Hop-Frog by Edgar Allan Poe

A court jester, physically deformed and constantly mocked, is pushed to the edge when the king abuses his beloved fellow dwarf. During a masquerade, Hop-Frog devises a horrifying revenge by disguising the king and his courtiers as chained orangutans and setting them on fire before a shocked audience. The story is a dark, violent tale of vengeance against cruelty and exploitation. Poe uses theatrical imagery to heighten both the spectacle and the horror. It’s a grim commentary on justice and humiliation.