Poe's Short Stories

Ligeia by edgar allan poe

How effective is language in this tale?

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Poe’s very dark language is very important in this story. Physical and mental deterioration are mixed with the subtext of evil and "ungodly" doings. Poe does this by utilizing very dark adjectives and metaphors to achieve his very gothic imagery. Consider this passage,

Out --out are the lights --out all!
And over each quivering form,
The curtain, a funeral pall,
Comes down with the rush of a storm,
And the angels, all pallid and wan,
Uprising, unveiling, affirm
That the play is the tragedy, "Man,"
And its hero the Conqueror Worm.