ship to the Archipelago Islands. Soon the sea and sky grow ominous.
People also ask
Where can I find a study guide for Poe's short stories?
Which Poe story should I read first?
How many short stories did Poe write?
Did you know Edgar Allan Poe wrote a detective story?
