Between the publication of the previous story in this series ‘The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall’ in June 1835 and the publication of this one ‘King Pest’ in September of the same year our Dear Edgar managed to get fired as assistant editor and critic for the Southern Literary Messenger, in which both stories were published.

For a short period he was unemployed, moved back to Richmond, obtain a marriage licence so he could wed Virginia Clemm, and for a few months until he was reinstated on a promise to his good and importantly, sober behaviour in October, he struggled by on his savings.

However despite his strained relations with Thomas White the proprietor for the Messenger both ‘King Pest’ and the next story in this series ‘Shadow—A Parable’ were published together in the September issue of the magazine, though both originally were published without the author being named. Anonymous publication was unusual, though not so rare as to draw comment. In the case of these stories however it was a choice made because of Poe’s unflattering reviews and sharp whit had not made him many friends amongst his fellow writers…

To put Poe’s name to the stories would be to invite derision.

King Pest is also a bit of an odd ball, even amongst other Poe stories. It reveals in description and the grotesque to a far greater extent than even Poe’s usual work. While the story is something akin to a nightmarish romp through a plague ridden London. Think of it as the literary equivalent of a Hieronymus Bosch painting. Bosch would certainly be Poe’s illustrator of choice for this tale had he still been around.

The story it self is not overly complex. Two sailors on shore leave are drunk in a tavern and short on the funds required to pay their bill they leg it, with the landlady in pursuit. To escape punishment they jump a barrier that takes them into a part of London barricaded off from the rest due to an outbreak of plague.

Drunk enough to make there way further into horrors of the plagued streets they happen upon an undertakers shop in side which they hear the sounds of a party, and in the manner of drunkards everywhere who still thirst for drink, they decide to invite themselves inside. Whence they come upon a collection of grotesque individuals celebrating all the horrors of the diseased borough. This is the court of ‘King Pest’ who may or may not be a bunch of actors driving mad by events.

An argument at the ‘rude interruption’ of the drunken sailors, there is a lot of accusations and shouting followed by a fight, the flooding of the shop and a kidnapping while the sailors flee back to their ship, anchored in the Thames…

All of this is much of a muchness, story wise, there is nothing particularly clever or interesting going on with it. A couple of drunks causing chaos, and some strange revellers… What make the story interesting and worth reading is the descriptive nature of the telling. From the off this story is all about the grotesque nature of the characters. ‘Legs’ and ‘Tarpaulin’ the two sailors are every bit as grotesque as the members of ‘King Pest’s’ court. As is the description of Plague ridden streets

Each member of King Pest’s court is vividly described too take this description of King Pest himself…

His stature was gaunt and tall, and Legs was confounded to behold in him a figure more emaciated than himself. His face was as yellow as saffron –but no feature excepting one alone, was sufficiently marked to merit a particular description. This one consisted in a forehead so unusually and hideously lofty, as to have the appearance of a bonnet or crown of flesh superadded upon the natural head. His mouth was puckered and dimpled into an expression of ghastly affability, and his eyes, as indeed the eyes of all at table, were glazed over with the fumes of intoxication. 

It is these descriptions that elevate the tale from a nothingness to something else. But what that something else is beyond something of a master class at grotesque description is debatable. It is certainly evocative and in a strange way fascinating, but is it fun to read? Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote both ‘Treasure Island’ and ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ said of Poe after reading this story…

“He who could write ‘King Pest’ has ceased to be a human being.”

Which is somewhat damning but is not entire with out merit as a summing up of the tale. It is an exercise in grotesque description, at which it excels, but beyond that it has little to much recommend it and there isn’t a single character with which you will feel affinity or wish to.

TWO BLACK WINGED AVIAN’S WITH EYES LIKE DARK SIGNETS OF JET THAT OF A NATURE ARE LESS THAN KIND

Should your read it: If you seek to learn the art of descriptive text certainly, and if you like the grotesque aesthetic there are things to love here, but such love is as thin and reedy as ‘Legs’

Bluffers fact: There is a theory, and nothing more than that as Poe never confirmed or indeed denied it, that King Pest court was meant as a parody of Andrew Jackson, his friends, relatives and cabinet. Certainly America’s 7th president who was in residence at the white house when the story was first published was ripe for satire. Some of his political enemies referred to him as ‘King Jackson the first’ due to his autocratic style. While the description of King Pest, as tall and gaunt, describes Jackson to a tee. While other members of the court could be stretched to fit members of Jackson’s inner circle.