The Pit and the Pendulum
by Edgar Allan Poe
In 'The Pit and the Pendulum,' the narrator experiences the harrowing effects of torture and impending death, trapped in a dark, oppressive environment. As he grapples with fear and despair, he oscillates between moments of clarity and delirium, ultimately contemplating the sweet release of death. Poe masterfully evokes a sense of dread and psychological torment, making the reader acutely aware of the fragility of sanity under extreme duress.