The Imp of the Perverse by Edgar Allan Poe (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of The Imp of the Perverse by Edgar Allan Poe. It provides a thorough exploration of the short story’s plot, characters and main themes, including guilt, self-destructiveness and madness. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

This clear and detailed 48-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of Edgar Allan Poe
• Presentation of The Imp of the Perverse
• Summary of The Imp of the Perverse
• Character study
  • The narrator
  • Madame Pilau
  • The murder victim
  • The audience
• Analysis of The Imp of the Perverse
  • A tiny vignette of horror
  • This way madness lies
  • Nature or nurture?
  • The Imp

About The Imp of the Perverse 

The “Imp” to which this short story’s title refers is the impulse that the narrator believes resides within each of us and which pushes us to do things for no other reason than we know we should not. In the case of the narrator, this results in a powerful drive towards self-destruction, with shocking and tragic consequences. Although the story met with criticism when it was first published because of its unusual form, it proved highly influential, and the metaphor of the Imp of the Perverse has passed into common usage.

About Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, editor and critic who was best known for his poetry and short stories. He was born in 1809, and his parents died when he was young. Unable to support himself as an adult, he enlisted in the army, during which time he released his first work as a writer. He decided to make literature his career after the death of his brother and, although he suffered numerous setbacks and humiliations, he eventually found relative success. After his wife died, Poe became somewhat unhinged and was eventually found delirious on the streets of Baltimore. He died soon after.