The Murders in the Rue Morgue

A. The Murders in the Rue Morgue begins with “propositions” (Poe 2) to help the reader follow the reading through the use of critical thinking like that of a chess or card player. The chess player must wait and contemplate each move of another player, while the card player is more prone to memory perception. Poe then introduces his acquaintance Dupin and expounds on his abilities. Then “Extraordinary Murders” (5) begins the sequence of the detective like story. The murders were written about in the local paper and giving no clue, leaving the mystery unanswered. The next day many testimonial references were given in the paper and their account of the murders exposed, still without any evidential clues. The evening paper reveal the police have no way of solving the crime, but arrest Le Bon simply because he was the last individual to see the murdered alive. Dupin’s “peculiar analytical ability” (3) begins to kick in and he begins to belittle the ability of the investigators and plans an “examination” (9). After receiving permission, Dupin and Poe (or the narrator as such) went to the Rue Morgue. They carefully scoured the neighborhood and the outdoor area before entering the house and room where the murders took place. Dupin was very intense and refrained from speaking for several hours contemplating on all he had seen. Then Dupin spoke and completely expounded his analysis of the murders, the means of entrance and exit, and the ability that it would take to complete what had been done. When he centered in on the agility, strength, ferocity and lack of motive (14), Dupin revealed the hair he found revealing the intruder and murderer. To draw the orangutan’s owner to him, Dupin posted an announcement in the news paper. ...

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...parently reveals deep thought with “eyes…vacant in expression” (Poe 3 & 10) but easily takes action before revealing what those thoughts are. His purpose at the local newspaper (9) was not revealed till the afternoon of the next day. At that point, he chooses guns to enlighten the narrator while he recaps the entire setting, testimonies, and evidence they examined before exposing the hair that he found at the scene (14). The PL really never made me wonder, but the MRM caused wonder and raised questions throughout all the details. I think that wonder makes MRM a better story, even though I don’t care for the gruesomeness of it all.

Works Cited

Belasco, Susan, and Linck Johnson, eds. The Bedford Anthology of American Literature. Vol. 1, 2nd Ed., Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2014. 1190-1203. Print.

Poe, Edgar Allen. 1841. The Murders in the Rue Morgue. Print.