"The Pit and the Pendulum" is an excellent work by Poe showing the writing style of the Romanticism era, specifically that of transcendentalism. The transcendental writing style focuses on the concept of metaphysical experience. Poe experiences and conveys the feelings that one would get if one experienced the Inquisition first hand.
This work is generally romantic. Poe is eloquent and aloof with his wording with such descriptions as: "the sound of the inquisitorial voices seemed merged in one dreamy indeterminate hum." (Poe). This is notably romantic because many people today would view this a very wordy and not concise enough to be used in literature. However, this is what helps Poe to make his superbly finite description of the infinite. This is one of the first references that Poe makes to the transitional state of consciousness and fear experienced by the narrator. This story belongs in the Romanticism category of Transcendentalism because it focuses on the metaphysical. The narrator does not focus so much on his surroundings as he does trying to make sense of his internal experiences (Poe).
Poe also demonstrates transcendentalism very well. The majority of the story is the narrator trying to figure out what state of mind he is experiencing (Poe). At one point the narrator states, "What of it there remained I will not attempt to define, or even to describe; yet all was not lost. In the deepest slumber -- no! In delirium -- no! In a swoon -- no! In death -- no! Even in the grave all was not lost." This is the narrator attempting to identify his state of mind. The entire story weaves in and out of dream and reality, where the two collide often enough that, if it seems like one, it is probably the other. On the table beneath the pendulum, when the are climbing over him, Poe slips in and out of reality (May). Another example of this transitioning in and out of consciousness is a the beginning. The trial seems vague, like a dream, but the narration of being transferred by the guards seems like the narrator is gaining consciousness (Poe). Poe references this in his work and talks about awaking from sleep and "breaking a gossamer web" but should the web be unbroken, one experiences such fantasy that it can not be put into coherent thought without a work of great length (Poe).
"The Pit and the Pendulum" is a remarkable work by Poe. It uses transcendentalism to identify with the the metaphysical experience of fear and intermediate consciousness (May). This transitional state of reality truly makes this story transcendental because it does not even necessarily focus on the familiar. The unfamiliar is embraced by the narrator and analyzed with little success. The narrator makes the identifications of new experience common to transcendentalism writing. Poe's "Pit and the Pendulum" is literally a textbook example of romanticism.
Poe, Edgar Allen. "The Pit and the Pendulum." American Literature. Columbus, Ohio: Glencoe, 2009. 263-73. Print.
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