The Gold-Bug
"The Gold-Bug" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in June 1843. It tells the story of William Legrand, who becomes obsessed with a strange gold-colored bug he finds. His servant, Jupiter, worries that Legrand is going crazy and asks Legrand’s friend (the story’s narrator) to help. Legrand then involves them both in a treasure hunt after solving a secret message.
| "The Gold-Bug" | |
|---|---|
| Poe gold-bug byam shaw.JPG Illustration by Byam Shaw, 1909 | |
| Author | Edgar Allan Poe |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Mystery |
| Published in | Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper |
| Media type | |
| Publication date | June 1843 |
The story takes place on Sullivan’s Island in South Carolina and is often seen as an early example of detective fiction. Poe was interested in cryptography, which was popular at the time, and used this interest while writing "The Gold-Bug." A secret code plays a big part in the story’s plot. Modern critics think the way Poe wrote Jupiter’s character is racist, especially because of how he speaks.
Poe entered "The Gold-Bug" into a writing contest held by the Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper, and it won the top prize. It was published in three parts starting in June 1843. Poe received $100 for it, which was a lot of money at the time (equivalent to $3,375 in 2024) and probably the most he ever earned from a single work. The story was a big hit and became Poe’s most popular prose piece while he was alive. It also helped make secret codes more popular with readers.
The Gold-Bug Media
Illustration by "Herpin Inv" for an early edition
The click beetle Alaus oculatus, along with a longhorn beetle, inspired the fictional "gold-bug" of Poe's tale.
An 1875 French translation of "The Gold-Bug"
"The Gold-Bug" as it appeared in The Dollar Newspaper, June 21, 1843, with the illustration on the bottom right
