My Critique of "Berenice"

Memorable Quotes:

"How is it that from beauty I have derived a type of unloveliness?"

"They parted; and in a smile of peculiar meaning, the teeth of the changed Berenice disclosed themselves slowly to my view. Would to God that I never beheld them, or that, having done so, I had died!"

"I had done a deed --what was it? I asked myself the question aloud, and the whispering echoes of the chamber answered me, 'what was it?'

In my opinion, when Egaeus described his curiousity for Berenice's teeth and how his disease was gradually taking over him was a very memorable part. The story was very well written and I thought the characters were developed well because I felt like I knew them and that I was actually in the setting with them while the story was going on.


For my fellow classmates, I would recommend this story, but it requires a large dictionary next to you and rereading several passages over and over. But, Edgar A. Poe makes the reader absolutely have to turn the page because his writing makes the reader extremely curious to what is going to happen next. Also, I would suggest reading this short story if you like a good horror tale. However, there is also a love story hidden behind the gruesome conflict. So, even if you aren't a big fan of scary stories I would still recommend "Berenice."Poe's experienced techniques made my heart beat every time I even thought of what was coming. The thrill of the story was fantastic which made the whole story in all great.