Nightmarish Themes in Edgar Allan Poe's Stories

A detailed Summary of Nightmarish Themes in Edgar Allan Poe's Stories

Horror stories seem to provoke a certain feeling inside all of us. They can make us scared, nervous, or even just amazed. If a horror story is told well, it can make just about any reader cringe. There are certain elements that must be in a horror story to really make it frightening. Some of these elements include the setting, the characters, a feeling of suspense, foreshadowing, and unexpected events. All of Edgar Allan Poe's stories and poems seem to bring about a whimsical and nightmarish feeling in the reader. Poe's life was stranger than most, which has probably helped him to create such ghastly tales. "The Fall of the House of Usher", "The Raven", and "The Masque of Red Death" all contain those qualities that make them dreamlike or nightmarish.

"The Fall of the House of Usher" contains many of the elements that make it a true horror story. One example of the foreshadowing of an unexpected event is the crack that runs down the side of the giant house. This fissure is a form of foreshadowing and also is a way to show how Roderick Usher's mind is cracking and how he is slowly

Finally, "The Raven" has certain attributes that make it appear nightmarish to the reader. In the story, a man hears a strange sound while asleep and he decides to investigate. He finds a raven that when spoken to, replies by saying "nevermore"(184-188). Another aspect of the story that makes it dreamlike is the dialogue that goes on between the raven and the man. The man keeps asking the raven about when he will be able to see a woman name Lenore but the bird's reply is the same every time. The man then realizes he is going mad since his soul "from out that shadow...shall be lifted-nevermore"(188). The man knows he will never see Lenore again but he tortures himself by asking the raven rhetorical questions. These characteristics make "The Raven" seem nightmarish and bizarre.

Likewise, "The Masque of Red Death" also possesses many dreamlike or nightmarish qualities. An example of this horrifying dreamlike effect is "duke's love of the bizarre"(176). The duke's house is arranged very strangely, which adds to the odd feeling of the story. There are seven different rooms, all of different colors with the windows matching the room color

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Approximate Word count = 776
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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