Poe And Burial Motifs
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Poe And Burial Motifs
Poe is a very complicated author. His literary works are perplexed, disturbing,
and even grotesque. His frequent illnesses may have provoked his engrossment in
such things. In 1842 Dr. John W. Francis diagnosed Poe with sympathetic heart
trouble as well as brain congestion. He also noted Poe's inability to withstand
stimulants such as drugs and alcohol (Phillips 1508). These factors may have
motivated him to write The Tell-Tale-Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, and The
Black Cat. All of these stories are written in or around 1843, shortly after Poe
became afflicted. His writing helped him to cope with his troubles and explore
new territory in literature. Poe's interest in the supernatural, retribution,
and perverse cause them to be included in his burial motifs; therefore
sustaining his interest. There is a common thread laced through each subject,
but there is variation in degrees of the impact. The supernatural is the
phenomena of the unexplained. With this comes an aura of mystery and arousal of
fear. Death in itself is the supreme mystery. No living human being can be
certain of what happens to the soul when one dies. It is because of this
uncertainty that death is feared by many. These types of perplexing questions
cause a reader to come to a point of indifference within one of Poe's burial
motifs. One is uncertain of how the events can unfold, because a greater force
dictates them. Reincarnation in The Black Cat is a supernatural force at work.
There is some sort of orthodox witchcraft-taking place. The whole story revolves
around the cat, Pluto, coming back to avenge its death. One can not be sure how
Pluto's rebirth takes place, but it is certain that something of a greater force
has taken hold. The cat's appearance is altered when the narrator comes across
it the second time. There is a white spot on the chest "by slow degrees,
degrees nearly imperceptible…it had, at length, assumed a rigorous distinct
outline…of the GALLOWS" (Poe 4). Foretelling the narrator's fate a
confinement tool appears on the cat's chest. This also foreshadows the cat's
confinement in the tomb. It reappears like a disease to take vengeance on a man
that has committed horrid crimes. "I was answered by a voice within the
tomb! --By a cry, at first muffled and broken, like the sobbing of a child, and
quickly swelling into one long, loud and continuous scream, utterly anomalous
and inhuman--a howl--a wailing shriek, half of honor and half of triumph (Poe
6)...
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