The Premature Burial

short story by Poe

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Article History

The Premature Burial, short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in Dollar Newspaper in July 1844.

As a frequent victim of catalepsy, the narrator has obsessive fears and horrible nightmares that he will be buried alive while comatose. As a precaution, he supplies his tomb with escape routes and provisions. Once, upon awakening, he feels trapped in a coffin not of his making. After realizing that he has fallen asleep in a ship’s narrow berth, he conquers his morbid fears.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.