SOUNDTRACK:
[READ: December 21, 2022] “Markheim”
This year, S. ordered me The Short Story Advent Calendar. This is my fifth time reading the Calendar. I didn’t know about the first one until it was long out of print (sigh), but each year since has been very enjoyable. Here’s what they say this year
Like we always do at this time: the Short Story Advent Calendar is back for 2022. We had such a great time last year working with our first-ever guest editor, the one and only Alberto Manguel. This year, however, we’re bringing things back to basics. No overarching theme or format, just 25 top-class short stories, selected in-house, by some of the best writers in North America and beyond. It’s December 21. Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, died in 1894 and would not return our emails.
Not many stories in this collection are actually Christmas stories, which is probably for the best. Who knows how that would go if you tries to corral them into a theme. But this one is.
It is set on Christmas. It takes place in a pawn shop. The proprietor is kind of a jerk to the man who has entered the store, the titular Markheim. They know each other–Markheim has sold many things to this dealer in the past. And the dealer seems to be mocking him that he expects to get some money on Christmas Day.
But Markheim says no, he has come into money and wants to buy a Christmas present for his new lady love. The dealer offer a looking glass, which Markheim turns his nose up at.
So when the dealer turns around to get something else, Markheim kills him!
I did not see that coming!
The rest of the story is about Markheim’s guilt. Or lack if it. He is plagued by concerns and feelings. And eventually he is visited by the devil. Well, Markheim assumes he is the devil although the figure never identifies himself.
It’s a pretty long story with a lot of internal struggling. And not a lot of resolution to speak of.
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