The story’s first section describes a old ,the Baron Von Landshort, who has gathered a vast audience, consisting
mostly of poor relatives properly cognizant of his high status, to celebrate his only daughter marriage to a young
count whom none of them has ever seen.
In the story’s second part, the reader learns that as the count and his friend Herman Von
Starkenfaust journey to the castle, they are attack by bandits; the outlaws mortally wound the count
who, with his last breath, begs Von Starkenfaust to relay his excuses to the wedding party.
The story’s third part returns to the castle where the long-delayed wedding party finally welcomes a pale, melancholy young man. The silent stranger hears the
garrulous Baron speak on, at meanwhile the young man wins the daughter’s heart. He shortly leaves, declaring he must the cathedral. The next night the
daughter’s two guardian aunts tell ghost stories until they are terrified by spying the Spectre Bridegroom outside the window; the daughter sleeps apart from her
aunts for three nights, encouraging their fears the while, and finally abscon