LITR 5535: American Romanticism

Student Presentation on Reading Selections, fall 2003

Christopher Lucas

30 September 2003

            Presentation:  Edgar Allan Poe and Ligeia

Main Point:

            In Ligeia, Poe rejects and rebels against the idea of traditional beauty in favor of a singular and individual beauty. (objective 1b) By emphasizing the peculiarities of Ligeia, especially when compared to Rowena, Poe dismisses the notion of beauty in the classical sense.

            The Bedford Glossary (p191) states that “Romantics, however, found in the gothic a freedom of spirit, variety, mystery, and instinctual authenticity that meshed well with their own emphasis on individuality, imagination, and sublimity.”

Quotes from Ligeia in The Norton Anthology:

            Poe quotes Francis Bacon: “There is no exquisite beauty, without some strangeness in the proportions.”  p705

            P706 “…in the eyes of my beloved lay the secret to which Lord Verulam alludes.  They were, I must believe, far larger than the ordinary eyes of our race. They were fuller than the fullest of the Gazelle eyes of the tribe of the valley of Nourjahad.” 

            “The colour of the orbs was the most brilliant of black, and far over them hung jetty lashes of great length.”

Discussion question:

            How else does Poe use the individuality of Ligeia to underscore her beauty?  Especially in comparison to Rowena.?

            Follow-up Question:  How are “gothic colors” used to emphasize Poe’s statement on beauty?

Class Discussion: 9/30/03

Dr White – One pattern we get is the copiousness of description with regards to Ligeia.  This description is contrasted with that of Rowena, Rowena is essentially the “the other one.”

Examples given:  “Fair Lady/Dark Lady,” “lofty, ethereal nature,”

Dr White – Ligeia is somewhat spiritualized – the dark lady- as compared to a “fair lady.”  There is an occult spirituality, otherworldly at times.  This goes against normal Christian beliefs.

Thomas – Poe’s view of Ligeia is almost idolatrous. 

The discussion of the use of color led to an examination of the influences of other cultures on gothic writing.

     Poe uses other cultures (unwritten/written lore of Hebrew and Hebrew mysticism). An approach that was not uncommon at the time.  The use of terms like “golden dog” represent Eastern thought. The pattern continues into Egyptian and Islamic thought and also includes the Greek.

     Scenes in Middle Eastern writing are rich with color.  Arabesque – boarders of tapestries stylized patterns, inlays of networks, elaborate furniture.

     Poe runs all these patterns together.  His color scheme is generally light. There are moments of intense color.  For example in House of Usher, the old days have vivid color, where as the current time is portrayed as being dark and gray.

     The discussion then turned to the Romantic view of beauty which emphasizes the individual.  

P706  Example: “the strangeness I found in her eyes…”  this description adds a lot of mystery to her while presenting a physical outline of Ligeia.

Ligeia is constantly described as being different and unique.  There are aspects of her appearance that may not be beautiful in and of themselves, but these aspects set her apart from the standard definition of beauty.

Rowena on the other hand meets the standard definition of beauty, yet the narrator is not attracted to her at all.  The narrator is rejecting the accepted definition of beauty, in favor of individual beauty.

Next, the discussion turned to architecture of the Gothic. Examples included; Haunted Castles, old manor houses and old places in general. 

In Ligeia, “Some large old decaying cities on the Rhine.”  The story is isolated, the gothic buildings are out there by themselves.  The mood is melancholy, there are time-honored memories. The house is shown to have memories. There are rooms that you are not supposed to go into.

This theme continues on in House of Usher where the manor is described in detail.  Example: the windows of the house are like eyes.