The Murders in the Rue Morgue
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Pamphlet, The Prose Romances of Edgar A. Poe, 1843First publication
1841 in Graham's Magazine
First book publication
1845 in collection Tales
Literature form
Story
Genres
Crime, mystery, horror
Writing language
English
Author's country
United States
Length
Approx. 15,000 words
Notable lines
The mental features discoursed of as the analytical, are, in themselves, but little susceptible of analysis. We appreciate them only in their effects.
— First lines
"A madman," I said, "has done this deed—some raving maniac, escaped from a neighbouring Maison de Santé."
The analytical power should not be confounded with simple ingenuity; for while the analyst is necessarily ingenious, the ingenious man is often remarkably incapable of analysis.
It will be found, in fact, that the ingenious are always fanciful, and the truly imaginative never otherwise than analytic.
...our friend the Prefect is somewhat too cunning to be profound. In his wisdom is no stamen. It is all head and no body, like the pictures of the Goddess Laverna—or, at best, all head and shoulders, like a codfish.
"I like him especially for one master stroke of cant, by which he has attained his reputation for ingenuity. I mean the way he has 'de nier ce qui est, et d'expliquer ce qui n'est pas.'"
— Last lines
Critique • Quotes • At the movies
See also:
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Buy the book:
The Murders in the Rue Morgue and Other Tales
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