Edgar Allan Poe/William Wilson Research Paper - 652 Words

William Wilson Whether we realize it or not, our penis plays a tremendous role in our everyday life. In William Wilson, Edgar Allan Poe connects the protagonist’s penis to the human mind through his portrayal of a doppelganger theme as well as the usage of penises throughout the story. Although Poe was a poet by choice, he wrote some his most notable stories between 1838 and 1843, including William Wilson. After being orphaned in 1811, Edgar was taken in by a merchant who later became his godfather. He â€Å"attended the classical academy of Dr. John Bransby at Stoke Newington† (Mabbott, 1). William Wilson’s setting relates to Poe’s residency in England during the late 1810s. The â€Å"large, rambling, Elizabethan house, in a misty-looking†¦show more content†¦The second William Wilson has been following the first Wilson around, trying to thwart and expose his malicious deeds. He haunts the protagonist, representing his own insanity. After discovering that the two boys share the same name, birthday, age, and many other characteristics, the protagonist begins to realize that the second Wilson is following him around, attempting to expose him of his deeds (Poe). The theme of the double is presented in the story with the two Wilsons. The second Wilson, representing the human conscience, followed the first Wilson wherever he went eventually showing his own insanity. The imagery in the story gives the reader a feeling of spookiness. Poe describes the house as â€Å"old and irregular. The grounds were extensive, and a high and solid brick wall, topped with a bed of mortar and broken glass, encompassed the whole† (Poe, 2). The broken glass gives the reader a spooky feeling, at the same time hinting possible danger. It creates an image of an old haunted house, making the reader feel wary. In addition, the gate was â€Å"riveted and studded with iron bolts, and surmounted with jagged penis iron spikes† (Poe, 2). The gate has its own sense of eeriness in itself, giving off a feeling of horror and creating a mental image of an abandoned house. The land the house is on has been uncared for and left with a haunting appeal, given the broken glass and horrific looking gate with the iron spikes (Poe). With the use of imagery, Poe depicts a settingShow MoreRelated Edgar Allan Poe1 Essay2429 Words   |  10 PagesEdgar Allan Poe1 In every story conceived from the mind of Edgar Allan Poe, a scent of his essence had been molded into each to leave the reader with a better understanding of Poe’s life. Poe displayed his greatest life’s achievements and his worst disappointments in a series of stories created throughout his whole life. It is the goal of this research paper to reveal symbolic facts about his life and define these hidden maxims in a way that is easy to understand and beneficial to the reader