King Pest by Edgar Allan Poe (1835): A Review

Title: King Pest

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

Publication Year: 1835

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Genre: Allegory, Satire, Gothic, Horror, Grotesque

Source: Ebook @everand_us

This is undoubtedly one of the most absurd short stories by Edgar Allan Poe. If you've read my previous reviews, you know I sometimes start with the line, "What the hell did I just read?" However, this tale takes that sentiment to a whole new level. It's not just confusing; it demands a dictionary to decipher the characters and their descriptions. I found myself navigating what felt like the mind of a drunken individual lost in a haze of hallucinations. The sheer absurdity of this narrative leaves you bewildered.

The story follows two seafaring drunks who, unable to pay for their drinks, flee into a forbidden part of London during the Great Plague. This area is fraught with danger, as entering it during that time was punishable by death. As fate would have it, they unwittingly stumble into the home of the Pest Family, a clan that lives up to its peculiar name and includes characters like the Arch Duchess Ana-Pest (my favorite name in this family). The ensuing chaos is hard to describe, and the confusion does not resolve until the two drunken protagonists find safety in their sheep once more.

So, what is Poe communicating through this bizarre narrative? Clearly, there’s a deeper message woven into the absurdity. Poe doesn't craft his stories merely for the sake of telling a tale; every word carries weight; can we use weight when it is about supernatural creatures? . This narrative serves as an allegory, exploring themes such as death, mortality, the folly of authority and monarchy (which is particularly poignant from an American perspective), disease, and the overall absurdity of life. As I read his stories, especially this one, I always wonder whether Poe is advocating for seizing the day and indulging in reckless drinking (aka alcoholism) because life is inherently absurd, or if he’s using this grotesque world to illustrate how excessive drinking can distort both our inner and outer realities into something dark and ridiculous.