The Feather Pillow
The Feather Pillow is a short story by Uruguayan author Horacio Quiroga. It tells the story of a young woman named Luciana who is married to a man named Juan. Juan is a cruel and abusive husband who constantly mistreats Luciana. One night, Luciana wakes up to find a strange creature in her bed. It is a small, white, feathery creature that appears to be a pillow. Luciana is terrified and believes it to be a ghost. She is convinced that the creature is the spirit of her dead mother, come to haunt her for her mistreatment of her husband. The story follows Luciana as she attempts to rid herself of the creature. She tries to burn it, bury it, and even throw it into the river, but nothing works. Eventually, she realizes that the creature is not a ghost, but a living creature. She discovers that it is a vampire, and that it has been feeding on her husband's blood while he sleeps. Luciana is horrified and decides to take matters into her own hands. She kills the creature and buries it in the garden. The story ends with Luciana feeling a sense of peace and freedom, knowing that her husband's abuse is finally over.
By Horacio Quiroga · First published 1907 · Genre: Horror, Mystery, Fantasy · 1,353 words
First lines
Alicia's entire honeymoon gave her hot and cold shivers. A blonde, angelic, and timid young girl, the childish fancies she had dreamed about being a bride had been chilled by her husband's rough character. She loved him very much, nonetheless, although sometimes she gave a light shudder when, as they returned home through the streets together at night, she cast a furtive glance at the impressive stature of her Jordan, who had been silent for an hour. He, for his part, loved her profoundly but never let it be seen.
For three months--they had been married in April--they lived in a special kind of bliss.
What this Textopian page supports
The Feather Pillow is listed on Textopian as a short story by Horacio Quiroga, dated 1907 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Horacio Quiroga
- Date: 1907 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Horror, Mystery, Fantasy, Romance
- Length: 1,353 words
- Structure: 1 section, 35 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Feather Pillow by Horacio Quiroga
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Feather Pillow?
- How does this short story by Horacio Quiroga fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Horror first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Flayed Hand by Guy De Maupassant
- The Tarn by Hugh Walpole
- Mirage by Bliss Carman
- The Judges House by Bram Stoker
- The House In The Forest by Katharine Tynan
- The Anaconda by Matthew Gregory Lewis
Genres
- Horror — The Feather Pillow is a horror story by Uruguayan author Horacio Quiroga. It tells the story of a young woman who is haunted by a mysterious creature that lives in her pillow.
- Mystery — The Feather Pillow is a mystery story as the protagonist attempts to uncover the truth behind the creature that is haunting her.
- Fantasy — The Feather Pillow contains elements of fantasy as it features a supernatural creature that is not of this world.
- Romance — The Feather Pillow contains elements of romance as the protagonist is in love with a man who is trying to help her uncover the truth behind the creature.
Tags
horror · gothic · short story · psychological · death · obsession · nature · isolation · fear · symbolism · marriage · tragedy