Berenice by Edgar Allan Poe (1835)
The story revolves around a young woman's obsessive love for her fiancé, who becomes increasingly enthralled with the beauty of a skull he has discovered in Egypt. The woman's descent into madness and despair serves as a backdrop to explore themes of love, loss, and the transience of human life.
By Edgar Allan Poe · First published 1835 · Genre: Gothic Fiction, Horror, Psychological Thriller · 3,777 words
First lines
Dicebant mihi sodales, si sepulchrum amice visitarem, curas meas aliquantulum fore levatas. Ebn Zaiat
Misery is manifold. The wretchedness of earth is multiform. Overreaching the wide horizon as the rainbow, its hues are as various as the hues of that arch -- as distinct too, yet as intimately blended. Overreaching the wide horizon as the rainbow! How is it that from beauty I have derived a type of unloveliness? -- from the covenant of peace, a simile of sorrow? But as, in ethics, evil is a consequence of good, so, in fact, out of joy is sorrow born. Either the memory of past bliss is the anguish of today, or the agonies which are, have their origin in the ecstasies which might have been.
What this Textopian page supports
Berenice is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, dated 1835 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edgar Allan Poe
- Date: 1835 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Gothic Fiction, Horror, Psychological Thriller, Dark Romanticism, Short Story
- Length: 3,777 words
- Structure: 1 section, 21 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Berenice by Edgar Allan Poe
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Berenice?
- How does this short story by Edgar Allan Poe fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Gothic Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Gothic Fiction — The story features dark themes, supernatural elements, and a focus on psychological horror, characteristic of Gothic literature.
- Horror — The narrative evokes fear and dread through its exploration of madness, death, and the grotesque.
- Psychological Thriller — The protagonist's descent into madness and obsession creates a tense atmosphere, focusing on the mind's instability.
- Dark Romanticism — The work emphasizes emotion, individualism, and the darker aspects of human experience, aligning with Dark Romantic ideals.
Tags
Gothic Fiction · Short Story · Romance · Tragedy · Love Triangle · Obsession · Madness · Death · Loss · Memory · Pain · Suffering