Is it possible if i could have a short summery of the story The Pit and the Pendulum", by Edgar Allen Poe??

-- Anonymous, December 22, 2003

Answers

Hard to get shorter than the actual story! Available online in many places such as www.eapoe.org. If you have difficulty following this story, devoid of the usual philosophical allusions since we are dealing with a simple soldier, it might be keeping track of the situation and calculation in the dark. The historical background is so simple it hardly is necessary to understrand much.

During Napoleon's conquest of Spain great horrors were inflicted by both sides upon prisoners, extending to religious conflict. Here, the old Inquisition revives to confront the modern French soldier with a torment based on an allegory of Hell. The soldier uses his mind to defeat various traps, but gains nothing but time and worse punishment. Finally, it is only the victory of the will, keeping sane and having at least the choice of two deaths, that is allowed him. The timely rescue rewards the fellow then in almost anticlimactical brevity.

-- Anonymous, December 29, 2003