Edgar Allan Poe's application of single effect theory on his selected tales

The aim of this thesis is to examine Edgar Allan Poe's theory of a short story, which is referred as "unity of effect" or "single effect". The application of his theory as he laid bare in his published essays is discussed in three selected tales, namely "The Fall of the House of Usher", "The Black Cat", and "The Pit and the Pendulum" intertwining the themes of death, fear and darkness. The short survey of literary career on Edgar Allan Poe is presented. Moreover, his associations with Gothic literature and affiliation with the Romantic movement is explored so as to present what led him to create his theory of a tale. This study aims to present Poe's use of themes, tone, incident and Gothic features in context of his short stories and to draw a conclusion on how he mastered these elements and consequently how they overlap with his theories.