Edgar Allan Poe’s ;Ligeia and Mini-Project

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Edgar Allan Poe’s “Ligeia” is the perfect example of an unreliable narrator. It poses the question: Is the story about a supernatural event or a psychological disturbance? There are so many possibilities as to what has actually happened with the character Ligeia herself since we know she has supposedly died and allowed the narrator to move onto Lady Rowena Trevanion of Tremaine; however, there is the conundrum that Ligeia has been spotted supposedly by Lady Rowena. This is reported to us by this narrator who may be completely and utterly mad (insane).

Ponder the above issue and then develop your answer and submit it with evidence in a Slide (PowerPoint) presentation. You will be expected to have multiple points and support from the text. Be sure to punctuate appropriately when quoting the story. Use MLA format to cite anything from other sources. A minimum of six (6) slides is expected.

Sample Solution

Sure, here is a PowerPoint presentation analyzing the unreliable narrator in Edgar Allan Poe’s “Ligeia”

Slide 1

Title Slide

  • Title: Unveiling the Unreliable:

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A Look at Madness and Mortality in Poe’s “Ligeia”

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Speaker Notes In this presentation, we will delve into Edgar Allan Poe’s haunting tale, “Ligeia.” We’ll explore the character of the unnamed narrator, whose unreliability casts a shroud of mystery over the story. Is Ligeia a supernatural entity or a figment of the narrator’s deranged mind? By examining key elements of the text, we’ll attempt to unravel the truth behind Ligeia’s presence.

Slide 2

The Unreliable Narrator

  • Unreliable narrators are characters whose perspective is biased or questionable.
  • They may be intentionally deceptive or simply unable to distinguish reality from their own perception.
  • In “Ligeia,” the narrator’s obsession with his deceased wife and his descent into madness cast doubt on the events he describes.

Speaker Notes The concept of an unreliable narrator adds a layer of complexity to literature. In “Ligeia,” the narrator’s mental state becomes a central theme. His excessive grief, opium use, and fixation on Ligeia’s beauty raise questions about his ability to provide a trustworthy account.

Slide 3

Evidence of the Narrator’s Unreliability

  • Obsessive Love: The narrator’s intense preoccupation with Ligeia’s beauty borders on morbid fascination. (“Ligeia’s large and luminous eyes seemed to laugh at the barriers which excluded me from their scrutiny…”)
  • Opium Use: The narrator readily admits to using opium, a psychoactive drug known to distort perception and induce hallucinations. (“I ceased to think or reflect; my sole thought was Ligeia…”)
  • Memory Lapses: The narrator struggles to recall specific details about Ligeia, including how and where they met. (“I cannot, for my soul, remember how, or when, or even precisely where, I first became acquainted with the lady Ligeia.”)

Speaker Notes Several details in the story point towards the narrator’s unreliability. His obsessive love for Ligeia, his reliance on opium, and his memory lapses all contribute to the uncertainty surrounding the events. We cannot be sure if his experiences are real or a product of his troubled mind.

Slide 4

The Supernatural or Psychological Breakdown?

  • The story presents two possible interpretations:
    • Supernatural: Ligeia possesses Rowena or somehow transfers her essence into Rowena’s body.
    • Psychological Breakdown: The narrator’s grief and opium use lead to a delusion where he sees Ligeia in Rowena.

Speaker Notes The crux of the story lies in the ambiguity surrounding Ligeia’s apparent return. Is it a genuine supernatural event or a manifestation of the narrator’s mental state? The text offers evidence to support both interpretations.

Slide 5

Evidence for the Supernatural

  • Ligeia’s Recurring Traits: Rowena develops physical characteristics identical to Ligeia’s, such as the dark eyes and low, musical voice. (“And it was not the similarity in the pupil to Ligeia’s that caused me to startle, but the identity of the intonation of the voice, the musical whisper which thrilled me to the very marrow.”)
  • Sudden Changes in Rowena: Rowena’s personality and appearance shift dramatically after an illness, suggesting a potential possession. (“The sickness of Rowena had long abandoned her; but from that illness I had watched her frame gradually changing — growing thinner and thinner, as if the fires of life within her were burning themselves out.”)

 

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