Jamel Jarido

3/17/12

2^nd hour

Poe

Edgar Poe made sure people died in his story no matter how or why.

            Edgar Poe is very interested in the concept of death. In many of his stories the concept of death is present. Death is present in the majority of his stories. He didn’t care how or why people in his story died. Edgar Poe’s obsession showed from these stories. He doesn’t care how or why they die; he just cares about the death part. He gets most descriptive when someone is dying, dead, or about to die.

           

The Masque of the Red Death is an example of him expressing his love for death. The party they were having was already for death. They were having this party to forget about the people dying around them. The short story was about the Black Death. This disease killed many. This story also proves he is obsessed with death because “There was a sharp cry-and the dagger dropped gleaming upon the sable carpet, upon which, instantly afterwards, fell prostrate in death the Prince Prospero” (The Masque of the Red Death). The fact that he fell to death for no reason shows that he doesn’t care how or why someone dies in the story, people just have to die. Another example is that Black Death came in the form of human and died causing a domino effect of death shows Edgar Poe is obsessed with death.

                       

The Tell-Tale Heart also shows the interest Edgar Poe has for Death. The narrator killed a man that did nothing wrong to him. “Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees—very gradually—I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever” (The Tell-Tale Heart). The narrator killed the old man simply because of his eye color. Once again showing Edgar doesn’t care why or how someone dies in his story, but it has to happen. The narrator even stated, “I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye” (The Tell-Tale Heart). The narrator even said it was just because his eye.

The Fall of the House of Usher also is an example. Rodwerick died just because of the fear he gained from his sister attacking him. It is really rare for someone to die from fear. Another reason is because the house fell for no reason killing everyone that was inside except for the narrator who escaped. He shows how he doesn’t care how people die in his stories with this story. The house fell for no reason. It is not possible for a house to fall for no reason.

Edgar Poe was very obsessed with death. No matter how or why it happened. He expressed his death obsession in his stories. He got most descriptive when describing how or why someone died. Edgar loved the concept of death. The majority of his stories led to death. Death is one thing that makes his stories interesting. Edgar Poe made sure people died in his story no matter how or why.