illustration of a blade on the end of a pendulum swinging above a man's head

The Pit and the Pendulum

by Edgar Allan Poe

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Themes and Characters

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Although "The Pit and the Pendulum" centers on a single character, the reader learns very little about him. His name remains unknown, as do his actions, his guilt, whether he is a criminal, what he misses from the outside world, and if he loves anyone. Essentially, the reader is deprived of the typical insights one might expect if this were a novel about a man spending years in prison. All that is revealed is that he endures the horrors of mental and physical torture and faces inevitable death.

Was I left to perish of starvation in this subterranean world of darkness; or what fate, perhaps even more fearful, awaited me?
While such a lack of detail might cause a reader to lose interest in a novel, Poe includes everything necessary to captivate the audience with this gripping story. This isn't a realistic depiction of an individual trapped in an unjust social system; instead, it is a symbolic, nightmarish tale that delves into profound human fears. The protagonist represents "everyman." The story's central theme revolves around universal fears: being accused without knowing the crime, facing the void of nothingness, being on the edge of an abyss, being overrun by loathsome rodents, and being a powerless victim of the relentless pendulum of time.

Poe's narrative is both a fictional depiction of one of humanity's worst nightmares and an allegory of a fundamental human predicament. The stark details underscore its universal theme. The story begins with the protagonist being sentenced to death, despite no evident crime; his judges are mere shadowy, black-robed figures without identities. He is cast into complete darkness, making it hard for him to discern whether his ordeal is real or a nightmare. Many aspects suggest Poe aims to craft a dream-like experience. Even the ending, where the narrator is rescued from the pit by the sudden arrival of the French army, resembles waking from a nightmare.

Characters

Download PDF PDF Page Citation Cite Share Link Share

Although "The Pit and the Pendulum" centers on a solitary character, the reader learns very little about him. His name, his actions, his guilt or innocence, whether he is a criminal, what he misses from everyday life, or if he loves someone—all remain unknown. Essentially, none of the details typically revealed in a novel about a man spending years in prison are provided. The only certainty is that he endures the horrors of mental and physical torture, culminating in inevitable death.

While such a lack of detail in a novel might cause readers to lose interest, Poe supplies all that is needed to captivate the audience with this gripping tale. This is not a realistic depiction of an individual trapped in an unjust social system; rather, it is a nightmarish, symbolic story that delves into profound human fears. The protagonist serves as an "everyman." The story’s central human theme revolves around universal fears: being accused without knowing the crime, facing the void of nothingness, teetering on the edge of a bottomless pit, being crawled over by vile rodents, and being a powerless victim to the relentless and unyielding pendulum of time.

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