The Oval Portrait

Name: The Oval Portrait
Brand: Findaway
Availability: InStock
Author: Edgar Allan Poe
ISBN: 9780473434670

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

Narrator: Shawn Michael Hogan

Unabridged: 7 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Booktrack

Published: 04/06/2018

Categories: Fiction, Classic

Synopsis

The Oval Portrait is a short horror story written by Edgar Allan Poe and first published in 1842. Our protagonist takes refuge in an abandoned castle and discovers a room with a series of paintings accompanied by a small book describing them. His attention is attracted by an oval portrait depicting a young woman of rare beauty.

About Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American poet, short story writer, editor, and literary critic who is credited with inventing the detective fiction genre and with contributing to the emerging science fiction genre. He began his literary career with the anonymous publication of a collection of his poems entitled Tamerlane and Other Poems. He then turned to writing prose and spent the next several years working for literary journals and periodicals, becoming well known for his particular style of literary criticism. He served for a time on the staff of the New York Mirror, in which his poem "The Raven" was published. Poe's other well-known works include his stories "The Purloined Letter," "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," and "The Mystery of Marie Roget."

Reviews

Goodreads review by Glenn on June 30, 2023

Since there are dozens of reviews already posted here, in the spirit of freshness I will focus on how Edgar Allan Poe uses this tale to convey the power of art and aesthetic experience for both artist and viewer. Below are my observations along with several of the author’s quotes. The narrator enters......more

Goodreads review by Sandra on June 11, 2019

A man seeks shelter for the night in an abandoned chateau. While he is in bed he notices a painting on the wall of a girl. He is captivated by it, and reads about it in a book, which tells the sad tale of the painting. This was a short, gripping, and fascinating read. Another interesting story by Poe......more

Goodreads review by Kevin on March 05, 2020

Injured, and fearful of spending a cold night outdoors, an unnamed man of means (our narrator) seeks shelter in an abandoned chateau where a turret room, dark and steeped in faded grandeur, presents itself. Our narrator has his valet light a candelabrum and throw open the fringed curtains surroundin......more

Goodreads review by Francesc on February 18, 2022

Intenso relato sobre la fugacidad de la vida. Con muy poco, Poe dice mucho. An intense story of the transience of life. With very little, Poe says a lot.......more