The Spectacle by Edgar Allan Poe (1844): A Review
Author: Edgar Allan Poe
Publication Year: 1844
Pages: 30
Rating: ⭐⭐
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Source: EBook
This is not your typical Poe short story. If you're looking for something uncanny, spooky, or ghostly, you're in the wrong place. To my disappointment, it starts with the theme of "love at first sight" and quickly shifts to the idea that "love is blind." And I mean that literally! Did I mention that this story falls into the category of "What the hell am I reading"?
So, what makes this story disappointing? First, it stems from my personal taste. I'm not a fan of romance unless it’s a parody, which this story ultimately becomes, but too late. Anyway, we have a narrator who falls in love with a woman and pursues her—more like he stalks her—and eventually confesses his love to her and they get married within a few days! One crucial detail about our love-struck character is that his eyesight is extremely poor. I won’t spoil what happens next, but there’s an Oedipal twist involved.
Although the story is quite ridiculous—definitely not a Romeo and Juliet scenario but rather an unhealthy family prank—it does convey an important message: there’s no shame in wearing glasses when you're nearly blind! Wear those spectacles and don’t let your family pressure you into it through inappropriate means. I am not so sure about the message regarding love, though!
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