Poes Recurring Themes Symbols and Motifs Master of

Poe’s Recurring Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

Master of the Macabre

HORROR Ø Gothic = literature characterized by a gloomy setting, mysterious or violent events, and an atmosphere of degeneration and decay Ø Where’s a great place to get ideas? ØIn the NEWS! ØBIZARRE MURDERS happen in the world around you… ØPoe added his psychological insights

Eyes Ø One of his most common motifs Ø Can be referred to as “orb” Ø Eyes considered to be window to the soul

Heart Ø Heart is important as both the physical “pump” of the body & as center of all feeling and experience Ø As a Romantic, Poe places greater emphasis on the HEART (representing emotion and experience) than on HEAD (representing intellect, rational thought, and scientific reasoning)

Unnamed Narrator Ø Ø Unnamed narrator frequently tells stories (narrator not meant to represent Poe) Lack of specific identity gives him an EVERYMAN quality ?

Premature Burial/Suffocation Ø 2 concepts linked— “Life-in-death” theme Ø The idea of being enclosed with the dead while still part of the living

Vortex Image and action of a spinning, swirling whirlpool that cycles like water down a drain Ø Ex. When a character is walking down a spiral or circular staircase, or being swallowed up by an angry, swirling sea Ø

Dreams/Dreaming Ø Dreams are the porthole into the inner workings of the mind Ø Poe’s narrator’s and characters often talk about the subconscious dream state (Do they dream to remember or dream to forget? ) Ø They may awaken from dreams and question whether they are awake or not Ø They may even seem to exist in an eternal dream-like state Ø Rarely are dreams soothing or pleasant

Two Sides of Oneself Ø Duality of man (man is both good and evil, light and dark can be contained in same person) Ø “Mirror” Image (the double or look-alike stranger) Ø “Twin” characters (separate yet inseparable) Ø Doppelganger—the motif of the double or fractured image fairly common to literature

Time/Clocks Ø Many of his stories are set in ambiguous times and places, making them universal and contemporary to the reader of any era Ø Poe frequently uses HOURS and times of day (especially 3: 00, 6: 00, 9: 00 and 12: 00) Ø Uses direct and subtle references to TIME or CLOCKS Ø Events often begin at dusk and end with daybreak “The witching hour” of 12 midnight

Animals Ø Repetition of certain types of characters—black cats, black ravens Ø Narrator may “lead” the reader into thinking such an animal is innately evil or has magical powers Ø Reader has to determine based on behavior of the animal whether this is true or if narrator is just projecting his own beliefs onto the animal.

Four Themes To Know… Ø Death of a WOMAN Ø Fear of INSANITY Ø REVENGE Ø Premature BURIAL/DEATH