Berenice

About “Berenice”

"Berenice" is a short horror story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1835. The protagonist, Egaeus, is preparing to marry his cousin Berenice. He experiences periods of intense focus, during which he withdraws from the world. Berenice falls ill with an unnamed disease, and only her teeth remain healthy. Egaeus becomes obsessed with her teeth. After Berenice dies, Egaeus continues to dwell on her teeth. One day, he wakes from a trance-like state and hears screams. A servant reports that Berenice's grave has been disturbed, and she is still alive. Near Egaeus are a shovel, a poem about visiting the grave of his beloved, and a box containing 32 teeth.