King Arthur Movie Tristan

title: Eleonora

author: Edgar Allan Poe

genre: short story

published: 1842

first line: I AM come of a race noted for vigor of fancy and ardor of passion.



First of all, what better way to spend a cold Fall evening than curled up on the couch with a book of Edgar Allen Poe's work and a cup of hot tea? I've been doing just that lately and very much enjoying it.



The narrator of this short story is Eleonora's cousin. He tells the story about how he lived with Eleonora and her mother in 'The Valley of the Many-Colored Grass'. Soon enough, the narrator and Eleonora fall in love.

Hand in hand about this valley, for fifteen years, roamed I with Eleonora before Love entered within our hearts. It was one evening at the close of the third lustrum of her life, and of the fourth of my own, that we sat, locked in each other's embrace, beneath the serpent-like trees, and looked down within the water of the River of Silence at our images therein.

Eleonora becomes sick, and the narrator vows to never marry and to love only her forever. He even swore a curse upon himself if he ever broke his vow. Eleonora promises to visit him after she dies, and to perfume the air so he knows she is there.


The valley is not as lush and beautiful after Eleonora's death. She does visit him and he hears her whispers and sighs and smells her perfume.

oh, but once only! I was awakened from a slumber, like the slumber of death, by the pressing of spiritual lips upon my own.

Eventually he leaves the valley and moves into the city. He ends up marrying and was not cursed like he swore he would be. One night he hears Eleonora whispering to him, saying 'Thou art absolved' and giving him and his new wife her blessing.





I enjoyed this short story. I was glad there was a love story involved and a bit of the supernatural to it also.


And Poe's writing is fantastic as usual.

Men have called me mad; but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence -- whether much that is glorious- whether all that is profound -- does not spring from disease of thought -- from moods of mind exalted at the expense of the general intellect.

This is supposed to be Poe's signature, I thought this was pretty cool.






Read Poe's works for free here.

This read has been part of R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril…IV