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The Spectacles
This is a story of a spectacle how it roams the whole world..
48 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 27, 1844
5 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
About the author
Edgar Allan Poe
9,900 books28.7k followersThe name Poe brings to mind images of murderers and madmen, premature burials, and mysterious women who return from the dead. His works have been in print since 1827 and include such literary classics as The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Fall of the House of Usher. This versatile writer’s oeuvre includes short stories, poetry, a novel, a textbook, a book of scientific theory, and hundreds of essays and book reviews. He is widely acknowledged as the inventor of the modern detective story and an innovator in the science fiction genre, but he made his living as America’s first great literary critic and theoretician. Poe’s reputation today rests primarily on his tales of terror as well as on his haunting lyric poetry.
Just as the bizarre characters in Poe’s stories have captured the public imagination so too has Poe himself. He is seen as a morbid, mysterious figure lurking in the shadows of moonlit cemeteries or crumbling castles. This is the Poe of legend. But much of what we know about Poe is wrong, the product of a biography written by one of his enemies in an attempt to defame the author’s name.
The real Poe was born to traveling actors in Boston on January 19, 1809. Edgar was the second of three children. His other brother William Henry Leonard Poe would also become a poet before his early death, and Poe’s sister Rosalie Poe would grow up to teach penmanship at a Richmond girls’ school. Within three years of Poe’s birth both of his parents had died, and he was taken in by the wealthy tobacco merchant John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan in Richmond, Virginia while Poe’s siblings went to live with other families. Mr. Allan would rear Poe to be a businessman and a Virginia gentleman, but Poe had dreams of being a writer in emulation of his childhood hero the British poet Lord Byron. Early poetic verses found written in a young Poe’s handwriting on the backs of Allan’s ledger sheets reveal how little interest Poe had in the tobacco business.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_al...
Just as the bizarre characters in Poe’s stories have captured the public imagination so too has Poe himself. He is seen as a morbid, mysterious figure lurking in the shadows of moonlit cemeteries or crumbling castles. This is the Poe of legend. But much of what we know about Poe is wrong, the product of a biography written by one of his enemies in an attempt to defame the author’s name.
The real Poe was born to traveling actors in Boston on January 19, 1809. Edgar was the second of three children. His other brother William Henry Leonard Poe would also become a poet before his early death, and Poe’s sister Rosalie Poe would grow up to teach penmanship at a Richmond girls’ school. Within three years of Poe’s birth both of his parents had died, and he was taken in by the wealthy tobacco merchant John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan in Richmond, Virginia while Poe’s siblings went to live with other families. Mr. Allan would rear Poe to be a businessman and a Virginia gentleman, but Poe had dreams of being a writer in emulation of his childhood hero the British poet Lord Byron. Early poetic verses found written in a young Poe’s handwriting on the backs of Allan’s ledger sheets reveal how little interest Poe had in the tobacco business.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_al...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
November 7, 2025
Debo confesar que no soy para nada adepto a las historias sobre romances, cursilerías y cosas de ese estilo, por lo que, gran parte de este título se me hizo tedioso. No obstante, como relato es rescatable gracias a su componente humorístico: ya que aquí conoceremos a Eugenia Lalande, quien de seguro está entre los personajes pioneros en el arte del trolleo que pueda haber en la literatura.
Para empezar, tengo que hacer énfasis en la cantidad de tan solo 26 páginas que presume tener Los anteojos, porque, a pesar de su brevedad, se me hizo que la historia se alargó más de lo que debía; aunque esto fue en cierto modo enmendado en la parte final, en donde perfectamente podrá sacarte alguna sonrisa y/o risa genuina. Pero, la parte introductoria acerca del flechazo, el primer contacto visual en el teatro y la búsqueda de madame Lalande por las calles de la ciudad, fueron instancias que se me hicieron algo fastidiosas y lentas.
Personalmente, los momentos más interesantes fueron cuando el protagonista Simpson y Eugenia ya interactuaban juntos. Previo a esto último, cuando se produce lo del flechazo en pleno teatro, justo allí se da la oportunidad para que se torne algo predecible el posible rumbo y desenlace que la trama podría tomar, gracias a un nuevo dato de interés que es mencionado al principio, y que nuevamente no está de gratis, de forma similar a algo que ocurrió en El gato negro: «Mis ojos son grandes y pardos y, aunque en realidad mi vista es débil, nadie sospecharía el menor defecto en mi mirada. Esta debilidad, sin embargo, siempre me ha molestado mucho, y he acudido a todos los remedios posibles para suprimirla, salvo usar lentes».
Aquel detalle me hacía esperar y suponer que, al momento de ver con lentes puesto a quien ya sería su ‘’esposa’’, se tratase de alguien que en absoluto sea de su agrado físico; pero, lo que nadie sospecharía, es que esta mujer, . Objetivamente, este plot twist es el punto más alto de toda la historia.
Para finalizar, nuevamente resulta que la última estrofa del relato se hace muy ‘’plop’’, así como igual sucede con los remates finales de la historieta cómica chilena Condorito, cosa que también mencioné en la reseña de El gato negro. Por ahora, esto aparenta ser un sello distintivo del autor, así que estaré atento a dicho patrón con sus siguientes títulos.
Tampoco conecté tanto con este texto, así que, por ende, mi calificación final para Los anteojos —con cierto grado de generosidad— es de ★★★☆☆. Y es que, la verdad, yo no busco leer cosas humorísticas y/o románticas, pero no niego la calidad que este relato pueda contener.
Y que no se me malinterprete, ya que estamos ante una lectura que se puede disfrutar, cosa que yo también hice; por lo que estoy totalmente consciente de que es un título divertido y con gracia para quienes se sientan más cercanos a su planteamiento o propuesta.
Para no perder el hilo con las demás reseñas que he hecho sobre las obras de Edgar Allan Poe:
1) El gato negro, cuya reseña está bugueada en el feed de Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2) El cuervo, el único poema que he reseñado de este autor: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3) Narraciones extraordinarias, recopilatorio en donde reúno a los 28 relatos que he leído de Poe, además de incluir un top personal al respecto; junto con dar mi opinión en profundidad sobre él como autor: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Para empezar, tengo que hacer énfasis en la cantidad de tan solo 26 páginas que presume tener Los anteojos, porque, a pesar de su brevedad, se me hizo que la historia se alargó más de lo que debía; aunque esto fue en cierto modo enmendado en la parte final, en donde perfectamente podrá sacarte alguna sonrisa y/o risa genuina. Pero, la parte introductoria acerca del flechazo, el primer contacto visual en el teatro y la búsqueda de madame Lalande por las calles de la ciudad, fueron instancias que se me hicieron algo fastidiosas y lentas.
Personalmente, los momentos más interesantes fueron cuando el protagonista Simpson y Eugenia ya interactuaban juntos. Previo a esto último, cuando se produce lo del flechazo en pleno teatro, justo allí se da la oportunidad para que se torne algo predecible el posible rumbo y desenlace que la trama podría tomar, gracias a un nuevo dato de interés que es mencionado al principio, y que nuevamente no está de gratis, de forma similar a algo que ocurrió en El gato negro: «Mis ojos son grandes y pardos y, aunque en realidad mi vista es débil, nadie sospecharía el menor defecto en mi mirada. Esta debilidad, sin embargo, siempre me ha molestado mucho, y he acudido a todos los remedios posibles para suprimirla, salvo usar lentes».
Aquel detalle me hacía esperar y suponer que, al momento de ver con lentes puesto a quien ya sería su ‘’esposa’’, se tratase de alguien que en absoluto sea de su agrado físico; pero, lo que nadie sospecharía, es que esta mujer, . Objetivamente, este plot twist es el punto más alto de toda la historia.
Para finalizar, nuevamente resulta que la última estrofa del relato se hace muy ‘’plop’’, así como igual sucede con los remates finales de la historieta cómica chilena Condorito, cosa que también mencioné en la reseña de El gato negro. Por ahora, esto aparenta ser un sello distintivo del autor, así que estaré atento a dicho patrón con sus siguientes títulos.
Tampoco conecté tanto con este texto, así que, por ende, mi calificación final para Los anteojos —con cierto grado de generosidad— es de ★★★☆☆. Y es que, la verdad, yo no busco leer cosas humorísticas y/o románticas, pero no niego la calidad que este relato pueda contener.
Y que no se me malinterprete, ya que estamos ante una lectura que se puede disfrutar, cosa que yo también hice; por lo que estoy totalmente consciente de que es un título divertido y con gracia para quienes se sientan más cercanos a su planteamiento o propuesta.
Para no perder el hilo con las demás reseñas que he hecho sobre las obras de Edgar Allan Poe:
1) El gato negro, cuya reseña está bugueada en el feed de Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2) El cuervo, el único poema que he reseñado de este autor: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3) Narraciones extraordinarias, recopilatorio en donde reúno a los 28 relatos que he leído de Poe, además de incluir un top personal al respecto; junto con dar mi opinión en profundidad sobre él como autor: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 29, 2023
Cuento muy ocurrente del maestro Poe.
Lo que, al principio, parece una historia costumbrista se convierte en una historia de amor apasionado para desembocar en un mar de comedia y esperpento.
Un cuento muy original que gira en torno a la miopía del protagonista y a su rotunda negativa a ponerse gafas lo que le llevará a tomar decisiones precipitadas.
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A very witty tale by the master Poe.
What at first seems to be a story of manners becomes a story of passionate love and ends up in a sea of comedy and grotesquerie.
A very original tale that revolves around the protagonist's myopia and his refusal to wear spectacles, which leads him to make rash decisions.
Lo que, al principio, parece una historia costumbrista se convierte en una historia de amor apasionado para desembocar en un mar de comedia y esperpento.
Un cuento muy original que gira en torno a la miopía del protagonista y a su rotunda negativa a ponerse gafas lo que le llevará a tomar decisiones precipitadas.
-------------------------------
A very witty tale by the master Poe.
What at first seems to be a story of manners becomes a story of passionate love and ends up in a sea of comedy and grotesquerie.
A very original tale that revolves around the protagonist's myopia and his refusal to wear spectacles, which leads him to make rash decisions.
October 25, 2022
A funny story of vanity. It did seem a bit overdetailed at times though.
October 18, 2020
This kind of reminded me of an episode from Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
July 31, 2023
-قصة قصيرة تبدأ كقصة رومنسية، حب ووصل، ثم قبل ان تنقلب الى فيلم هندي يسحرك ادغار بو بقدرته الهائلة على السخرية وتحويل مجرى الأحداث بشكل درامي وكوميدي في الآن عينه.
- "الحب من اول نظرة"، حسب ادغار، قد يحصل.. لكن مع من يشكون ضعفاً في النظر!!! وجهة نظر..
- "الحب من اول نظرة"، حسب ادغار، قد يحصل.. لكن مع من يشكون ضعفاً في النظر!!! وجهة نظر..
February 3, 2016
M-a ZĂPĂCIT!!! Nuvela asta este, par excellence, o metaforă!!! Nici n-am cuvinte să o descriu! E prima scriere-metaforă pe care o citesc! "Ochelarii", auzi?! am rămas complet buimăcit!
"Era pe vremuri un fel de obicei să-ţi baţi joc de aşa-numitele iubiri fulgerătoare. Dar oamenii, atât cei ce cugetă, cât şi cei ce simt adânc şi cu putere, le-au luat întotdeauna apărarea. Într-adevăr, datorită noilor descoperiri în aşa-numitul magnetism etic sau estetica magnetică, pare că sentimentele umane cele mai fireşti şi, prin urmare, cele mai adevărate şi mai puternice, sunt acelea care-ţi încolţesc în suflet ca printr-un fluid de simpatie spontană, că -într-un cuvânt- legăturile sufleteşti cele mai nobile şi mai trainice să fie acelea ce s-au născut dintr-o singură privire."
Ca în final toată această afirmaţie să fie dezminţită.
"Era pe vremuri un fel de obicei să-ţi baţi joc de aşa-numitele iubiri fulgerătoare. Dar oamenii, atât cei ce cugetă, cât şi cei ce simt adânc şi cu putere, le-au luat întotdeauna apărarea. Într-adevăr, datorită noilor descoperiri în aşa-numitul magnetism etic sau estetica magnetică, pare că sentimentele umane cele mai fireşti şi, prin urmare, cele mai adevărate şi mai puternice, sunt acelea care-ţi încolţesc în suflet ca printr-un fluid de simpatie spontană, că -într-un cuvânt- legăturile sufleteşti cele mai nobile şi mai trainice să fie acelea ce s-au născut dintr-o singură privire."
Ca în final toată această afirmaţie să fie dezminţită.
September 21, 2013
This story reads as a romance novel, until...
We learn a little about a the main character, that he's had to change his last name in order to inherit some money & he's too vain to wear glasses, but otherwise he seems to be a nice guy. He accompanies a friend to the opera, even though he's not interested in it, where he spends the time watching the audience. He spots a beautiful woman and is immediately smitten. From here it gets all mushy as he pines for her, schemes ways to meet her, to communicate with her. He woos her and begs her to marry him on the morrow. She reluctantly agrees as long as he does one thing for her, one simple request. One small thing that changes everything.
We learn a little about a the main character, that he's had to change his last name in order to inherit some money & he's too vain to wear glasses, but otherwise he seems to be a nice guy. He accompanies a friend to the opera, even though he's not interested in it, where he spends the time watching the audience. He spots a beautiful woman and is immediately smitten. From here it gets all mushy as he pines for her, schemes ways to meet her, to communicate with her. He woos her and begs her to marry him on the morrow. She reluctantly agrees as long as he does one thing for her, one simple request. One small thing that changes everything.
November 4, 2014
So Allan Poely unexpectedly funny .... I thought it to be romance at the beginning and I kept arguing my mind and heart about first sight love o_O ... while Edgar had set a very different road for his readers.
August 8, 2016
El giro que da hacia la mitad del cuento es tan decisivo que cambia de género a la propia narración, que empieza como un romance típico de Poe casi predestinado a la muerte de la amada, y acaba como una sátira divertidísima y pícara. Sobresaliente, como todo Poe.
October 9, 2020
"Los anteojos" es un divertido cuento de Poe en el que un señor se enamora a primera vista de una hermosísima mujer, pero que con el correr de la narración nos damos cuenta de que algo no está bien en la historia. El final le chocará al narrador de la misma manera que al lector.
May 23, 2022
Absolutely ridiculous. Men are dumb. I love if
November 18, 2024
Fun.
This was fun, but not going to review it.
For the moment at least.
It’s public domain. You can find it HERE.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1844] [48p] [Horror] [Wildcard Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★☆☆ The Essential Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
★★☆☆☆ The Complete Stories and Poems
★★★☆☆ The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings
★★★☆☆ The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales
★☆☆☆☆ The Raven and Other Poems
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Divertido.
Esto fue divertido, pero no voy a reseñarlo.
Al menos por ahora.
Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1844] [48p] [Horror] [Comodín Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
This was fun, but not going to review it.
For the moment at least.
It’s public domain. You can find it HERE.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1844] [48p] [Horror] [Wildcard Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★☆☆ The Essential Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
★★☆☆☆ The Complete Stories and Poems
★★★☆☆ The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings
★★★☆☆ The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales
★☆☆☆☆ The Raven and Other Poems
-----------------------------------------------
Divertido.
Esto fue divertido, pero no voy a reseñarlo.
Al menos por ahora.
Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1844] [48p] [Horror] [Comodín Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
July 1, 2020
Poe makes a rare attempt at humour rather than horror and fails miserably. The story is way too long at Novella length and could have worked at 3-4 pages. It is basically a peer group pressure joke by friends of a man who really needs new friends. Short sighted but reluctant to wear glasses, he is duped into a relationship with a woman, thinking she is beautiful even though she is an old hag. It's all just to get him to wear glasses. Juvenile.
April 30, 2020
I got quite the kick out of this story! I liked that it had a happy ending as I really liked the main character and felt so bad for the predicament he found himself in. At first I viewed this story as a romance and somewhere it shifted into more of a comedy. I liked it!
August 27, 2015
Love is blind...
July 14, 2020
الحب من أول نظرة .. الحب من أضعف نظرة :)
قصة خفيفة ظل، ورغم عنوانها الرومانسي إلا أنها تصنف كوميدية، ويبدو أنها تبين وجهة نظر الكاتب في الحب، وتجربته معه.
قصة خفيفة ظل، ورغم عنوانها الرومانسي إلا أنها تصنف كوميدية، ويبدو أنها تبين وجهة نظر الكاتب في الحب، وتجربته معه.
January 6, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ Divertido, aunque hubiera sido un relato más oscuro e impactante si ninguno de los dos hubiera estado enterado del parentesco.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2024
Świetna nowela, która pokazuje że Poe pomimo bycia absolutnym geniuszem w dziedzinie literatury grozy, również doskonale odnajduje się w bardziej komediowych klimatach i potrafi bez najmniejszego problemu rozśmieszyć czytelnika i w dowcipny sposób przekazać mu pewne wartości, czy też rady.
September 2, 2024
Hilarious, never thought that EAP wrote comedy but here it is.
Men, always wear your spectacles, otherwise you might just try to marry your great great grandmother.
Men, always wear your spectacles, otherwise you might just try to marry your great great grandmother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2018
Love at first sight isn't all it's cracked up to be. The story pokes fun at a lot of different things. Romance, vanity, impropriety...and I actually didn't see the twist coming. I think it is a little long, but I still chuckled the entire way.
June 14, 2016
Началото на този разказ може да засрами всички автори на евтини розови романчета. Дотолкова добре може да се впише в захаросаните представи на тийнейджърките, че По преспокойно щеше да е мултимилиардер в днешно време xD Все пак беше толкова сладко, че плени дори мен. Най-сериозно си го казвам!
По-нататък събитията граничат с иронията. Тъжно е, но и смешно, по онзи специфичен начин, характерен за комедията като жанр. Онази, де, която не е смешна, ама... може би пък малко е.
Също така разказът е и нагледен пример защо са ни нужни очилата. Заключението беше добро xD
Мисля, че е любимият ми разказ от творбите дотук.
По-нататък събитията граничат с иронията. Тъжно е, но и смешно, по онзи специфичен начин, характерен за комедията като жанр. Онази, де, която не е смешна, ама... може би пък малко е.
Също така разказът е и нагледен пример защо са ни нужни очилата. Заключението беше добро xD
Мисля, че е любимият ми разказ от творбите дотук.
August 13, 2017
يا لغرابة هذه القصة! تبدأ بدليل وجود الحب من النظرة الأولى، فيصف الراوي بإبداع مدى حبه لامرأة لم يرها بوضوح حتى، ليكون هذا الحب ارتباط بين روحين دون الظاهر، يتعذب الراوي من اللهفة والشوق، وتأتي النهاية غير متوقعة بأي شكل من الأشكال!
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What a strange story! It starts with providing evidences for love from the first sight. The narrator describes creatively his love to a women who he hadn't seen clearly yet. Their love seems to be a bound between their souls without any importance of their looking. The narrator is tortured by his love and longing. The end is unexpected and left me laughing.
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What a strange story! It starts with providing evidences for love from the first sight. The narrator describes creatively his love to a women who he hadn't seen clearly yet. Their love seems to be a bound between their souls without any importance of their looking. The narrator is tortured by his love and longing. The end is unexpected and left me laughing.
March 1, 2023
An amusing stab at foppishness, narrated by the fop himself. Although a comedy, I was a bit surprised by the tale's happy ending. The usual rational Poe has to explain everything and close the piece tightly. Again I find here Poe the professional filling up the spaces in magazines rather than the tortured genius. Still, not at all bad.
July 23, 2020
How this is not as famous as Fall of the House of Usher or The Raven COMPLETELY eludes me. I'm still disturbed by this short story even after just finishing it five minutes ago, but this is the height of men being dumb ... so, so dumb.
December 11, 2020
A change of pace for Poe from his usual tales of death, gloom and doom in this amusing tale with a twist ending empathizing the absurdity and foolishness of vanity.
January 24, 2021
A humorous story by Edgar Allen Poe. Amusing.
January 22, 2018
Many years ago, it was the fashion to ridicule the idea of "love at first sight;" but those who think, not less than those who feel deeply, have always advocated its existence.
Other reviews commented on how funny it was, I didn't really see that. Mostly I couldn't believe how long this story was about a dim-witted fool. Seriously, the guy in here is like stalker-crazy about a woman he never met and just glanced at in the theater. He's pretty much a prick.
I am well made, and possess what nine tenths of the world would call a handsome face.
Good lord almighty! What in the world is that?!
Our narrator spends a good first portion of the book explaining his family heritage. (Which, as boring as it is, is absolutely vital to the rest of the story, so don't skip it!) He then goes to the theater and is struck dumb with a ravishing beauty up in the box.
If I live a thousand year, I can never forget the intense emotion with which I regarded this figure...the form was divine; no other word can sufficiently express its magnificent proportion...the beau ideal of my wildest and most enthusiastic visions.
The rest of the story is about our lovesick fool obsessing over this woman and how to get at her. When he finally does she makes one request of him which he promises to always follow.
This guy is too vain to wear spectacles, as it tells you in the beginning, and is the basis for how this story comes about.
All I can say is the narrator is not a great human being and deserves what happens to him.
The writing isn't bad, it's just very long for what the story actually is.
Other reviews commented on how funny it was, I didn't really see that. Mostly I couldn't believe how long this story was about a dim-witted fool. Seriously, the guy in here is like stalker-crazy about a woman he never met and just glanced at in the theater. He's pretty much a prick.
I am well made, and possess what nine tenths of the world would call a handsome face.
Good lord almighty! What in the world is that?!
Our narrator spends a good first portion of the book explaining his family heritage. (Which, as boring as it is, is absolutely vital to the rest of the story, so don't skip it!) He then goes to the theater and is struck dumb with a ravishing beauty up in the box.
If I live a thousand year, I can never forget the intense emotion with which I regarded this figure...the form was divine; no other word can sufficiently express its magnificent proportion...the beau ideal of my wildest and most enthusiastic visions.
The rest of the story is about our lovesick fool obsessing over this woman and how to get at her. When he finally does she makes one request of him which he promises to always follow.
This guy is too vain to wear spectacles, as it tells you in the beginning, and is the basis for how this story comes about.
All I can say is the narrator is not a great human being and deserves what happens to him.
The writing isn't bad, it's just very long for what the story actually is.
June 1, 2024
FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
The writing style however was kind of poor, as someone who have read all of Edgar Allan Poe’s literature work and as someone who have reviewed most of them I gotta say that Edgar Allan Poe was able to write better than he did in this one.
This one had a huge Gothic vibe to it which I give it extra points for doing that.
In this short story Edgar Allan Poe makes again an attempt at being humorous and as some of you might know I’m not a big fan of that. Because every time he tries to be humorous in his short stories or poems they don’t go well with me for whatever reason.
The ending was surprising which I give it extra points for.
But in the end this short story didn’t go well with me for whatever reason. It was a okay short story, it was fun to read.
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
The writing style however was kind of poor, as someone who have read all of Edgar Allan Poe’s literature work and as someone who have reviewed most of them I gotta say that Edgar Allan Poe was able to write better than he did in this one.
This one had a huge Gothic vibe to it which I give it extra points for doing that.
In this short story Edgar Allan Poe makes again an attempt at being humorous and as some of you might know I’m not a big fan of that. Because every time he tries to be humorous in his short stories or poems they don’t go well with me for whatever reason.
The ending was surprising which I give it extra points for.
But in the end this short story didn’t go well with me for whatever reason. It was a okay short story, it was fun to read.
February 27, 2023
This is my favorite of Poe's humorous stories. It is funny throughout, although somewhat mean spirited, as our friend the protagonist has the wool pulled over his eyes.
The moral of the story, so-called, is probably about vanity, but in the same sense it is about understanding oneself. Our friend does not wear glasses, despite needing them, and is entirely unaware of his surroundings because of it; in fact, not only does he not see Madame Lalande for her true self, he doesn't appear to see others' around him for their true selves, either, for he was unable to realize that his nigh-blindness had been noticed and commented on almost universally.
The contrivance of the plot is very good, Poe's usual skilled is employed in description, etc., etc., and the exaggeration is amazing.
The moral of the story, so-called, is probably about vanity, but in the same sense it is about understanding oneself. Our friend does not wear glasses, despite needing them, and is entirely unaware of his surroundings because of it; in fact, not only does he not see Madame Lalande for her true self, he doesn't appear to see others' around him for their true selves, either, for he was unable to realize that his nigh-blindness had been noticed and commented on almost universally.
The contrivance of the plot is very good, Poe's usual skilled is employed in description, etc., etc., and the exaggeration is amazing.
January 22, 2025
I have read most of Edgar Allan Poe’s work at this point, and one of the strongest conclusions I have reached is that his comedy work is my least favourite. As I generally go into the comedy work with low expectations, it means I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed The Spectacles. While I did not find it comic, I did enjoy the story. I saw where things were heading, yet it was enjoyable to watch the way things came together. Especially as the story started with the surprising feel of being a romance before the moral of the story came to be.
All in all, The Spectacles ended up being a wonderful little surprise. Although not my favourite Poe, it is my favourite of the comic tales from the author.
All in all, The Spectacles ended up being a wonderful little surprise. Although not my favourite Poe, it is my favourite of the comic tales from the author.
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