Daily Short Stories - Mystery & Suspense Shadow - A Parable - Edgar Allan Poe
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Aug 15, 2025 Dive into a chilling parable where a year of dread looms over a dark gathering in Ptolemaeus. Seven companions revel in a suffocating atmosphere, overshadowed by the eerie presence of a corpse named Zoilus. Tension escalates when a mysterious shadow materializes, confronting the living with its unsettling aura. This shadow, speaking with many voices, raises questions about identity and existence. A captivating blend of horror and philosophy awaits in this compelling tale.
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Prophetic Tone Links Cosmos And Calamity
- Poe frames the tale as a prophetic memorial written by one already among the dead.
- He links celestial omens and a spreading pestilence to a pervasive, oppressive atmosphere in human souls.
Atmosphere Mirrors Inner Dread
- The room's physical heaviness mirrors a collective psychic oppression among the seven revelers.
- Small bright elements (the lamps) contrast the pervasive pallor, emphasizing fragile life amid dread.
Dead Guest at the Revel
- The company keeps a dead youth, Zoilus, enshrouded among them while they force merriment.
- His half-dead gaze haunts the revel, making the living's laughter hysterical and thin.