Use Of Imagery In Edgar Allen Poe's 'Ligeia'

Edgar Allen Poe is well known for his works delving into the morbid and macabre, with “Ligeia” being no exception. Oftentimes, the most noted aspect in the story is the narrator’s obsession with his first late wife, or the possession of his second late wife. While these are important, it is worthy to note the narrator’s hand in many events of the story. As a widower reliant on opium to get by, it is obvious that he is an unreliable narrator. Edgar Allen Poe uses symbolism, narration, and vivid imagery in “Ligeia” to depict the effect of grief and addiction on how the narrator’s mental health affects the telling of the story. The first thing to catch the eye of any “Ligeia” reader is the narrator’s wordy and extremely detailed descriptions

The abbey itself symbolizes the narrator’s depression and isolation after Ligeia’s death. It is gothic, dark, and filled with many symbols of death. Gargano points out that the sarcophagus in his room not only shows signs of his mental unwellness, but also how he wallows in his sorrow after becoming a widower. By surrounding himself in darkness and gloom, he refuses to let himself grieve. This combined with his undying opium habit creates a space for him to fester in his pain and avoid moving on. With the vivid description of the chamber and its all-black pallet, it can be seen that Poe meant this to illustrate how the narrator basks in his grief and addiction instead of moving forward, as his obsession with Ligeia is too much for him to overcome in this state.
It is also important to note the significance of the differences between Ligeia and Rowena. Even the beginning of their relationship was stale to the narrator with him saying, “...I passed, with the Lady of Tremaine, the unhallowed hours of the first month of our

By slowing down for vivid descriptions but not including details about the narrator’s other life experiences, it can be observed how her death has affected his memory. The narrator has almost blocked out every memory that doesn’t involve her, which further allows for him to pedestalize her and reinforce his delusions about her. As Gargano aptly states, “Ligeia symbolizes the narrator's dream and the cause of his destruction, the height and color of his aspiration and the symptom of his romantic disease” (“Dream and Destruction” 338). Even moreso, she symbolizes the devastating combination of his trauma and his addiction. This is also very evident in the narrator’s relationship with his second wife, Rowena. Despite loving Ligeia more and making it obvious, he still marries Rowena and tends to her when she’s ill. He becomes concerned during her possession, albeit more concerned over the reappearance of Ligeia. His inability to fully love Rowena is an unfortunate side effect of the narrator’s trauma blocking his ability to see love and happiness after the death of