Metzengerstein

Title: Metzengerstein

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

Narrator: Jonathan Dunne

Original Publication: 1832

Public Domain: Yes

Series Placement: Timeless Terrors No. 59

Description:

Metzengerstein is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s earliest forays into gothic terror — a tale steeped in superstition, doomed rivalry, and the haunting power of vengeance beyond the grave.

The story follows young Baron Frederick Metzengerstein after a devastating fire destroys the stables of his family’s sworn enemies, the Berlifitzings. From the ashes emerges a massive, mysterious horse bearing a chilling resemblance to a figure in an ancient tapestry. As the Baron becomes obsessively bound to this dark steed, his will begins to unravel — and the long-buried hatred between the two noble houses rises once more in spectral form.

Poe crafts a sinister atmosphere thick with dread, where prophecy and madness gallop side by side toward a fiery and inevitable fate. Themes of corruption, obsession, and the supernatural converge, showcasing the early foundations of the master of macabre fiction.

Narrated by Amazon-bestselling horror author Jonathan Dunne, this original performance breathes new life into one of Poe’s most ominous works. While the text is fully in the public domain, this narration and production are copyright © 2025 Jonathan Dunne.

Part of Timeless Terrors, a series dedicated to resurrecting the legends of classic horror, Metzengerstein reminds us that sometimes the deadliest force in the world is not a ghost — but a hatred that refuses to die.