The Pit and the Pendulum By: Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe, the Author Born: Boston Jan. 19, 1809 Died: Baltimore Oct. 7, 1849 Parents were actors. Adopted by Mr. and Mrs. John Allan after his mother died when he was two years old. Mr. Allan was disappointed in Edgar’s lack of ambition.

Edgar Allan Poe, the Author Went to college (University of Virginia), but dropped out and became an alcoholic Gambled his way into debt. Enlisted in the army, but was kicked out of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Traveled to New York, became an editor, and in 1836, married his thirteen-yr-old cousin Virginia Clemm Published various works, while continually looking for stable work publishing or editing a magazine In 1847 Virginia died of tuberculosis and Edgar became deeply depressed In 1849 Poe died, but the cause of his death remains a mystery. Some possibilities include alcoholism, mugging, or rabies…

Edgar Allan Poe Dark Romantic Known for the following: American Romantic Dark Romantic Known for the following: Tales of mystery and terror stories Introducing the modern detective story

“The Cask of Amontillado” “The Black Cat” “The Pit and The Pendulum” Edgar Allan Poe Short Stories: “The Tell-Tale Heart” “The Cask of Amontillado” “The Black Cat” “The Pit and The Pendulum”

Edgar Allan Poe Poems: “The Raven” “Annabel Lee” “To Helen” “Lenore”

Edgar Allan Poe Addictions Sometimes strange special effects have been linked to Poe’s addiction to opium Addiction not uncommon in the 1800s because of frequent use of laudanum, an opium based medicine, to treat headaches and stomach pains

Edgar Allan Poe Allusions Reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event Best sources are literature, history, Greek myth, and the Bible Serves to explain or clarify or enhance whatever subject

Edgar Allan Poe Symbol Something that is itself and yet also represents something else Universal symbols embody universally recognizable meanings Invested symbols are given symbolic meaning by the way an author uses them in a literary work

Edgar Allan Poe Imagery Descriptions and word choices that appeal to the reader’s five senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound. Poe is a master of imagery.

Edgar Allan Poe Imagery Poe inspires fear through vivid descriptions that you will listen as you read at Loud Lit on my school site. Take notes on descriptions you sense via: sight taste touch smell sound You will illustrate the scene you believe is the most vividly described in “The Pit and the Pendulum.” Your drawing will include a minimum of five text-based details. You will cite the lines from your text.

Edgar Allan Poe Gothic Elements supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of unknown terror pervades the action High emotion, sentimentalism, but also pronounced anger, surprise, and especially terror use of words indicating fear, mystery, etc.: apparition, devil, ghost, haunted, terror, fright, fainting You will be asked to analyze the use of gothic elements in this short stories and in others. A link to explain “Gothic Elements” is on my school website. http://virtualsalt.com/gothic.htm

Edgar Allan Poe “The Pit and the Pendulum” As you read, try to identify how Poe uses allusion, gothic elements, and symbols in “The Pit and the Pendulum.”

The Story “The Pit and the Pendulum” is centered around thoughts of a prisoner who is arrested during the Spanish Inquisition.

Point of View “The Pit and the Pendulum” is told in first person (I) from the prisoner’s point of view.

The Setting: The Spanish Inquisition Around the early 1400s, Catholic Spain persecuted the Jewish inhabitants of the country. Many Jews “converted” to Christianity to avoid persecution and death. It is believed that many Jews still practiced their faith in secret. In 1478, the Pope issued a decree that allowed religious lay people such as bishops to “purify the nation of heretics” - a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church.

The Spanish Inquisition: The Leaders While the Inquisition was led by the King and Queen of Spain, Ferdinand V and Isabella, Isabella, a devoted Catholic, was the driving force. It is thought that King Ferdinand used the Inquisition to increase Spanish funds.

Elements of the Inquisition The accused were never allowed to know the identity of their accusers or the witnesses used against them. They were not allowed lawyers or counsel for their defense. Once captured the any property the “heretic” owned was seized given to the crown or the General Inquisitor. Prisoners would often be tortured for confessions. The prisoners were only allowed “breaks” from the torture, because according to the church law once the torture was stopped, it could not be started again.

Auto-de-fe’ The ritual of public penance of condemned heretics and apostates that took place when the Spanish Inquisition or the Portuguese Inquisition had decided their punishment after the trial. Both 'auto de fe' in medieval Spanish and 'auto da fé' in Portuguese mean "act of faith”. The auto-da-fé involved a Catholic Mass; prayer; a public procession of those found guilty; and a reading of their sentences.[2] The ritual took place in public squares or esplanades and lasted several hours with ecclesiastical and civil authorities in attendance.

Torture Devices of the Spanish Inquisition Strappado or Pulley The strappado was a device that used ropes to strap a person in by their arms and legs, and then weights were attached to the ends of these ropes. The person was raised to a certain level and then the ropes were released. This created a situation where the body would be stretched painfully, sometimes enough to produce death Aselli or Water Torment The aselli was accomplished as a person was brought to lay down on a trestle with sharp-edged rungs and secured with an iron band. Their feet would be elevated above their heads. The accused then had a small piece of linen forced into the gullet. Using a jar (jarra), water would be poured into the mouth and nose producing a state of semi-suffocation. The process would be done repeatedly. While doing that process, the cords binding the limbs would be tightened until it would seem the very veins would explode

Death The Church did not wish to shed blood so after the conviction of the “heretics” they handed the death sentence over to Spain. If convicted of heresy the guilty party would be thrown alive into a fire, those who died in jail their bodies were also burned with the living. The Spanish Inquisition ended in 1808. It lasted for 330 years. Over 323,362 were burned for their “crimes”.

Vocabulary Before reading, review the vocabulary on page 256: Imperceptible Ponders Lucid Tumultuous Insuperable Prostrate Potent Lethargy Proximity Averted

Bibliography http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/3231/Jewish-Community-Of-Malta/The-Spanish-Inquisition.htm http://www.poestories.com/biography.php Wikipedia