Ligeia by dgar Allan Poe (1838): A Review
Author: Edgar Allan Poe
Publication Year: 1838
Pages: 18
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Gothic, Horror, Satire (?)
Source: Physical book
You might have heard of Shakespeare's poem, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" It's a classic rhetorical question. Now contrast that with Edgar Allan Poe's "Ligeia" (pronounced /laɪˈdʒiːə/), where the first-person narrator seems to think he's writing the longest love letter ever. He drones on about his wife's beauty, making you want to shout, "Alright already, we get it! She's drop-dead gorgeous!" Just when you think he's finally wrapped it up, he starts gushing about how smart and educated she is. Really? We didn't need a thesis on her intellect!
After all this flowery praise, he casually informs us she's kicked the bucket, but good luck figuring out how or why! Those juicy details are lost in his love-fest. Then, in what feels like a speed dating session, he marries another woman who promptly follows in his first wife's footsteps and also dies. Why would anyone stick around with a guy who can't stop reminiscing about his dead spouse? Apparently, the only way for her to escape this endless cycle is—surprise!—death. But once again, the how remains an absolute mystery.
Just when you thought it couldn't get weirder, our opium-fueled narrator starts seeing visions of Ligeia coming back to life in the body of his second wife. Are we entering vampire territory here? Do we ever get answers? Not a chance!
To be honest, I found this short story more confusing than compelling, especially as I couldn't tell if it was a gothic masterpiece or a tongue-in-cheek parody of one.
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