Which horror short stories are in the public domain?

Some classic short stories like 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry and 'The Tell-Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe are in the public domain.

One well - known public domain horror short story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a classic that delves into the mind of a madman, with its intense psychological horror.

Good character development is also key. Even in a short story, the best ones make you care about the characters. In some public domain horror stories, the main character's fear and desperation are palpable, which draws you into the story. And many of them have unexpected twists. Like in some old Gothic horror short stories, the ending might completely change your perception of what was going on throughout the story.

You can find public domain horror short stories on websites like Project Gutenberg. It has a vast collection of classic literature, including many horror short stories that are now in the public domain.

One well - known public domain short horror story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a chilling tale of a man's descent into madness as he is haunted by the sound of his victim's beating heart. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs. This story shows the dangerous consequences of making wishes with a magical object. 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman can also be considered a horror story in a sense, as it delves into the psychological horror of a woman's confinement and her deteriorating mental state.

Try Archive.org. It has a large number of old books and texts, and among them are public domain short horror stories. It's like a digital treasure chest for literature enthusiasts. You could also look for free e - book platforms that focus on public domain works. Some of these might have curated sections for horror stories. And don't forget about second - hand bookstores. You might be able to find old anthologies of public domain horror stories there at a very reasonable price.

Well, some classic Christmas stories like 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens are in the public domain. Also, many old folk tales related to Christmas have entered the public domain over time.

You can try websites like Project Gutenberg. It has a vast collection of public domain works, including short horror stories. Just search for 'horror' in its search bar and you'll likely find some great ones.

One of the most famous is 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker. It's a classic horror story filled with vampires and gothic elements. Another is 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley. It deals with themes of creation and the monstrous. 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson is also great. It shows the duality of human nature in a very spooky way.

One characteristic is their often - classic nature. Since they are in the public domain, many are from earlier eras when horror was more about psychological thrills and slow - building dread. For example, stories might focus on the unknown, like in 'The Yellow Wallpaper' where the woman's mental state deteriorates and the reader isn't sure what's real. Another characteristic is their simplicity in a way. They don't rely on excessive gore or modern special effects but rather on good storytelling. For instance, 'The Monkey's Paw' builds horror through the anticipation of what will happen when the wishes are made.