01 marzo, 2010
The pit and the pendulum; handling sceneries to move feelings
Carolyn
The pit and the pendulum is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe and published in 1842; it is also one of the most famous stories of Poe. Is well known Poe’s ability to move feelings, like on “the pit and the Pendulum” where his writing reflects all the desperation of its main character.
The story takes place during the Spanish Inquisition; on it the narrator, and also the main character, narrates the martyrdom of being under Inquisition hands, of being tortured to death. All these feelings are tangible through Poe’s writing, his good use of settings is really important during this story, even if in “the Pit and the Pendulum” only two settings are used, through all the story, the oppression of being imprisoned reaches to the reader. A good use of setting is a really important part of narrative writing, without it the story could be like an empty shell.
The first setting on this story was the Inquisition Court, on it the main character had been judged for the Inquisition, the appearance of Inquisitors is an important thing to consider, all their despiteful look made the main character descent to a first stage of desperation, that one where you’re ready for the worst but in the end, reality is more devastating of what you expected. Is also important the gloomy appearance of this court, like if it were all covered with darkness and the only light came from those seven candles mentioned by the main character. All this characteristics of the setting complement main character’s feelings described for Poe.
The other setting on the plot is the dungeon scenario, after all the anguish about what would happen to him, the main character is placed on a dark dungeon. Close to end is known that the shape of it changes constantly in order to confuse and torture the prisoner. One more time Poe’s description of the scenary, like a creepy place where all kind of sufferings take place, moves reader’s feelings to empathize with main character’s situation. Also the scene of the Pendulum at the climax part leads reader to feel the desperation of main character that is closer to death.
On “the pit and the Pendulum” the description of settings is a really important item, the scenario where the action took place, moves reader’s feelings to empathize with character’s situation therefore without it, the story's deepness would be ruined.
Poe’s exploded setting in order to make his stories more realistic like if the reader were the main character itself. Like If you were the one trapped on a dungeon under Inquisition punishment.
