On these pages the elements of the Romantic Period in Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “Ligeia“ should be analysed. Poe, “who has so drastically altered the landscape of the popular imagination” (Wright 375) and who “had such a powerful effect on his fellow artists” (Wright 375), created with “Ligeia” a typical text of the Romantic Period. The text “Ligeia” is about the death of the young lady Ligeia. After her death her husband becomes addicted to opium. Although he spends most of his time thinking of Ligeia, he soon gets married with the lady Rowena Trevanion. After their marriage he brings Rowena into a bridal chamber. This chamber is full of funeral decorations, what attacks Rowena with horror. Because of that she gets ill and feels the presence of the dead Ligeia in the room. Finally Rowena dies and the narrator ends the story with Ligeia’s transformation into Rowena’s body. After this transformation the reader has to ask himself if Ligeia actually existed, if the whole story is true or if it only takes place in the imagination of the narrator.
To illustrate “Ligeia” as a romantic text I will give a short overview of the history and the elements of the Romantic Period. Afterwards I will explain these elements in Poe’s text “Ligeia” according to keywords like Gothic, Imagination, and the function of the narrator, which are usual for romanticism. Finally I will tell something about Poe’s theory concerning the short story to show on the one hand the importance of the self as a major theme of romanticism and on the other hand why Poe helped to establish the genre of science fiction, horror, and fantasy in his modern form.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- History and Elements of the Romantic Period
- Elements of the Romantic Period in Edgar Allan Poe's “Ligeia”
- Elements of Gothic literature
- Mix of imagination and truth
- Function of the narrator
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This preview aims to analyze the elements of the Romantic Period in Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “Ligeia”. The text explores the death of a young woman, the narrator's struggles with grief, and the power of imagination.
- The influence of the Romantic Period on Poe’s writing
- The role of Gothic literature in shaping the story’s atmosphere and themes
- The interplay between reality and imagination in the narrative
- The function of the narrator and his relationship with the story’s events
- The theme of death and its impact on the human psyche
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction sets the stage for the analysis, introducing the story of “Ligeia” and its connection to the Romantic Period. It establishes the key themes of death, imagination, and the role of the narrator.
The second chapter provides a historical overview of the Romantic Period in American literature, highlighting its key figures, ideals, and influence on Poe’s work. It contrasts Poe's perspective with the transcendentalists, focusing on his emphasis on beauty, death, and the power of the imagination.
The third chapter dives into specific elements of the Romantic Period present in “Ligeia”. It examines the influence of Gothic literature, exploring how Poe’s use of dark themes and imagery enhances the story’s eerie atmosphere. It also analyzes the complex relationship between imagination and reality in the story, highlighting the narrator’s struggle to differentiate between his own subjective experience and the actual events.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of this work include: Edgar Allan Poe, "Ligeia," Romantic Period, Gothic literature, imagination, reality, narrator, death, beauty, transcendentalism, American literature.
- Quote paper
- Jessica Horn (Author), 2004, Edgar Allan Poe's Short Story "Ligeia" as a text of the Romantic Period, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/126222
