The Oval Portrait

Edgar Allan Poe

Synopsis

Title: The Oval Portrait 
Author: Edgar Allan Poe 
Narrator: Jonathan Dunne 
Original Publication: 1842 
Public Domain: Yes 
Series Placement: Number 5 in the Timeless Terrors series 
Description: 
The Oval Portrait by Edgar Allan Poe is a haunting work of gothic fiction that explores the intersection of art, obsession, and mortality. First published in 1842 in Godey’s Lady’s Book, the story follows a weary traveler who discovers a mysterious, exquisitely detailed portrait of a young woman in a dark, abandoned chateau. 
As he studies the painting, he learns the tragic story behind it: the artist’s obsessive devotion to capturing his wife’s likeness ultimately leads to her death. Poe’s tale is a chilling meditation on the cost of artistic obsession, the fragility of life, and the tension between beauty and reality. 
This recording, narrated by Amazon bestselling horror author Jonathan Dunne, brings the story’s eerie atmosphere and subtle psychological horror to life. While the text is in the public domain, this performance is an original work and copyright © 2025 Jonathan Dunne. 
Listeners should expect a brief but unsettling narrative that exemplifies Poe’s mastery of suspense, gothic imagery, and psychological depth.

Durée: 9 minutes (00:08:57)
Date de publication: 08/09/2025; Unabridged; Copyright Year: — Copyright Statment: —