The mere fact that history tends to repeat itself serves as an ubiquitous fact that surpasses the test of time. Whether it be due to traditions or due to a fear of change, reliance on repeating history remains- often leading to the repeating of faults. The presentation and overall fixation on life foregone presents itself throughout “Oke of Okehurst,” as author Vernon Lee highlights the obsessive nature of the past through Alice Okehurst’s infatuation with her ancestors and her ultimate demise as a result. Throughout the short story, Lee executes this with careful foreshadowing to explore the line between obsession and destruction, and the use of excessive imagery to illustrate the effects of a hyper fixation, with fate taking its fatal course. Throughout the entire piece, Lee utilizes foreshadowing as a way to connect the past, present, and future. …show more content…
With the use of foreshadowing, Lee establishes the history of the Oke family, while simultaneously warning the reader of the deadly nature of obsession which the narrator lacks due to his own growing infatuation blinding himself from what is happening around him. Contrast this with the present, established through the use of imagery, overall shows just how in-depth the grave Alice has dug for herself really is. The use of imagery establishes the obsessive nature of the past, how even a naive want to look like an ancestor can devolve into something much darker and far more sinister, which highlights the future endpoint of the cycle of history as fate fulfills its ultimate destiny. The short story begs the question as to whether or not history is ever able to serve as just that, history; or if history rather serves as to foreshadow the deadly consequences of obsession without change to ultimately change one's course in