The Man of the Crowd by Edgar Allan Poe (1840): A Review

Title: The Man of the Crowd

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

Publication Year: 1840

Pages: 12

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Genre: Gothic, proto-detective

Source: EBook @everand_us

An unnamed narrator, who has recently recovered from an unnamed illness, decides to visit a café in London. Similar to the narrator in Poe's "Berenice," this character exhibits obsessive behaviors, but he is also highly observant. Through his eyes, we see the people outside the café; no one escapes his scrutiny, making him reminiscent of C. Auguste Dupin, Poe’s famous detective. At the same time, this character evokes thoughts of William Wilson and his doppelgänger.

The narrator's obsession intensifies when he spots an old man and begins to follow him through the streets of London. He trails the man from evening until morning, convinced that the old man has committed a crime and determined to uncover his secret. Despite his meticulous observations, he eventually decides to give up, reasoning that some secrets are meant to remain hidden and that some books are not intended to be read. There is no horror in this story; it is simply a psychological exploration of the narrator’s character.

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