American Literature

This is an essay that would take a look and provide sample from one of the famous work from Edgar Allan Poe, in his short story Ligeia proving that while he is considered a master of the macabre and the horror genre, he is also considered a romantic writer. It goes without saying though that Poe is considered a very prolific writer and perhaps the greatest American Contemporary writer has been acknowledged as a literary gem in more ways than one. He is even considered the father of the contemporary short story, more than anyone else he has used and perfected this literary form. He is also considered the father of the detective or whodunit story, as well as the father of the free-verse poetry. With the many accomplishments attributed to Poe, it is not a surprise that he writes cross genre. The very fact that he writes prose and poetry, long lyrical poetry, short stories and even novellettas is proof to his prolific and multi genre talents.

Aside from that, his dark horror works are in itself romantic, by the very nature of these works as there is gothic romanticism in the themes of revenge in his stories such as that in The Cask of Amontillado, but that would be a taxing and long drawn work. This paper therefore shall concentrate on giving examples from at least three of Poes poems. The next paragraphs will show selection from his short story Ligeia that shows and proves Poe as a romantic writer, among other things.

In the first place, the narrator in the story is so engrossed and enamored by Ligeia that it seems this is his all consuming desire and purpose for living. It will not be very hard to see that really, even if be a dark and macabre tale of gothic and chilling proportions, that only Poe, the master of macabre can deliver, it really is a romantic love story. This all consuming desire though just drives the narrator to darker circumstances.

From the get-go, the narrator lovingly describes the Lady Ligeia with such devotion and in ways only a love-struck person can do

In truth, the character of my beloved, her rare learning, her singular yet placid cast of beauty, and the thrilling and enthralling eloquence of her low musical language, made their way into my heart by paces so steadily and stealthily progressive that they have been unnoticed and unknown.Ligeia Ligeia in studies of a nature more than all else adapted to deaden impressions of the outward world, it is by that sweet word alone -- by Ligeia -- that I bring before mine eyes in fancy the image of her who is no more. (Poe,1838)

Further in the story the narrator always speaks of this pining away and of this great love of his for the Lady Ligeia

Indeed upon any theme of the most admired, because simply the most abstruse of the boasted erudition of the academy, have I ever found Ligeia at fault How singularly -- how thrillingly, this one point in the nature of my wife has forced itself, at this late period only, upon my attention I said her knowledge was such as I have never known in woman -- but where breathes the man who has traversed, and successfully, all the wide areas of moral, physical, and mathematical science (Poe,1838)

Even at the moment of seeing the love of his life waste away and near death, his unflagging love, devotion and admiration for Lady Ligeia only intensified more.

That she loved me I should not have doubted and I might have been easily aware that, in a bosom such as hers, love would have reigned no ordinary passion. But in death only, was I fully impressed with the strength of her affection. For long hours, detaining my hand, would she pour out before me the overflowing of a heart whose more than passionate devotion amounted to idolatry. How had I deserved to be so blessed by such confessions (Poe,1838)

He then proceeds to recite a poem for his mortally ill beloved, with which he poured out his tormented hearts pain. The poem in itself is a testament to such romantic devotion. Finally, even upon Lady Ligeias death, her husband has been consumed by much grief and missing his dead wife, even if he remarried and took another wife Lady Tremaine. Perhaps it could just be transference or a psychotic workings of his overexerted brains to bring back his Lady Ligeia that when his new wife Lady Tremaine fell sick, and in ending and conclusion to the story, he thought it was his dead wife Lady Ligeia, come back to life in the very body of Lady Tremaine, or was it some gory gothic possession after all

Shrinking from my touch, she let fall from her head, unloosened, the ghastly cerements which had confined it, and there streamed forth, into the rushing atmosphere of the chamber, huge masses of long and disheveled hair it was blacker than the raven wings of the midnight And now slowly opened the eyes of the figure which stood before me. Here then, at least, I shrieked aloud, can I never -- can I never be mistaken -- these are the full, and the black, and the wild eyes -- of my lost love -- of the lady -- of the LADY LIGEIA. 

Unmistakably, this short story is a testament to how Poe is a romantic writer, too, as clearly evidenced by the text in the story, as well as the theme of the story from the very start.