The Symbolism Of Edgar Allen Poe In his literature, "The Raven,"� "The Cask Of Amontillado,"� and "The Black Cat,"� Edgar Allen Poe reveals the physiological state of many of his characters through the use of symbolism. Throughout the poem, "The Raven,"� Poe uses numerous symbols, including the raven, and the phrases "midnight dreary,"� "bleak December,"� and "nightly shore,"� to reveal the narrator's state of depression. In "The Cask Of Amontillado"� irony of fate and identity is represented through names and costumes. The physiological state of the two central characters is displayed through the symbols of Montresor's coat of arms, motto, and amontillado. In the third story, "The Black Cat,"� the narrator's state of mind is depicted through the symbols of the cat, its eye and white fur, and the wall.
The poem "The Raven,"� by Edgar Allen Poe uses numerous symbols to help illustrate the physiological disintegration of the narrator's rational mind, due to the death of his wife Lenore.
Illustration for "The Black Cat" by Aubrey Beardsl...
Poe Cottage (LOC)
Illustration for Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Cask...Poe provides many symbols which express that the narrator is in a significant, transitional period of his life. The period concerns his struggle between depression and normality. One example, is when the narrator begins the poem by stating "[o]nce upon a midnight dreary."� The word midnight reflects a transition of day and night, which helps to symbolize his dilemma of depression versus normal life. The word "dreary"� stresses his feeling of hopeless depression. Additionally, Poe uses other subtle references to depict this state of mind. Some of these include mention of a "bleak December,"� and the "nightly shore."� Bleak December represents the darkest and final month of the year, preceding a new beginning. Similarly, the nightly shore symbolizes his desired transformation from darkness to light, and from uncertain seas to solid ground.
One of the major...