Ireland | Lecturia

Sheridan Le Fanu: Sir Dominick’s Bargain

In Sir Dominick’s Bargain, a story by Sheridan Le Fanu, a traveler explores the ruins of Dunoran Manor, captivated by its melancholy atmosphere. There, an old hunchback tells him the tragic story of Sir Dominick Sarsfield, the last lord of Dunoran. Desperate because of his debts, Sir Dominick makes a pact with a mysterious gentleman in the forest of Murroa, obtaining immediate wealth in exchange for a disturbing promise. As the deadline for paying the debt approaches, Sir Dominick, increasingly distressed, seeks the bishop’s help. The bishop gives him a strategy to free himself from his terrible fate, but uncertainty and fear persist as the final deadline approaches.

Sheridan Le Fanu’s stories

Sheridan Le Fanu: The White Cat of Drumgunniol

Sheridan Le Fanu - El gato blanco de Drumgunniol

The White Cat of Drumgunniol is a short story by Sheridan Le Fanu, published on 2 April 1870 in All the Year Round magazine. The story centers on a tale told by an Irish schoolmaster who recounts the legends and superstitions surrounding an old farmhouse in an isolated region of Ireland. His childhood memories include the appearance of a spectral female figure and a mysterious white cat, which are associated with omens of death in his family.

Oscar Wilde: The Selfish Giant

In Oscar Wilde’s 1888 short story The Selfish Giant, a giant returns home to find that children are using his garden as a playground and drives them out, building a wall to keep them out. Without the children, the garden is plunged into a perpetual winter, deprived of life and joy. One day, a mysterious child enters the garden. The giant, seeing their sadness, is moved and decides to tear down the wall to allow the children to return and with them, spring. The story is a reflection on selfishness, kindness and the redeeming power of love and childlike innocence.

Oscar Wilde: The Star-Child

The Star-Child is a fantastic tale by Oscar Wilde published in 1891 in the collection A House of Pomegranates. During a harsh winter, two woodcutters find a child abandoned in the forest, wrapped in a golden cloak and wearing an amber chain. Although one wants to leave him there, the other decides to take him home, where the boy grows into a young man of unusual beauty. However, his appearance does not reflect his character: the Star-child is vain and cruel; he despises others and harshly treats the poor and afflicted. The Star-Child’s arrogance and selfishness soon lead him to face harsh consequences.

Bram Stoker: The Squaw

In “The Squaw”, a short story by Bram Stoker published in 1893, a young American couple is enjoying their honeymoon in Germany, where they meet an eccentric traveler from Nebraska, Elias P. Hutcheson. Together, they head to Nurnberg, where they hope to visit the ancient castle, particularly the torture tower where the famous “Iron Virgin” is kept. During a walk around the castle, Hutcheson, in an attempt to play with a stray kitten, accidentally kills it with a stone. This unleashes the wrath of the mother cat, which becomes an embodiment of hatred and revenge, which will have severe consequences for the travelers.