“The Queen of Spades” is a ghost story. Both the appearance of the countess’s ghost and the notion of haunting are important parts of the story, as is the act of storytelling itself. Hermann first hears about the countess’s trick in the early hours of the morning. Together with his friends, he sits at a table and listens to a strange and seemingly supernatural story. Hearing the story plants an idea in his mind; the idea then metastasizes and festers in his thoughts, haunting him throughout every moment until he is forced to act.

After being haunted by the idea that he can guarantee a win at a card game, Hermann takes matters into his own hands. He tricks Lizaveta into inviting him into the countess’s house, and then he confronts the countess. The confrontation brings Hermann face-to-face with death. Although he does not murder the countess directly, his appearance in her home hastens her death. He bears partial responsibility for her murder, and the ambiguity of his responsibility haunts him. If not for Hermann’s greed, the countess might still be alive. Though Hermann assures himself that he is not to blame, the question lingers in his mind and his guilt manifests at the funeral when he is convinced that the countess’s corpse winks at him.