The well-known short story by Edgar Allan Poe titled “Ligeia” was released in print in 1838. Like many of Poe’s other writings, this story is an excellent example of Gothic Literature. It depicts the supernatural in a macabre and disturbing way, and it focuses a lot on the agony and pain people go through in their lives (Edgar Allan Poe’s ligeia: Dead or alive?). In addition, the literature presents examples of the employment of formalist, feminist, and post-colonial literacy approaches.
The formalist approach is easily recognized in literature since the main character typically narrates it. This is accomplished using the first-person point of view. In this story, the protagonist, whose wife was Ligeia, tells of the happiness he found in his marriage to her before her untimely death. He talks about the day she died and his anguish at losing her (Edgar Allan Poe’s ligeia: Dead or alive?). He marries Lady Rowena Trevanion despite his severe emotional distress. She plays a significant role in the plot by being portrayed as the polar opposite of Ligeia.
Further on, a feminist method can be identified in the novel because the author wrote it as a homage to his young wife, who had recently passed away. In 1842, when she was diagnosed with tuberculosis, Poe’s wife was forced to remain confined to the house. She did not pass away until another five years had passed after that. After such a protracted struggle with his health, Poe eventually sank into dark despair. Due to this, Ligeia seems to sadly prophesy the prolonged illness and eventual death of a spouse that Poe would later endure in real life.
The United States had already been colonized when the short story was written in 1838, so it can be classified as post-colonial. The author also used a post-colonial perspective when discussing the death of his wife from tuberculosis. At the time, tuberculosis was a major cause of death worldwide (Edgar Allan Poe’s ligeia: Dead or alive?). The narrative, in its entirety, has a post-colonial stance in terms of both its publication date and the topics it explores.
Work Cited
“Edgar Allan Poe’s Ligeia: Dead or Alive?” The Artifice. Web.