The Imp of the Perverse


The Imp of the Perverse is a metaphor for the urge to do exactly the wrong thing in a given situation for the sole reason that it is possible for wrong to be done. The impulse is compared to an imp which leads an otherwise decent person into mischief, and occasionally to their death.

Poe's short stories

The phrase has a long history in literature, and was popularized by Edgar Allan Poe in his short story, "The Imp of the Perverse".
Poe explores this impulse through several of his fictional characters, such as the narrators in "The Black Cat" and in "The Tell-Tale Heart", and includes hints of it in multiple other tales of his.

Other usages