After one of their own people repeatedly fails to live up to a pact with the Devil, a petty and morally bankrupt village community is terrorized by a succession of deadly black spiders. Using a complex narrative structure, Gotthelf's cautionary novella shrewdly dissects the iniquitous social dynamics of rural life.First published in 1842, "The Black Spider" displays its author's talent for dark satire and realism, as well as the visionary powers of his imagination.
Author Biography
Jeremias Gotthelf (1797-1854) was a Swiss novelist and short story writer, whose works are notable for their defence of traditional church and family life against the radicalism which was prevalent in the Switzerland of Gotthelf's day.
