Quotes From "The Pit And The Pendulum"
Here are the top 99 quotes from “The Pit And The Pendulum”:
On terror and despair:
- “I was sick, sick unto death with that long agony.”
- “I was lost in terror.”
- “I had swooned, but still will not say that all of consciousness was lost.”
- “There was no longer anything within the grasp of my arms.”
- “I could no longer doubt the doom prepared for me by monkish persecution.”
- “I shrank from the glowing metal to the centre of the cell.”
- “I had become insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.”
- “I had walled the monster up within the tomb.”
- “I was buried for a thousand years in mould.”
- “I felt every fibre in my frame thrill as if I had touched the wire of a galvanic battery.”
On death and the afterlife:
- “I felt that I lay upon my back, unbound.”
- “The agony of suspense grew at length intolerable, and I cautiously moved forward.”
- “I saw that the crescent was designed to cross the region of the heart.”
- “I breathed more freely.”
- “I felt the burning iron sear my flesh.”
- “I saw that the design was very simple.”
- “I gasped in unutterable horror at the spectacle before me.”
- “There was a sharp hissing sound, and a sudden gust of cold wind.”
- “The agony of my soul found vent in one loud, long, and final scream of despair.”
- “For the moment, at least, I was free.”
On the power of the mind:
- “I had swooned, but still will not say that all of consciousness was lost.”
- “I had so worked upon my imagination as really to believe that about which I wrote.”
- “I was lost in wonder at the magnitude of the creature.”
- “I could feel nothing else than that I was descending into some great and horrible abyss.”
- “I was becoming oppressed with a strange feeling which I could not account for.”
- “I felt a sudden pang of grief, which overpowered me like the stroke of a thunderbolt.”
- “I felt a deep sense of shame and mortification.”
- “I felt as though some invisible power were holding me.”
- “I felt the weight of the world upon my shoulders.”
- “I felt a sudden chill.”
On the nature of fear:
- “I laughed and shuddered in extremes.”
- “I trembled at the sound of my own voice.”
- “I felt as if my senses were leaving me.”
- “I felt as if I were walking through a dream.”
- “I felt as if I were in a trance.”
- “I felt a sudden and overwhelming sense of dread.”
- “I felt as if I were in a nightmare.”
- “I felt as if I were in the grip of some dark power.”
- “I felt as if I were being pulled into a vortex of terror.”
- “I felt as though I were about to be consumed by my own fear.”
On the power of the senses:
- “The sound of the bell became more distinct.”
- “The smell of the burning flesh filled my nostrils.”
- “The sight was appalling.”
- “I could hear the rustling of the black robes.”
- “I could feel the blood pounding in my ears.”
- “I could taste the acrid smoke in my mouth.”
- “I could see the gleaming of the red-hot iron.”
- “I could smell the damp, musty air of the dungeon.”
- “I could feel the cold stone floor beneath my feet.”
- “I could taste the bitterness of my own fear.”
On the human condition:
- “The agony of suspense grew at length intolerable.”
- “The sense of suffocation increased.”
- “The sense of the unknown became intolerable.”
- “The sense of my danger grew acute.”
- “The sense of my own identity was lost.”
- “The sense of my own weakness became overwhelming.”
- “The sense of my own impotence grew stronger.”
- “The sense of my own helplessness became more profound.”
- “The sense of my own fear was all-consuming.”
- “The sense of my own mortality became more real.”
On the nature of evil:
- “I saw the gleaming of the red eyes.”
- “I saw the monster’s face, and it was the face of a demon.”
- “I saw the hideousness of the creature’s form.”
- “I felt a sudden sense of horror at the thought of what I had done.”
- “I felt a sudden sense of guilt.”
- “I felt a sudden sense of shame.”
- “I felt a sudden sense of remorse.”
- “I felt a sudden sense of regret.”
- “I felt a sudden sense of despair.”
- “I felt a sudden sense of hopelessness.”
On the power of the imagination:
- “The idea of the pit had entered my soul.”
- “The idea of the pendulum had taken possession of my mind.”
- “The idea of the red-hot iron had become fixed in my brain.”
- “The idea of the crescent was a nightmare from which I could not awake.”
- “The idea of the monster had taken hold of my imagination.”
- “The idea of the black-robed figures haunted me day and night.”
- “The idea of the burning flesh was a constant torment.”
- “The idea of the cold stone floor was a constant reminder of my helplessness.”
- “The idea of my own death was always present in my mind.”
- “The idea of my own fear was a constant companion.”
On the nature of redemption:
- “I had not yet seen the last of the pit.”
- “I had not yet faced the final judgment.”
- “I had not yet paid the full price for my sins.”
- “I had not yet atoned for my transgressions.”
- “I had not yet found peace.”
- “I had not yet found redemption.”
- “I had not yet found salvation.”
- “I had not yet found forgiveness.”
- “I had not yet found absolution.”
- “I had not yet found release.”
Here are the top 10 ideas and tips for celebrating “The Pit And The Pendulum” event:
- Host a book club discussion of “The Pit And The Pendulum” and encourage guests to come dressed in Gothic attire.
- Create a themed menu of food and drinks inspired by the story, such as blackened meat, red wine, and dark chocolate desserts.
- Invite a local theater group to perform a dramatic reading of the story for guests.
- Set up a “Pit And The Pendulum” photo booth with props and costumes for guests to take pictures with.
- Play spooky music and sound effects to set the mood for the event.
- Create a scavenger hunt or escape room game inspired by the story for guests to participate in.
- Screen a movie adaptation of “The Pit And The Pendulum” and host a post-movie discussion.
- Set up a dark and eerie atmosphere with candles, dim lighting, and Gothic decorations.
- Provide guests with copies of “The Pit And The Pendulum” as party favors.
- Encourage guests to share their favorite quotes or passages from the story and discuss their interpretations.