Hop-Frog by Edgar Allan Poe (1835)
The story revolves around Hop-Frog, a dwarf who serves as jester to the King and his courtiers. Hop-Frog's sister, Trippetta, is also part of the royal retinue. The King and his friends are cruel and sadistic, often subjecting Hop-Frog to humiliation and abuse. One night, they force Hop-Frog to create a masquerade ball, where he must dress up as a monkey. However, Hop-Frog has a plan for revenge. He creates four masks that resemble the faces of the King and his three closest friends, and then uses them to hang the men from a chandelier. Hop-Frog's plan is successful, but it also leads to his own downfall. The King and his courtiers are killed, and Hop-Frog is subsequently punished for his role in their deaths.
By Edgar Allan Poe · First published 1835 · Genre: Gothic Fiction, Short Story, Dark Comedy · 4,363 words
First lines
I never knew anyone so keenly alive to a joke as the king was. He seemed to live only for joking. To tell a good story of the joke kind, and to tell it well, was the surest road to his favor. Thus it happened that his seven ministers were all noted for their accomplishments as jokers. They all took after the king, too, in being large, corpulent, oily men, as well as inimitable jokers. Whether people grow fat by joking, or whether there is something in fat itself which predisposes to a joke, I have never been quite able to determine; but certain it is that a lean joker is a rara avis in terris.
What this Textopian page supports
Hop-Frog 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, Short Story, Dark Comedy, Fantasy, Tragedy
- Length: 4,363 words
- Structure: 1 section, 61 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for Hop-Frog by Edgar Allan Poe
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Hop-Frog?
- How does this short story by Edgar Allan Poe fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Genres
- Gothic Fiction — The story features dark themes, psychological horror, and elements of revenge, characteristic of Gothic literature.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that encapsulates a complete plot within a limited word count.
- Dark Comedy — The use of humor in the context of grim events, particularly the king's cruel jokes and the dwarf's revenge, aligns with dark comedy.
- Fantasy — The presence of fantastical elements, such as the exaggerated characteristics of the characters and the absurdity of the masquerade, places it within the fantasy genre.
Tags
Short Story · Torture · Mutilation · Revenge · Tragedy · Dark Fantasy · Satire · Critique of Monarchy · Social Commentary · Psychological Horror · Madness · Isolation