The Scythe of Time

From the publisher

Long considered one of E. A. Poe's lesser literary works, author Jeff Seeman argues that "The Pit and the Pendulum" may actually be his masterpiece, the most modern and complex of all his stories. Examining the work through a variety of critical lenses, the essay argues that the story lends itself to a multiplicity of... Long considered one of E. A. Poe's lesser literary works, author Jeff Seeman argues that "The Pit and the Pendulum" may actually be his masterpiece, the most modern and complex of all his stories. Examining the work through a variety of critical lenses, the essay argues that the story lends itself to a multiplicity of interpretations--as suspenseful thriller, dark parody, existential allegory, and precursor to Modernism and Surrealism. Examining the story in the context of Poe's oeuvre as well as drawing on the writings of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Franz Kafka, the essay argues that the work has been vastly underestimated and is actually far more innovative and influential than is generally acknowledged. More than any of his other works, "Pendulum" establishes Poe, the 19th century Romantic, as a forefather of 20th century Modernism. This volume includes the essay "The Scythe of Time," the complete text of "Pendulum," and "The Progeny of Darkness," Seeman's homage to Poe.

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