"I was sick—sick unto death with that long agony"

Imprisoned in a nightmarish dungeon by the Spanish Inquisition, a man awakens in darkness, knowing he is about to face a series of terrifying tortures designed to break his body, mind and spirit. Chained beneath the slowly descending blade of a pendulum, with the walls closing in and the yawning mouth of a deadly pit in the centre of the floor, he is forced to confront fear, madness, and the unknown.

Edgar Allan Poe’s classic short story is a masterclass in psychological terror, creating an atmosphere of fear and suspense not through the use of supernatural monsters, but through isolation, anticipation and the diabolical ingenuity of man. One of the author’s most enduring tales, it has been adapted multiple times for film, television and radio, with notable adaptations including the 1961 film starring Vincent Price and the animated 2013 film Extraordinary Tales.

Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American writer, poet, editor and literary critic known for his dark, atmospheric tales and haunting poetry. Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in American literature, Poe helped shape the horror and science-fiction genres and is widely credited with inventing detective fiction in his 1841 short story, Murders in the Rue Morgue. Despite a life marked by personal tragedy and financial hardship, Poe produced a number of enduring classics such as The Raven, The Tell-Tale Heart, and The Fall of the House of Usher, and since his somewhat mysterious death, he and his writings have had a wide-ranging influence in popular culture. In 1946, the Mystery Writers of America established the annual Edgar award, which honour the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction, and film.