Gothic literature was introduced by Horace Walpole in The Castle of Otranto in 1764, but it was not until the late 18th and early 19th centuries century that it began to become popular and authors such as Edgar Allan Poe wrote many tales influenced by this way of writing. In the story “The Pit and the Pendulum,” Edgar Allan Poe mixes traditional Gothic elements. This tail contains many gothic aspects which we can say that without them the story would not be gothic. Some of these aspects are the fact that the story takes place during the Spanish Inquisition, the terror that the prisoner experiences, his mental torments, the torture he undergoes and being in a dark place like a dungeon are all traditional Gothic elements. elements.The Spanish Inquisition is one of those traditional Gothic elements mentioned throughout this tale. Early on in the story, Poe gives a sense of the setting by mentioning the voices of the Inquisition, but as the story continues, he clarifies that the story takes place during the Spanish Inquisition, as when he writes “And death has just been avoided”. was of that very character which I had considered fabulous and frivolous in the tales concerning the Inquisition.” By doing this, Poe ensures that the reader knows what is happening outside the dungeon and also aims to contribute to the gothic mood of the tale. According to Mary Ellen Snodgrass, the torture chambers of the Spanish Inquisition are a favorite Gothic setting and not only Poe but other authors like Ann Radcliffe used this setting for her story "The Mysteries of Udolpho". Mental torment is another aspect of Gothic literature that is used throughout the story. This unnamed narrator is mentally tormented...... middle of paper ...... g, he is completely surrounded by darkness due to being in a dungeon. This atmosphere that the dungeon adds to the story contributes to the dark setting that the story is supposed to have since it is a gothic work. Certainly, throughout “The Pit and the Pendulum,” Edgar Allan Poe uses many traditional Gothic elements. These basic elements helped him develop this Gothic work since it is “The Pit and the Pendulum”. Works Cited Poe, Edgar Allan. “The pit and the pendulum”. 1843. Literature Reader's choice. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Douglas Fisher, and Beverly Ann Chin. New York: Glencoe, 2007. 251-60. Print. American literature. Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. “Dungeons and Prisons in Gothic Literature.” Bloom's literature. Facts about File, Inc. Web. March 17, 2014Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. “Terrorist fiction.” Bloom's literature. Facts about File, Inc. Web. March 17. 2014