Аннотация

«Есть темы, полные захватывающего интереса, но слишком ужасные, чтобы служить законной темой для литературного произведения. Романист должен избегать их, если не хочет возбудить отвращение или оскорбить читателя. Мы можем затрагивать их лишь в тех случаях, когда их оправдывает и освящает суровое величие истины. Мы читаем с дрожью „мучительного наслаждения“ о переходе через Березину, о лиссабонском землетрясении, о лондонской чуме, о кровавой Варфоломеевской ночи, о гибели ста двадцати трех пленных в Черной яме в Калькутте. Но в этих рассказах нас волнует факт, быль, история. Будь это выдумка – они внушали бы нам отвращение…»

Аннотация

«Я в жизни своей не знавал такого шутника, как этот король. Он, кажется, только и жил для шуток. Рассказать забавную историю, и рассказать ее хорошо, – было вернейшим способом заслужить его милость. Оттого и случилось, что все его семь министров славились как отменные шуты…»

Аннотация

«Однажды, в темный и бурный вечер осенью 18… года, в Париже, я услаждал свою душу размышлениями и пенковой трубкой, сидя в обществе моего друга С. Огюста Дюпена в его крошечной библиотеке – она же кладовая для книг…»

Аннотация

This book contains tales by Edgar Allan Poe that became innovate literature discoveries at the time and extremely popular in its genre: The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Fall of the House Usher, The Black Cat, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Cask of Amontilliado, The Masque of the Red Death, The Tell-Tale Heart. Edgar Poe was one of the first American writers who wrote mostly novellas. Within twenty years Edgar Poe created two short novels, two poems, one play, about seventy stories, fifty poems and ten essays that were published in magazines and almanacs and then gathered in collection books. Edgar Poe was highly valued by Jules Verne, Arthur Conan Doyle and Howard Phillips Lovecraft who admitted his pioneer role in the genres they were popularizing.

Аннотация

Set on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, the plot follows William Legrand, who was recently bitten by a gold-colored bug. His servant Jupiter fears Legrand is going insane and goes to Legrand's friend, an unnamed narrator who agrees to visit his old friend. Legrand pulls the other two into an adventure after deciphering a secret message that will lead to a buried treasure.

Аннотация

This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe, one of the author’s best-known short stories. It is told from the point of view of an unnamed narrator who is at great pains to convince the reader of their lucidity; however, this only serves to accentuate their frightening descent into madness. The narrator lives with an elderly man whose “vulture eye” becomes an obsession for him, with terrible consequences. Edgar Allan Poe was an American short story writer, poet, critic, novelist and editor. He is best known for his stories of mystery and horror, which stand out for their chilling atmosphere and vivid, memorable characters. Find out everything you need to know about The Tell-Tale Heart in a fraction of the time!

Аннотация

"The Masque of the Red Death", originally published as «The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy», is an 1842 short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague, known as the Red Death, by hiding in his abbey. He, along with many other wealthy nobles, hosts a masquerade ballwithin seven rooms of the abbey, each decorated with a different color. In the midst of their revelry, a mysterious figure disguised as a Red Death victim enters and makes his way through each of the rooms. Prospero dies after confronting this stranger, whose «costume» proves to contain nothing tangible inside it; the guests also die in turn. Poe's story follows many traditions of Gothic fiction and is often analyzed as an allegory about the inevitability of death, though some critics advise against an allegorical reading. Many different interpretations have been presented, as well as attempts to identify the true nature of the titular disease. The story was first published in May 1842 in Graham's Magazineand has since been adapted in many different forms, including a 1964 film starring Vincent Price.

Аннотация

"The Cask of Amontillado" (sometimes spelled «The Casque of Amontillado» [a.mon.ti.??a.?o]) is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in the November 1846 issue of Godey's Lady's Book. The story, set in an unnamed Italian city at carnival time in an unspecified year, is about a man taking fatal revenge on a friend who, he believes, has insulted him. Like several of Poe's stories, and in keeping with the 19th-century fascination with the subject, the narrative revolves around a person being buried alive – in this case, by immurement.

Аннотация

"The Pit and the Pendulum" is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe and first published in 1842 in the literary annual The Gift: A Christmas and New Year's Present for 1843. The story is about the torments endured by a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition, though Poe skews historical facts. The narrator of the story describes his experience of being tortured. The story is especially effective at inspiring fear in the reader because of its heavy focus on the senses, such as sound, emphasizing its reality, unlike many of Poe's stories which are aided by the supernatural.

Аннотация

"The Black Cat" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. It was first published in the August 19, 1843, edition of The Saturday Evening Post. It is a study of the psychology of guilt, often paired in analysis with Poe's «The Tell-Tale Heart». In both, a murderer carefully conceals his crime and believes himself unassailable, but eventually breaks down and reveals himself, impelled by a nagging reminder of his guilt.