"The Oval Portrait" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe involving the disturbing tale of a portrait in a chateau. At just over three pages, it is one of his shortest stories.

Plot

The story revolves around a man (the narrator for about two thirds of the story) staying the night in an old manor house in the Appenines. In earlier versions of the story it is explained that he was wounded by a banditti and has taken opium for his pain, but Poe removed this from later versions.

The most common versions begin with the narrator already wounded and holed up in the abandonned mansion, with no explanation for his wound. He spends his time admiring the works of art decorating the strangely shaped room and perusing a volume which "purported to criticize and describe" the paintings.

He eventually discovers a painting which shocks him with its extreme lifelikeness. He spends a moment in silent awe of it until he can't bear to look any more, then consults the book of criticisms for an explanation.

The remainder of the story is narrated by this art book--sort of a story within a story. The book of criticisms explains that the picture was painted by an eccentric artist of his young wife, but that he grew obsessed with the painting to the point that he neglected the woman he was painting. When he finishes the painting he is appalled at his own work, and exclaims "This is indeed Life itself!" Then he turns to see his bride, and discovers that she has died.

External link

Text of the story