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Gavran i najbolje priče
Najbolje priče pionira žanrovske literature i majstora kratke priče, mahom u novim prevodima. Tu je novi prevod i njegove najpoznatije pesme „Gavran“.
472 pages, Hardcover
Published April 1, 2021
38 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Edgar Allan Poe
9,868 books28.8k 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 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 30, 2023
Sve pohvale za ovu prelepu knjigu u izdanju Lagune, kvalitet prevoda, ilustracija, korica, papira i fonta je na vrhunskom nivou. Što se tiče priča, udavile su me. Gušile su me postepeno, danima, nedeljama... Čitao sam na silu. Dosadno, naivno, zastarelo. Uopšte mi se ne dopada stil kojim piše Edgar Allan Po. Od ovih dvadeset priča, eto mogao bih da izdvojim kao vredne čitanja ,,Pad kuće Ašera“, „Izdajničko srce“, „Maska crvene smrti“, i pesmu „Gavran“ koja je na mene ostavila najveći utisak.
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December 29, 2021Dva meseca nisam završio(ostalo mi još pet priča), a sramota me je koliko sam malo čitao knjiga ove godine tako da neka ide ko da sam je završio...jer sam svakako ranije čitao skoro sve priče iz ovog izdanja.
SREĆNI PRAZNICI.
SREĆNI PRAZNICI.
April 29, 2022
Prvi put sam se susrela sa Poovim stvaralaštvom na studijama, i akcenat je bio na kritičkim esejima, ali ono po čemu je Po najviše poznat je prvenstveno njegova poema "Gavran" koja se smatra jednom od najboljih pesama svih vremena. Zahvaljujući ovom predivnom Laguninom izdanju, mogla sam da pročitam i njegove priče. Može se primetiti da se ne bave sve priče istom tematikom, ali u tome se i ogleda Poova maestralnost, umeo je da nam predstavi lepotu na natprirodan način, a da nam s druge strane prikaže sve horore koji se ni u našim najstrašnijim mislima ne bi našli:
"Postoje trenuci kada i trezvenom oku razuma svet naše tužne ljudske vrste počinje da liči na pakao - ali ljudska mašta nije Karatida da nekažnjeno istražuje svaki kutak." (Prerani pogreb)
Kao što sam već spomenula, dualizam je očigledan u njegovom pisanju, pa moram priznati da su mi se više dopale priče koje apsolutno odišu gotikom i misterijom. Što je dublje zalazio u onostrano, sve je više izbijala njegova genijalnost i umeće kojima je stvarao jezovitu atmosferu koja odlazi u morbidnost. Zabeleženo je da su njegova dela produkti košmara koje je preživljavao. Odakle god da je inspiracija crpeljena, učinila ga je majstorom pripovedanja žanra kojim nije lako privoleti čitaoca.
Ako želite kvalitetan horor, čitajte Poa! 🖤
"Postoje trenuci kada i trezvenom oku razuma svet naše tužne ljudske vrste počinje da liči na pakao - ali ljudska mašta nije Karatida da nekažnjeno istražuje svaki kutak." (Prerani pogreb)
Kao što sam već spomenula, dualizam je očigledan u njegovom pisanju, pa moram priznati da su mi se više dopale priče koje apsolutno odišu gotikom i misterijom. Što je dublje zalazio u onostrano, sve je više izbijala njegova genijalnost i umeće kojima je stvarao jezovitu atmosferu koja odlazi u morbidnost. Zabeleženo je da su njegova dela produkti košmara koje je preživljavao. Odakle god da je inspiracija crpeljena, učinila ga je majstorom pripovedanja žanra kojim nije lako privoleti čitaoca.
Ako želite kvalitetan horor, čitajte Poa! 🖤
September 23, 2022
Precenjeno, pa neka me spale na lomači.
April 1, 2024
Lepo je imati ovu knjigu u tvrdom povezu, ali sto se tice samih prica - za vec ljubitelje horora ne bih rekla da ce ih oduseviti, a i dodatno sto ce vecinu citalaca neke price definitivno udaviti.
Odredjene serije i filmove su uzele odredjene price kao inspiraciju, pa mi bilo zanimljivo procitati ih i dovrsiti ih, iako su bile naporne.
Ali jos jednom proci kroz celu knjigu - tesko.
Odredjene serije i filmove su uzele odredjene price kao inspiraciju, pa mi bilo zanimljivo procitati ih i dovrsiti ih, iako su bile naporne.
Ali jos jednom proci kroz celu knjigu - tesko.
June 8, 2023
Berenice
Berenice was published in 1835 and it contains all the hallmarks of a standard Poe horror story. The author fixated on these ideas so much in fact that he would repeatedly deal with them multiple times throughout his literary career. It is about the narrator’s eponymous cousin who physically deteriorates until she dies one day. The narrator continues obsessing over her teeth, but eventually the grave has been dug up and it’s revealed that the protagonist himself did that to get the teeth.
The most important themes here are physical deterioration and mental illness. The former is particularly grotesquely detailed while the latter is surprisingly psychologically insightful and advanced for the author’s time. The central character fixates on these teeth so much to the point of becoming obsessed, and this particular detail makes the tale very disturbing.
This is not among the greatest Poe works as he would revisit these themes and subjects later and he would do them better, especially the death of a beautiful woman and the premature burial themes. However, the psychological and suspenseful tone still made this story immensely atmospheric and quite memorable, though definitely being on the shorter and lesser known side of things.
The Black Cat
First published in 1843, The Black Cat is one of the best and most memorable short stories that Poe ever wrote. In this story, the narrator loves his pets until one day he starts abusing them. He then murders his pet cat, but another cat comes to torment him until he murders his wife. At the end, the police apprehend him. Needless to say, this is one of the most brutal stories that Poe wrote as it is just as horrific now as it was back then. It’s surprising just how detailed the author was in describing these gruesome details.
But The Black Cat is so much more than just a shocking horror story about murder and death. It also explores superstition and the black cat coming back to life to torment him stood well as the narrator’s conscience going haywire. Poe also importantly showcases just how horrendous it is to pervert pet’s loyalty. It is, thus, a very modern story that was surprisingly empathetic and heartbreaking in its approach.
But even more importantly is its depiction of alcoholism that might have led the narrator to murder. This disease can also stand for any other disease or psychological issue, including madness itself. The main character changing entirely his behavior from loving to murderous due to bad external influence made for a psychologically complex tale that evoked the works of Dostoyevsky in its tone and approach. It’s undeniably one of Poe’s most sophisticated works.
A Descent into the Maelstrom
Released in 1841, A Descent into the Maelstrom is one of the most atypical stories in Poe’s literary canon for multiple reasons. One is the genre. This is the case of science fiction and one that is also an adventure tale that is quite exotic in locale, which must have been riveting for the audiences of the time.
Its narrative resembles the story within the story storytelling device, which works quite well in making it unique and timeless. The ending is ambiguous to a degree, but ultimately the story is very simple and more focusing on the setting and atmosphere than any thematic resonance. It’s one of the least complex, but most atmospheric works by Poe without a doubt.
The highlight is the imagery of the whirlpool, the sense of impending doom and the emphasis on the power of nature and just how small humans are when compared to its forces. It’s not the most entertaining of his stories, but it is undoubtedly one of his most original and idiosyncratic works that has stood the test of time quite strongly. It’s a shame that it has never been adapted into film as it has solid potential for it.
Eleonora
Eleonora is Poe’s short story that was published in 1842. It is a very strange tale where the narrator recalls his love to the titular woman. She eventually dies and he remarries and receives the blessings from the diseased Eleonora. Yes, the trope of a beautiful woman who dies is revisited here, but this story is different from others in its much more interesting themes.
Love and loss. Those are the themes that this story explores. It also depicts grief and eventual newfound love in the form of a spiritual rebirth. Those religious references and allusions made the story richer and more mythical, but the center of it is this highly emotional story about grief and how after the death of a loved one we all have to continue and persevere despite all odds.
Yes, Poe here significantly sped up almost the entire life of the narrator through all his major life changes and it felt too rushed in that approach, but still the ending was emotionally rewarding and quite powerful. It’s one of the author’s most tender works.
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe about a mesmerist who puts a man in a suspended hypnotic state at the moment of death. This story is all about the inevitability of death and the many horrors of pseudoscience and fake doctors. It’s also about hypnosis and tuberculosis.
It is undoubtedly the most brutal and horrific story that Poe ever wrote, and in that regard the most modern. It is absolutely grotesque in its numerous details of body decomposition that was downright disgusting to imagine in your head while reading this imagery. Yes, it’s as gross now as it must have been back when it was first published. My only issue here is that in his effort to terrify readers forgot to imbue the story with more memorable characterization, storyline and themes. It is probably his most simplistic tale that relies the most on the shock factor to carry it through the finish line.
The Fall of the House of Usher
First published in 1839, The Fall of the House of Usher is one of the most iconic short stories written by Edgar Allan Poe for many reasons, the prime one being its Gothic overtones. This is the quintessential Gothic story as it is delightfully atmospheric, creepy and striking in its imagery – the dilapidated house, the old, weak man and the sense of eeriness and sickness permeating through every moment in the story.
This tale deals with madness, family, identity and isolation. It depicts the titular character as this older man who’s gone insane. All of his crazy behavioral patterns and fixations are well explored. This family and its hinted painful history are also quite intriguing and inherently dark.
But above all else, The Fall of the House of Usher portrays just how devastating isolation and loneliness can be on a human and what consequences they lead to. The metaphysical identity is a powerful theme that was both well explored and very much ahead of its time as the house represents the man and vice versa. Though not scary in a modern sense of the word, this story is still incredibly entertaining, unforgettable and simply a classic of Gothic fiction that continues to delight readers to this day.
The Gold-Bug
The Gold-Bug is Edgar Allan Poe’s short story that was first published in 1843. The plot follows William Legrand, who becomes fixated on an unusual gold-colored bug he has discovered. Legrand pulls his servant and his best friend into an adventure after deciphering a secret message that will lead to a buried treasure. This was a very different work from Poe that wasn’t a horror story, but rather an adventure tale, which appealed to me as a big fan of 19th century adventure fiction.
Admittedly, there is not a lot to this tale in terms of thematic resonance. Ambition and greed leading to one’s downfall is the only theme that I could find as the ending particularly pinpointed how dangerous greed can be. But other than that, it’s a straightforward adventure that isn’t particularly deep and/or sophisticated.
But what it does have is excellent storytelling and strong characterization. Jupiter is a racist stereotype, but he was memorable and funny regardless. Legrand is a fantastic creation and his friendship with the narrator is well explored. The highlight of the story is the section with the cryptogram as this part was so adventurous, intriguing and quite exciting. Poe was clearly obsessed with puzzles and he put that obsession to great use here.
Ligeia
This is yet another story of Poe’s that is all about the death of a beautiful woman. It was first published in 1838. This one is inferior to the similar in subject tale Berenice because it’s much less horror-centric and definitely too ambiguous in its approach and execution. It’s about the narrator’s love interest who dies. Afterward, he remarries, but the new wife also dies and eventually she resurrects back to life.
The resurrection is very ambiguously handled, which leads to this tale being frequently put into the satirical context and even in the genre of science fiction. It works much better when viewed as such. Otherwise, it tackles Poe’s regular obsession with death and the body’s physical deterioration. It has some memorable details that explore that deterioration and our mortality, but overall it left a lot to be desired in its weak tone and its lack of momentum. It functions solidly when viewed out of context, but when you realize that this is just one out of so many tales of Poe’s with the same subject matter, it becomes much less interesting.
The Masque of the Red Death
First published in 1842, The Masque of the Red Death is one of Poe’s most memorable short stories. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague, known as the Red Death, by hiding in his abbey. This is undoubtedly one of Poe’s greatest works as it has stood the test of time gloriously and is still very effective to this day.
First off, the setting is phenomenal. The castle with opulent colors, expensive interior design and grandiose halls was so well detailed and explored. The story is effectively written in brisk pace, powerful imagery described and a suspenseful, dreadful atmosphere that Poe creates and retains throughout the tale’s length. It represents one of the most recognizable and elaborate worlds that he created.
A story about life and death and just how inescapable death is, The Masque of the Red Death is all about the inevitability of death, even for the richest and most privileged among us. No matter how prosperous the prince is, he can never evade the grip of death. That ending was, thus, incredibly effective at evoking the fear of death in all of us. The sickness is fictional here, but it can stand for various viruses and plagues that occurred in human history, making for a truly epic period piece.
Morella
Published in 1835, Morella is a short story about one of Poe’s most often revisited tropes – the death of a beautiful woman. Berenice and Ligeia dealt with a similar subject. Morella is quite like those two in terms of quality as well, meaning that it’s very well crafted, but hardly all that memorable at the end of the day. It’s a shame that he never did anything more meaningful with this particular trope, resulting in some of his weaker literary efforts.
The studious nature of the first half was interesting, but that eventually went nowhere. The second half is where the story reached momentum, in particular in its very twisty and disturbing ending that hints at some very gruesome things about our protagonist. The theme of identity after death and what happens to it is intriguing for sure, but Poe hardly has the time to explore it in-depth. It is an effective tale in terms of its obviously strong horror elements and superb writing as usual for Poe, but it lacks the strong characterization and timeless themes of his best works.
The Murders of the Rue Morgue
The Murders of the Rue Morgue is Edgar Allan Poe’s short story that was published for the first time back in 1841. This was a truly groundbreaking experiment by the author that has stood the test of time gloriously. It’s one of the very first detective stories in the history of literature, and thus it’s both highly influential and hugely admirable at everything that Poe did right here.
First off, the emphasis on logic and reasoning and important small details over emotions and quick judgment is pinpointed as crucial in doing detective work. C. Auguste Dupin is one of the first literary detectives that clearly was a huge influence on Poirot and Holmes. He’s quite memorable here and his brilliance and his revelation presented before his reasoning in the final moments proved to be a huge influence on Agatha Christie and her detective novels.
What was also impressive here was the international cast of characters and the language barrier that acts as a plot device in and of itself. Similar praise should be directed toward the final twist about the orangutan. It must have been unexpected and it remains simply brilliant to this day. How Poe wrote in immense detail and a strong analytical tone was fantastic and unheard of back in his day. It’s definitely one of his most accomplished works.
The Mystery of Marie Roget
Written in 1842, The Mystery of Marie Roget is a murder mystery story that also functions as a detective work. It’s a rare sequel that Poe wrote, which makes it unique, though hardly great. In fact, this is one of his lesser efforts due to its unfortunate lack of momentum and/or bigger purpose.
Dupin returns to use his famous reason and logic approach to solving this crime and he is as memorable as he was before. The tale also starts off promisingly before going off the rails in its second half. This was another attempt by the author to make literary use of a newspaper article and a real life event, which makes the book rather dated and limited in appeal for modern readers.
There is great attention to detail present in this book as we get to see everything that happened before and leading up to the crime. It’s a detective story in that regard and initially an engaging mystery, but the eventual revelation was not a particularly interesting one unfortunately, which rendered the entire experiment unnecessary. It is entirely lacking in Poe’s otherworldly and horror-centric elements and it’s overlong, which made it far from engaging. It’s not bad by any means, but it’s certainly one of his weakest short stories.
The Oval Portrait
The Oval Portrait is a horror short story by Edgar Allan Poe, involving the disturbing circumstances of a portrait in a château. It was published in 1842 and it remains one of his shortest and most ambiguous stories. Although too short and evidently predictable and typical in its twist ending that revisited his theme of a beautiful dead woman, this tale still functioned as a great take on art and life.
Poe posits that life and art are indistinguishable from one another. The entire story was a clear influence on Oscar Wilde and his own take on the subject in ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’. It does depict how difficult it is to pinpoint what art is and how influential life of an author is to his work, thus being rather autobiographical in its approach, but it needed more dramatic and Gothic elements to elevate it to the masterpiece status.
The Pit and the Pendulum
The Pit and the Pendulum was first published in 1842. It is one of Poe’s best-known works. It is about a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition who is locked in a cell and tormented. He starts to explore the cell all the while being terrified of the many sounds and occurrences in that dreadful place. It’s one of the most evocative and atmospheric of Poe’s short stories.
This tale lacks the supernatural elements, instead focusing on real terror that humans can experience. The author uses various literary devices to evoke the sense of dread, especially focusing on repeating powerful words and describing this place in the most vivid details possible. It’s such an effective horror story.
While eventually not much happens in terms of plot development and momentum, The Pit and the Pendulum remains a powerful exploration of fear and just how our senses can break the best of us in the most trying of circumstances. It’s a story that has been adapted to film multiple times owing to its timeless appeal. It is not my favorite of his stories, but it is undeniably one of Poe’s most purely imaginative and memorable works.
The Premature Burial
The Premature Burial was published in 1844. It’s a short story about premature burial, which was apparently a big fear of the populace back then, which Poe capitalized on through this very effective story. Although not one of his most memorable works as it’s too short and not as interesting in the first half, it ended with a banger that was striking and also rather inspirational.
You see, this is not just about the protagonist’s fear of being buried alive, but about his fear of living itself. This central metaphor deepened what otherwise would have been just a standard, simple horror tale. It was quite powerful seeing the main character’s eventual realization that he should be living and not be scared of everything, including the titular fear itself. It was a great twist ending that definitely enriched this story. It’s one of the most psychologically complex and modern tales that Poe ever wrote.
The Tell-Tale Heart
First published in 1843, Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart is a short story masterpiece that is timeless in quality and a brilliant literary achievement all-around. An unnamed narrator endeavors to convince the reader of the narrator's sanity while simultaneously describing a murder he committed. The victim was an old man with a pale blue eye. The narrator emphasizes the careful calculation of the murder, attempting the perfect crime. Ultimately, the narrator's actions result in hearing a thumping sound, which the narrator interprets as the dead man's beating heart.
Impeccably written in a disorienting, quick and thrilling tone that perfectly accompanied the narrator’s insanity, this story is probably the most thematically rich work that Poe ever created and his most sophisticated effort. It deals in a very advanced way for the time with insanity as Poe depicts the narrator claiming to be sane, but those constant claims and his paranoia only prove the opposite is the truth.
The story also deals with the relationship between love and hate and the complexity and ambiguity behind the narrator’s motifs or lack thereof made this story fascinating. The burden of guilt is another theme and that coupled with paranoia is what undermined the murderer and led to his arrest in that iconic final section that was so suspenseful. The ambiguity of his condition, the usage of the unreliable narrator and starting the story in media res all made story fresh.
Berenice was published in 1835 and it contains all the hallmarks of a standard Poe horror story. The author fixated on these ideas so much in fact that he would repeatedly deal with them multiple times throughout his literary career. It is about the narrator’s eponymous cousin who physically deteriorates until she dies one day. The narrator continues obsessing over her teeth, but eventually the grave has been dug up and it’s revealed that the protagonist himself did that to get the teeth.
The most important themes here are physical deterioration and mental illness. The former is particularly grotesquely detailed while the latter is surprisingly psychologically insightful and advanced for the author’s time. The central character fixates on these teeth so much to the point of becoming obsessed, and this particular detail makes the tale very disturbing.
This is not among the greatest Poe works as he would revisit these themes and subjects later and he would do them better, especially the death of a beautiful woman and the premature burial themes. However, the psychological and suspenseful tone still made this story immensely atmospheric and quite memorable, though definitely being on the shorter and lesser known side of things.
The Black Cat
First published in 1843, The Black Cat is one of the best and most memorable short stories that Poe ever wrote. In this story, the narrator loves his pets until one day he starts abusing them. He then murders his pet cat, but another cat comes to torment him until he murders his wife. At the end, the police apprehend him. Needless to say, this is one of the most brutal stories that Poe wrote as it is just as horrific now as it was back then. It’s surprising just how detailed the author was in describing these gruesome details.
But The Black Cat is so much more than just a shocking horror story about murder and death. It also explores superstition and the black cat coming back to life to torment him stood well as the narrator’s conscience going haywire. Poe also importantly showcases just how horrendous it is to pervert pet’s loyalty. It is, thus, a very modern story that was surprisingly empathetic and heartbreaking in its approach.
But even more importantly is its depiction of alcoholism that might have led the narrator to murder. This disease can also stand for any other disease or psychological issue, including madness itself. The main character changing entirely his behavior from loving to murderous due to bad external influence made for a psychologically complex tale that evoked the works of Dostoyevsky in its tone and approach. It’s undeniably one of Poe’s most sophisticated works.
A Descent into the Maelstrom
Released in 1841, A Descent into the Maelstrom is one of the most atypical stories in Poe’s literary canon for multiple reasons. One is the genre. This is the case of science fiction and one that is also an adventure tale that is quite exotic in locale, which must have been riveting for the audiences of the time.
Its narrative resembles the story within the story storytelling device, which works quite well in making it unique and timeless. The ending is ambiguous to a degree, but ultimately the story is very simple and more focusing on the setting and atmosphere than any thematic resonance. It’s one of the least complex, but most atmospheric works by Poe without a doubt.
The highlight is the imagery of the whirlpool, the sense of impending doom and the emphasis on the power of nature and just how small humans are when compared to its forces. It’s not the most entertaining of his stories, but it is undoubtedly one of his most original and idiosyncratic works that has stood the test of time quite strongly. It’s a shame that it has never been adapted into film as it has solid potential for it.
Eleonora
Eleonora is Poe’s short story that was published in 1842. It is a very strange tale where the narrator recalls his love to the titular woman. She eventually dies and he remarries and receives the blessings from the diseased Eleonora. Yes, the trope of a beautiful woman who dies is revisited here, but this story is different from others in its much more interesting themes.
Love and loss. Those are the themes that this story explores. It also depicts grief and eventual newfound love in the form of a spiritual rebirth. Those religious references and allusions made the story richer and more mythical, but the center of it is this highly emotional story about grief and how after the death of a loved one we all have to continue and persevere despite all odds.
Yes, Poe here significantly sped up almost the entire life of the narrator through all his major life changes and it felt too rushed in that approach, but still the ending was emotionally rewarding and quite powerful. It’s one of the author’s most tender works.
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe about a mesmerist who puts a man in a suspended hypnotic state at the moment of death. This story is all about the inevitability of death and the many horrors of pseudoscience and fake doctors. It’s also about hypnosis and tuberculosis.
It is undoubtedly the most brutal and horrific story that Poe ever wrote, and in that regard the most modern. It is absolutely grotesque in its numerous details of body decomposition that was downright disgusting to imagine in your head while reading this imagery. Yes, it’s as gross now as it must have been back when it was first published. My only issue here is that in his effort to terrify readers forgot to imbue the story with more memorable characterization, storyline and themes. It is probably his most simplistic tale that relies the most on the shock factor to carry it through the finish line.
The Fall of the House of Usher
First published in 1839, The Fall of the House of Usher is one of the most iconic short stories written by Edgar Allan Poe for many reasons, the prime one being its Gothic overtones. This is the quintessential Gothic story as it is delightfully atmospheric, creepy and striking in its imagery – the dilapidated house, the old, weak man and the sense of eeriness and sickness permeating through every moment in the story.
This tale deals with madness, family, identity and isolation. It depicts the titular character as this older man who’s gone insane. All of his crazy behavioral patterns and fixations are well explored. This family and its hinted painful history are also quite intriguing and inherently dark.
But above all else, The Fall of the House of Usher portrays just how devastating isolation and loneliness can be on a human and what consequences they lead to. The metaphysical identity is a powerful theme that was both well explored and very much ahead of its time as the house represents the man and vice versa. Though not scary in a modern sense of the word, this story is still incredibly entertaining, unforgettable and simply a classic of Gothic fiction that continues to delight readers to this day.
The Gold-Bug
The Gold-Bug is Edgar Allan Poe’s short story that was first published in 1843. The plot follows William Legrand, who becomes fixated on an unusual gold-colored bug he has discovered. Legrand pulls his servant and his best friend into an adventure after deciphering a secret message that will lead to a buried treasure. This was a very different work from Poe that wasn’t a horror story, but rather an adventure tale, which appealed to me as a big fan of 19th century adventure fiction.
Admittedly, there is not a lot to this tale in terms of thematic resonance. Ambition and greed leading to one’s downfall is the only theme that I could find as the ending particularly pinpointed how dangerous greed can be. But other than that, it’s a straightforward adventure that isn’t particularly deep and/or sophisticated.
But what it does have is excellent storytelling and strong characterization. Jupiter is a racist stereotype, but he was memorable and funny regardless. Legrand is a fantastic creation and his friendship with the narrator is well explored. The highlight of the story is the section with the cryptogram as this part was so adventurous, intriguing and quite exciting. Poe was clearly obsessed with puzzles and he put that obsession to great use here.
Ligeia
This is yet another story of Poe’s that is all about the death of a beautiful woman. It was first published in 1838. This one is inferior to the similar in subject tale Berenice because it’s much less horror-centric and definitely too ambiguous in its approach and execution. It’s about the narrator’s love interest who dies. Afterward, he remarries, but the new wife also dies and eventually she resurrects back to life.
The resurrection is very ambiguously handled, which leads to this tale being frequently put into the satirical context and even in the genre of science fiction. It works much better when viewed as such. Otherwise, it tackles Poe’s regular obsession with death and the body’s physical deterioration. It has some memorable details that explore that deterioration and our mortality, but overall it left a lot to be desired in its weak tone and its lack of momentum. It functions solidly when viewed out of context, but when you realize that this is just one out of so many tales of Poe’s with the same subject matter, it becomes much less interesting.
The Masque of the Red Death
First published in 1842, The Masque of the Red Death is one of Poe’s most memorable short stories. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague, known as the Red Death, by hiding in his abbey. This is undoubtedly one of Poe’s greatest works as it has stood the test of time gloriously and is still very effective to this day.
First off, the setting is phenomenal. The castle with opulent colors, expensive interior design and grandiose halls was so well detailed and explored. The story is effectively written in brisk pace, powerful imagery described and a suspenseful, dreadful atmosphere that Poe creates and retains throughout the tale’s length. It represents one of the most recognizable and elaborate worlds that he created.
A story about life and death and just how inescapable death is, The Masque of the Red Death is all about the inevitability of death, even for the richest and most privileged among us. No matter how prosperous the prince is, he can never evade the grip of death. That ending was, thus, incredibly effective at evoking the fear of death in all of us. The sickness is fictional here, but it can stand for various viruses and plagues that occurred in human history, making for a truly epic period piece.
Morella
Published in 1835, Morella is a short story about one of Poe’s most often revisited tropes – the death of a beautiful woman. Berenice and Ligeia dealt with a similar subject. Morella is quite like those two in terms of quality as well, meaning that it’s very well crafted, but hardly all that memorable at the end of the day. It’s a shame that he never did anything more meaningful with this particular trope, resulting in some of his weaker literary efforts.
The studious nature of the first half was interesting, but that eventually went nowhere. The second half is where the story reached momentum, in particular in its very twisty and disturbing ending that hints at some very gruesome things about our protagonist. The theme of identity after death and what happens to it is intriguing for sure, but Poe hardly has the time to explore it in-depth. It is an effective tale in terms of its obviously strong horror elements and superb writing as usual for Poe, but it lacks the strong characterization and timeless themes of his best works.
The Murders of the Rue Morgue
The Murders of the Rue Morgue is Edgar Allan Poe’s short story that was published for the first time back in 1841. This was a truly groundbreaking experiment by the author that has stood the test of time gloriously. It’s one of the very first detective stories in the history of literature, and thus it’s both highly influential and hugely admirable at everything that Poe did right here.
First off, the emphasis on logic and reasoning and important small details over emotions and quick judgment is pinpointed as crucial in doing detective work. C. Auguste Dupin is one of the first literary detectives that clearly was a huge influence on Poirot and Holmes. He’s quite memorable here and his brilliance and his revelation presented before his reasoning in the final moments proved to be a huge influence on Agatha Christie and her detective novels.
What was also impressive here was the international cast of characters and the language barrier that acts as a plot device in and of itself. Similar praise should be directed toward the final twist about the orangutan. It must have been unexpected and it remains simply brilliant to this day. How Poe wrote in immense detail and a strong analytical tone was fantastic and unheard of back in his day. It’s definitely one of his most accomplished works.
The Mystery of Marie Roget
Written in 1842, The Mystery of Marie Roget is a murder mystery story that also functions as a detective work. It’s a rare sequel that Poe wrote, which makes it unique, though hardly great. In fact, this is one of his lesser efforts due to its unfortunate lack of momentum and/or bigger purpose.
Dupin returns to use his famous reason and logic approach to solving this crime and he is as memorable as he was before. The tale also starts off promisingly before going off the rails in its second half. This was another attempt by the author to make literary use of a newspaper article and a real life event, which makes the book rather dated and limited in appeal for modern readers.
There is great attention to detail present in this book as we get to see everything that happened before and leading up to the crime. It’s a detective story in that regard and initially an engaging mystery, but the eventual revelation was not a particularly interesting one unfortunately, which rendered the entire experiment unnecessary. It is entirely lacking in Poe’s otherworldly and horror-centric elements and it’s overlong, which made it far from engaging. It’s not bad by any means, but it’s certainly one of his weakest short stories.
The Oval Portrait
The Oval Portrait is a horror short story by Edgar Allan Poe, involving the disturbing circumstances of a portrait in a château. It was published in 1842 and it remains one of his shortest and most ambiguous stories. Although too short and evidently predictable and typical in its twist ending that revisited his theme of a beautiful dead woman, this tale still functioned as a great take on art and life.
Poe posits that life and art are indistinguishable from one another. The entire story was a clear influence on Oscar Wilde and his own take on the subject in ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’. It does depict how difficult it is to pinpoint what art is and how influential life of an author is to his work, thus being rather autobiographical in its approach, but it needed more dramatic and Gothic elements to elevate it to the masterpiece status.
The Pit and the Pendulum
The Pit and the Pendulum was first published in 1842. It is one of Poe’s best-known works. It is about a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition who is locked in a cell and tormented. He starts to explore the cell all the while being terrified of the many sounds and occurrences in that dreadful place. It’s one of the most evocative and atmospheric of Poe’s short stories.
This tale lacks the supernatural elements, instead focusing on real terror that humans can experience. The author uses various literary devices to evoke the sense of dread, especially focusing on repeating powerful words and describing this place in the most vivid details possible. It’s such an effective horror story.
While eventually not much happens in terms of plot development and momentum, The Pit and the Pendulum remains a powerful exploration of fear and just how our senses can break the best of us in the most trying of circumstances. It’s a story that has been adapted to film multiple times owing to its timeless appeal. It is not my favorite of his stories, but it is undeniably one of Poe’s most purely imaginative and memorable works.
The Premature Burial
The Premature Burial was published in 1844. It’s a short story about premature burial, which was apparently a big fear of the populace back then, which Poe capitalized on through this very effective story. Although not one of his most memorable works as it’s too short and not as interesting in the first half, it ended with a banger that was striking and also rather inspirational.
You see, this is not just about the protagonist’s fear of being buried alive, but about his fear of living itself. This central metaphor deepened what otherwise would have been just a standard, simple horror tale. It was quite powerful seeing the main character’s eventual realization that he should be living and not be scared of everything, including the titular fear itself. It was a great twist ending that definitely enriched this story. It’s one of the most psychologically complex and modern tales that Poe ever wrote.
The Tell-Tale Heart
First published in 1843, Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart is a short story masterpiece that is timeless in quality and a brilliant literary achievement all-around. An unnamed narrator endeavors to convince the reader of the narrator's sanity while simultaneously describing a murder he committed. The victim was an old man with a pale blue eye. The narrator emphasizes the careful calculation of the murder, attempting the perfect crime. Ultimately, the narrator's actions result in hearing a thumping sound, which the narrator interprets as the dead man's beating heart.
Impeccably written in a disorienting, quick and thrilling tone that perfectly accompanied the narrator’s insanity, this story is probably the most thematically rich work that Poe ever created and his most sophisticated effort. It deals in a very advanced way for the time with insanity as Poe depicts the narrator claiming to be sane, but those constant claims and his paranoia only prove the opposite is the truth.
The story also deals with the relationship between love and hate and the complexity and ambiguity behind the narrator’s motifs or lack thereof made this story fascinating. The burden of guilt is another theme and that coupled with paranoia is what undermined the murderer and led to his arrest in that iconic final section that was so suspenseful. The ambiguity of his condition, the usage of the unreliable narrator and starting the story in media res all made story fresh.
October 30, 2022
▪️Definitivno zbirka priča koju ne možete čitati u dahu. Najidealnije bi bilo kada biste je čitali uporedo sa nekim romanom. Iziskuje dosta koncentracije, jer Poove priče teže da se sto posto povežete sa njima i uđete u to što čitate. Stil pisanja je jako lep i nemate osećaj da je ovo pisano u devetnaestom veku.
▪️Moram da priznam da mi nije svaka priča legla, i ne bih baš sve mogla da svrstam pod žanr horor jer nisu sve priče bile u tom duhu. Iskreno sam očekivala da budu strašnije od horor romana savremenih pisaca, ali Poove priče imaju dobru atmosferu koja vas malo zastraši, priče kao priče nisu generalno strašne. One koje su mi se dopale su zaista bile fantastične. Kao najdraže bih izdvojila: „Morela“, „Pad kuće Ašera“, „Ubistva u ulici Morg“, „Eleonora“, „Maska crvene smrti“, „Slučaj Mari Rože“, i „Gavran“.
▪️Nisam naletela na neku da mi se nije dopala, samo su mi bile onako, ni da mi se dopadaju, a ni da mi se ne dopadaju. Jedino mislim da je nekako „Izuzetna pustolovina izvesnog Hansa Pfala“ bila baš dosadna i nepotrebna među svim ovim pričama, bukvalno mi je pokvarila prosek, a najduža je od svih priča, imala sam osećaj da je čitam predugo, kao da priči nema kraja.
▪️Za predivnu atmosferu dok čitate smatram da vredi iako ne mislim da je svaka priča vredna pažnje, ali mogu da kažem da su stilski besprekorno napisane. Solidne 4⭐️.
▪️Moram da priznam da mi nije svaka priča legla, i ne bih baš sve mogla da svrstam pod žanr horor jer nisu sve priče bile u tom duhu. Iskreno sam očekivala da budu strašnije od horor romana savremenih pisaca, ali Poove priče imaju dobru atmosferu koja vas malo zastraši, priče kao priče nisu generalno strašne. One koje su mi se dopale su zaista bile fantastične. Kao najdraže bih izdvojila: „Morela“, „Pad kuće Ašera“, „Ubistva u ulici Morg“, „Eleonora“, „Maska crvene smrti“, „Slučaj Mari Rože“, i „Gavran“.
▪️Nisam naletela na neku da mi se nije dopala, samo su mi bile onako, ni da mi se dopadaju, a ni da mi se ne dopadaju. Jedino mislim da je nekako „Izuzetna pustolovina izvesnog Hansa Pfala“ bila baš dosadna i nepotrebna među svim ovim pričama, bukvalno mi je pokvarila prosek, a najduža je od svih priča, imala sam osećaj da je čitam predugo, kao da priči nema kraja.
▪️Za predivnu atmosferu dok čitate smatram da vredi iako ne mislim da je svaka priča vredna pažnje, ali mogu da kažem da su stilski besprekorno napisane. Solidne 4⭐️.
September 23, 2023
Gavran i najbolje priče-Edgar Alan Po
🍁Stigla nam je jesen pa se vraćamo pričama koje su obavijene misterijom , gotikom, hororom.
🕷Predivne tvrde korice sa srebrnim slovima savršeno se uklapaju u opus ovog vrlo specifičnog pisca.
🍁Medjutim, knjiga nije za čitanje u jednom dahu. Svaka priča iziskuje punu koncentraciju i sposobnost da se udubite u atmosferu koja je gotovo uvek mračna i teskobna. Često se kroz knjigu provlači motiv smrti žene i vrlo verodostojan opis ništavila koje čovek oseća u tim momentima.
🕷Edgar Alan Po je vrlo poetičan i detaljan. Majstor za upliv u gotiku, kobeljanje izmedju hororističnih scena i misli.
Recimo u priči Berenika, istančan opis degradirajućeg tela koje se nalazi izmedju života i smrti, bledilo koje proganja samog naratora, da se taj motiv gotovo često ponavlja kroz većinu priča, košmarni doživlljaj vrlo napetih momenata, opet isčekivajući smrt žene koju je naglo zavoleo. I onda turbulentna opsesija zubima koji ga proganjaju, u delirijumi izmedju onoga što doživljava i onoga što umišlja, preuveličava u glavi, gde se priča naglo završava saznanjem da ni sam sebi ne može dovoljno verovati ,jer je iskopan grob njegove voljene, a njeni zubi su u kutiji koja se nalazi na njegovom stolu. Mračna i uznemiravajuća, jedna je od manje poznatih priča, ali je na mene ostavila jak utisak.
🍁Ovalni portret, još jedna fascinacija ženom i njenom dušom, nešto vrlo slično interpretaciji Slike Dorijana Greja, Oskara Vajlda, ali u mnogo mračnijem ruhu, bliskijem Edgaru Alanu Pou.
Da li umetnost izbija iz nas tek tako ili se naši hororistični porivi i besramnost duše ogleda u našim delima ?Koliko taštine i praznine, posrnuća i ludila trpi jedan portret?Ili je tajna u očima posmatrača koji jednu osobu uvek gledaju iz stotina i stotina percepcija?
🍁Izdvojila bih priču Izuzetna pustolovina izvesnog Hansa Pfala , koja odstupa od gotičkog stila i prelazi na stranu nečega što bi sigurno napisao Žil Vern, ali nije. Avanturistički poduhvat putovanja balonom do Meseca, gde se sa velikom preciznošću pisac bavi detaljima ovog poduhvata. Počev od atmosferskog pritiska, eksperimenta kako bi ljudsko telo u balonu i nakojoj visini podnelo taj put, a kako bi mačka ili golubovi koje je poveo sa sobom.
Merenja,plan, objašnjenje zodijačke svetlosti,detaljan prikaz kako bi disao van zemljine atmosfere, sve deluje vrlo dobro iskalkulisano, osim poente priče koja ima za svrhu da testira kritičko mišljenje i poznavaoce astronomije. Tu dolazimo do zaključka da prevara tog tipa može ubediti običnog čoveka da odredjene novine dolaze sa Meseca, recimo,jer malo ko ima to matematičko znanje da prouči da li zaista nekim sočivom možemo videti životinje na Mesecu i da li su nazivi veliki mesečevih prostranstava kao što je More spokojstva-zaista mora ili nešto drugo? Jak je utisak ostavila priča iz prostog razloga koliko se ljudsko poimanje sveta nije promenilo, a priča datira iz 1835. Tako da izgleda Edgar Alan Po nije pisao ovu avanturističku filozofiju u svrhu horora, ali nam njome nije ostavio mnogo nade u budućnost, što jeste po malo gotik, ako me razumete.
🕷Bunar i klatno
Ako imate istančana čula, preskočite je. Za ljubitelje psihodrame i psihohorora, odličan je izbor. U samoj radnji nije smešteno mnogo događaja, reč je o zarobljeniku koji je izmučen boravio u bunaru, ali način na koji pojmi taj strah i šta sve taj strah u njemu budi, opisano je na brilijantan način. Tajna je u detaljima:
''Sasvim iznenada opet se pojaviše u mome telu pokreti i šumovi-burno kretanje moga srca, čije mi kuvanje dopiraše do ušiju. Zatim nastupi prekid u kome sve beše prazno. Pa opet šum, kretanje i osećanje-jeza mi prožima telo. Zatim sam bio svestan samo da postojim ali bez misli-to stanje je dugo trajalo. Pa opet, sasvimiznenada, mišljenje, drhtanje od užasa i naporno upinjanje da shvatim svoje pravo stanje...''
Vividni opisi onog hororističnog što se u umu dešava u momentu kada se čovek boji a ne zna ni od čega ni zašto, ni koliko će trajati neko stanje ili neka situacija, svi mi možemo negde da se povežemo sa ovakvom pričom, ma koliko naša bila različita jer strah i najmanje varnice pretoči u monstruozne projekcije. A ako se predugo gleda u ponor, i ponor onda pogleda u nas.
🍁Izdajničko srce
Definitivno jedna od najmaestralnijih priča Edgara Alana Poa. Narator je počinio zločin a kroz svoje vrlo racionalno i filozofsko obrazloženje pokušava da ubedi čitaoca da nije lud, no kako se efikasno i gotovo opsesivno bavi detaljima, ludilo se otkriva samo.
Ali uživaćete u brzom i stilu prelazka sa detalja na detalj, pomalo gubeći pravac i nit, gde narator otkriva svoje bipolarno ili dualno stanje svesti, opsednut starčevim okom, koji je njegova žrtva, na kraju izdan sopstvenom paranojom otkucaja mrtvog srca.
🕷Za kraj, neprevazidjeni, Gavran
Meni lično omiljena, čitana na nekoliko jezika. Izvorna definitivno najudarnija ,mada sam i ovim prevodom zaista zadovoljna.
Opisno-najbogatija, čežnja za Lenorom , u svojoj najopsesivnijoj i najtužnijoj mračnoj odeždi. U sanjivoj noći, naratoru se pričinjava sena, ubedjuje sebe da je samo vetar dok ne spazi crnog gavrana što slete na kip. Oslovljava i preispituje pticu, ili sebe i svoj razum, da li nosi glas o Leonori. Drama i teskoba imedju tišine Gavrana i misli naratora, pretočena je u jednu dugu psihološku igru. Igru izmedju razuma i ludila, sećanja i melanholije, očaja i predaje.
Narator upućuje pitanje gavranu upitavši ga za ime, a gavran odgovara-Nikadviše. Sva neverica, radoznalost i tuga prate prvi deo teksta , dok narator ne izgubi strpljanje jer jedino što čuje na pitanje o nadi da naći mir u bolu za Lenorom, bilo je Nikadviše.
Moram naglasiti da je ova izuzetno bogata pesma , teška za prevod, i da je gotovo nemoguće da takt i melodika ostanu isti kao u originalu. Ovde se ne pominju noćne Plutonijanske obale koje su simbol granice izmedju života i smrti (Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!Quoth the Raven ‘Nevermore.’);
Ali kroz rimu se nazire tema i dočarana je atmosfera očajne želje koja je izgubila svaku nadu te se predaje u borbi sa tminom, sa ćudljivim gavranom i ostaje sama da pluta u svojoj izmaglici i sećanju.
🕷Više puta sam se vraćala ovim pričama jer knjiga zahteva potpuni fokus. Danas sam je konačno do detalja proučila i definitivno mogu da kažem da je ovo klasik koji ne treba da napušta vaše police. Prefinjen za oko, elegantan u svakom nastupu i potpuno gotik za melanholična srca.
🍁Jesen je stigla, a ko je bolji vesnik jeseni od Edgar Alan Poa...
🍁Stigla nam je jesen pa se vraćamo pričama koje su obavijene misterijom , gotikom, hororom.
🕷Predivne tvrde korice sa srebrnim slovima savršeno se uklapaju u opus ovog vrlo specifičnog pisca.
🍁Medjutim, knjiga nije za čitanje u jednom dahu. Svaka priča iziskuje punu koncentraciju i sposobnost da se udubite u atmosferu koja je gotovo uvek mračna i teskobna. Često se kroz knjigu provlači motiv smrti žene i vrlo verodostojan opis ništavila koje čovek oseća u tim momentima.
🕷Edgar Alan Po je vrlo poetičan i detaljan. Majstor za upliv u gotiku, kobeljanje izmedju hororističnih scena i misli.
Recimo u priči Berenika, istančan opis degradirajućeg tela koje se nalazi izmedju života i smrti, bledilo koje proganja samog naratora, da se taj motiv gotovo često ponavlja kroz većinu priča, košmarni doživlljaj vrlo napetih momenata, opet isčekivajući smrt žene koju je naglo zavoleo. I onda turbulentna opsesija zubima koji ga proganjaju, u delirijumi izmedju onoga što doživljava i onoga što umišlja, preuveličava u glavi, gde se priča naglo završava saznanjem da ni sam sebi ne može dovoljno verovati ,jer je iskopan grob njegove voljene, a njeni zubi su u kutiji koja se nalazi na njegovom stolu. Mračna i uznemiravajuća, jedna je od manje poznatih priča, ali je na mene ostavila jak utisak.
🍁Ovalni portret, još jedna fascinacija ženom i njenom dušom, nešto vrlo slično interpretaciji Slike Dorijana Greja, Oskara Vajlda, ali u mnogo mračnijem ruhu, bliskijem Edgaru Alanu Pou.
Da li umetnost izbija iz nas tek tako ili se naši hororistični porivi i besramnost duše ogleda u našim delima ?Koliko taštine i praznine, posrnuća i ludila trpi jedan portret?Ili je tajna u očima posmatrača koji jednu osobu uvek gledaju iz stotina i stotina percepcija?
🍁Izdvojila bih priču Izuzetna pustolovina izvesnog Hansa Pfala , koja odstupa od gotičkog stila i prelazi na stranu nečega što bi sigurno napisao Žil Vern, ali nije. Avanturistički poduhvat putovanja balonom do Meseca, gde se sa velikom preciznošću pisac bavi detaljima ovog poduhvata. Počev od atmosferskog pritiska, eksperimenta kako bi ljudsko telo u balonu i nakojoj visini podnelo taj put, a kako bi mačka ili golubovi koje je poveo sa sobom.
Merenja,plan, objašnjenje zodijačke svetlosti,detaljan prikaz kako bi disao van zemljine atmosfere, sve deluje vrlo dobro iskalkulisano, osim poente priče koja ima za svrhu da testira kritičko mišljenje i poznavaoce astronomije. Tu dolazimo do zaključka da prevara tog tipa može ubediti običnog čoveka da odredjene novine dolaze sa Meseca, recimo,jer malo ko ima to matematičko znanje da prouči da li zaista nekim sočivom možemo videti životinje na Mesecu i da li su nazivi veliki mesečevih prostranstava kao što je More spokojstva-zaista mora ili nešto drugo? Jak je utisak ostavila priča iz prostog razloga koliko se ljudsko poimanje sveta nije promenilo, a priča datira iz 1835. Tako da izgleda Edgar Alan Po nije pisao ovu avanturističku filozofiju u svrhu horora, ali nam njome nije ostavio mnogo nade u budućnost, što jeste po malo gotik, ako me razumete.
🕷Bunar i klatno
Ako imate istančana čula, preskočite je. Za ljubitelje psihodrame i psihohorora, odličan je izbor. U samoj radnji nije smešteno mnogo događaja, reč je o zarobljeniku koji je izmučen boravio u bunaru, ali način na koji pojmi taj strah i šta sve taj strah u njemu budi, opisano je na brilijantan način. Tajna je u detaljima:
''Sasvim iznenada opet se pojaviše u mome telu pokreti i šumovi-burno kretanje moga srca, čije mi kuvanje dopiraše do ušiju. Zatim nastupi prekid u kome sve beše prazno. Pa opet šum, kretanje i osećanje-jeza mi prožima telo. Zatim sam bio svestan samo da postojim ali bez misli-to stanje je dugo trajalo. Pa opet, sasvimiznenada, mišljenje, drhtanje od užasa i naporno upinjanje da shvatim svoje pravo stanje...''
Vividni opisi onog hororističnog što se u umu dešava u momentu kada se čovek boji a ne zna ni od čega ni zašto, ni koliko će trajati neko stanje ili neka situacija, svi mi možemo negde da se povežemo sa ovakvom pričom, ma koliko naša bila različita jer strah i najmanje varnice pretoči u monstruozne projekcije. A ako se predugo gleda u ponor, i ponor onda pogleda u nas.
🍁Izdajničko srce
Definitivno jedna od najmaestralnijih priča Edgara Alana Poa. Narator je počinio zločin a kroz svoje vrlo racionalno i filozofsko obrazloženje pokušava da ubedi čitaoca da nije lud, no kako se efikasno i gotovo opsesivno bavi detaljima, ludilo se otkriva samo.
Ali uživaćete u brzom i stilu prelazka sa detalja na detalj, pomalo gubeći pravac i nit, gde narator otkriva svoje bipolarno ili dualno stanje svesti, opsednut starčevim okom, koji je njegova žrtva, na kraju izdan sopstvenom paranojom otkucaja mrtvog srca.
🕷Za kraj, neprevazidjeni, Gavran
Meni lično omiljena, čitana na nekoliko jezika. Izvorna definitivno najudarnija ,mada sam i ovim prevodom zaista zadovoljna.
Opisno-najbogatija, čežnja za Lenorom , u svojoj najopsesivnijoj i najtužnijoj mračnoj odeždi. U sanjivoj noći, naratoru se pričinjava sena, ubedjuje sebe da je samo vetar dok ne spazi crnog gavrana što slete na kip. Oslovljava i preispituje pticu, ili sebe i svoj razum, da li nosi glas o Leonori. Drama i teskoba imedju tišine Gavrana i misli naratora, pretočena je u jednu dugu psihološku igru. Igru izmedju razuma i ludila, sećanja i melanholije, očaja i predaje.
Narator upućuje pitanje gavranu upitavši ga za ime, a gavran odgovara-Nikadviše. Sva neverica, radoznalost i tuga prate prvi deo teksta , dok narator ne izgubi strpljanje jer jedino što čuje na pitanje o nadi da naći mir u bolu za Lenorom, bilo je Nikadviše.
Moram naglasiti da je ova izuzetno bogata pesma , teška za prevod, i da je gotovo nemoguće da takt i melodika ostanu isti kao u originalu. Ovde se ne pominju noćne Plutonijanske obale koje su simbol granice izmedju života i smrti (Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!Quoth the Raven ‘Nevermore.’);
Ali kroz rimu se nazire tema i dočarana je atmosfera očajne želje koja je izgubila svaku nadu te se predaje u borbi sa tminom, sa ćudljivim gavranom i ostaje sama da pluta u svojoj izmaglici i sećanju.
🕷Više puta sam se vraćala ovim pričama jer knjiga zahteva potpuni fokus. Danas sam je konačno do detalja proučila i definitivno mogu da kažem da je ovo klasik koji ne treba da napušta vaše police. Prefinjen za oko, elegantan u svakom nastupu i potpuno gotik za melanholična srca.
🍁Jesen je stigla, a ko je bolji vesnik jeseni od Edgar Alan Poa...
October 17, 2024
Neobične priče običnih ljudi predstavljene kao nešto svakodnevno, a opet magično. Edgar vešto svoju maštu perom pretvara u stvarnost. Vanvremenski pisac dočarava neko svoje vreme tako da Vam i dan danas ne dozvoljava da ispustite knjigu iz ruke. Svaka priča je drugačija, a opet nekako sa prepoznatljivom Edgarovskom energijom koja Vas odmah uvuče u svoj tok i za tren ste tamo, među svim tim ljudima i njihovim magičnim životima.
April 30, 2025
1. Berenika - 2
2. Morela - 4
3. Izuzetna pustolovina izvesnog Hansa Pfala - 4
4. Senka - parabola - 3
5. Ćutanje - 3
6. Pad Kuće Ašera - 5
7. Vilijam Vilson - 5
8. Ubistva u Ulici Morg - 5
9. U Malstremskom vrtlogu - 3
10. Bunar i klatno - 4
11. Eleonora - 2
12. Ovalni portret - 4
13. Maska crvene smrti - 5
14. Slučaj Mari Rože - 5
15. Izdajničko srce - 4
16. Zlatni skarabej - 4
17. Crni mačak - 5
18. Prerani pogreb - 3
19. Gavran - 3
20. Činjenice o slučaju gospodina Valdemara - 3
Sve skupa (prosjek) - 3.8
2. Morela - 4
3. Izuzetna pustolovina izvesnog Hansa Pfala - 4
4. Senka - parabola - 3
5. Ćutanje - 3
6. Pad Kuće Ašera - 5
7. Vilijam Vilson - 5
8. Ubistva u Ulici Morg - 5
9. U Malstremskom vrtlogu - 3
10. Bunar i klatno - 4
11. Eleonora - 2
12. Ovalni portret - 4
13. Maska crvene smrti - 5
14. Slučaj Mari Rože - 5
15. Izdajničko srce - 4
16. Zlatni skarabej - 4
17. Crni mačak - 5
18. Prerani pogreb - 3
19. Gavran - 3
20. Činjenice o slučaju gospodina Valdemara - 3
Sve skupa (prosjek) - 3.8
April 14, 2024
Ogroman uticaj Poa na razvoj horor zanra u knjizevnosti je nemerljiv. Mozda je najvidljiviji uticaj na Lavkrafta koji je gotski horor mesajuci sa fantastikom zanrovski podigao na jedan drugi nivo. Poov uticaj je ogroman na knjizevnost uopste. Prepoznatljiv stil visokog kvaliteta. Svaka prica iz zbirke je dragulj za sebe.
December 14, 2022
Kratke price su savrsene, nema sumnje da je Po majstor kratkih horor prica.
Od ovih malo duzih, mnoge su mi bile dosadne.
Takodje, mislim da ovoj zbirci fali Anabel Li.
Od ovih malo duzih, mnoge su mi bile dosadne.
Takodje, mislim da ovoj zbirci fali Anabel Li.
January 30, 2026
ona druga (?) priča o balonu najgluplja stvar ikad dosadno u picku materinu nisam ni procitao celu
January 30, 2026
og edgelord
September 4, 2022
3, 5, 4, 3, 5, 4, 5, 5, 3.5, 4, 3.5, 4.5, 4, 4.25, 4.75, 4, 5, 4.5, 5, 5 => overral rating 4.3
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