[Spoilers]
"Berenice" is a short story written by Edgar Allen Poe. It was published in 1835. I almost did not write a review of it. My problem with Poe stories is that they are extremely overwritten and include important passages written in other languages with absolutely no translation at all. It's like he just assumes you know ten languages when you read his stuff.
"Berenice" can best be described as a psychological horror. It is about a man who has a condition where he is having trouble separating reality from the jumble of fiction and manias happening in his mind. The main character, Egaesus, obsesses to a very serious extent over his cousin, Berenice, to the point where things get very uncomfortable.
In particular, he obsesses over her teeth so greatly that it ultimately leads him to do something that even surprises him. I won't go too much into the grizzly details, but the main point of the story is that this character completely and utterly looses touch with reality. He literally gets disconnected with himself and the people around him.
The story refers to his problem as a Disease. Much of the story goes into extreme detail about how Egaesus' brain is malfunctioning. This extreme disconnect from reality does flow out of the story, and I think it was, to some small extent, intended to be confusing. It has much to do with man losing his ability to control his own actions, and this loss is the horror intended.
Despite the story being fairly good for a horror, I still have so many problems with Poe's writing. The man was so full of himself. I'm sorry, but he had too much of an elitist way of writing. I don't mind a little flowery language here and there for spice, but when it is the main course of the story, it can become a very taxing endeavor to engage upon. I had similar problems with Kenneth Grahame, although I think he did a better job of it. "The Wind in the Willows" is one hell of a good book.
As far as a recommendation, I can only really promote "Berenice" if you are willing to put up with this man's overly-flowery writing and random quotes in other languages. There is a good story in there... somewhere.
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Yes, Poe is indeed putting on airs when he scribbles in gibberish. He is not the only author who yearned to be admired by the intellectuals of his day. I know he considered such things "Easter eggs" to be found, but they are merely gaps in his story. I read on without bothering to translate. I figure a good story can prove itself without such cheap tricks. As for the story itself: It seems to be a prototype for what became the classical FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER.
ReplyDeleteWow, he had quite a few prototype stories. I'll probably run into a few of the non-prototype ones later on.
DeleteMost people become disconnected from reality in the most subtle of ways. It important not to let our perceptions take the place of what is real. The results may not be disastrous, but they can be problematic.
ReplyDeleteThat's like living in a dream. Spooky if a person constantly does that.
DeleteInteresting, a mental obsession is a scary thing especially when someone is so out of touch they act upon it harming others. I never read this one myself but considering the writing I would prefer a different medium. But I may give it a read one day out of curiosity.
ReplyDelete"Out of Touch" is its own brand of horror.
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