The Jilting of GrannyWeatherall by Katherine Anne Porter and Ligeia by Edgar Allan Poe are short stories that have a significant role in literature because of their contrasting presentation of shared themes. Both short stories delve into the themes of death and Betrayal but in a different approach. Therefore, this report discusses the shared themes in the short stories and how the authors have approached them differently.
The theme of death in the short story The Jilting of GrannyWeatherall, by Anne Potter chooses a realistic approach. In the short story, the protagonist, Granny Weatherall, dies due to old age and sickness (Poe 89). She is bedridden and is visited by Doctor Harry for her treatment; however, she chases him away (Poe 80). On her death bed, she thinks of the activities of the following day, thinks of letters of letters she has to hide, and gives death a thought (Poe 82). Granny Weatherall recalls how she has always prepared herself for death, for twenty years ago when she felt she was on her end days. The story acknowledges the fear that comes with death when Granny Weatherall feels unready after she realizes she is dying and tells Cornelia that she cannot go (Poe 88). Therefore, The short story chooses a realistic approach to presenting death by acknowledging the fear and sadness of death.
On the other hand, in Ligeia by Edgar Allan, the theme of death is given a supernatural approach. The narrator’s wife, Lady Ligea, dies, and the narrator cannot let it go as he endures much suffering for a long time (Porter 5). The narrator recollects everything he remembers about the wife, but surprisingly, he does not remember anything apart from her beauty (Porter 2). The narrator is then forced to be a slave of opium when he travels to the East, and he is unable to accept death. With time, the narrator experiences visions. From the visions he bears, the narrator is convinced that the wife has returned from the dead (Porter 10). The narrator hears the voices of her wife in his room and sees her face. Throughout the story, the narrator is haunted by the presence of her wife’s ghosts; in this way, death is given a supernatural approach.
The theme of Betrayal is given a realistic approach in the short story, The Jilting of GrannyWeatherall, by Anne Potter. Granny Weatherall is betrayed by her fiancé, George, sixty years ago when she was left alone on the altar during their wedding day. The pain and grief she encountered on that day left a deep scar on her, and as she thinks of how life would have been if they had married. The short story acknowledges the sadness that comes with betrayal when Granny Weatherall says to herself that there is nothing more cruel than what she experienced on that day and that she will never forgive it (Poe 89). Therefore, in this way, Betray is given a realistic approach.
On the other hand, in Ligeia by Edgar Allan, Betrayal is given a supernatural approach. The narrator is betrayed by his senses, so he cannot trust his perceptions. The narrator’s inability to trust his perceptions leads to him being unable to question his sanity (Porter 10). The narrator is forced to consume opium to escape the sensory experiences that he faces in his reality. He questions the dimensions of death due to the perception of grief in his senses. Therefore, in this manner, betrayal is supernatural.
Therefore, by their contrasting approach to the themes, these short stories show how people in society perceive things. The short stories are a reflection of how some people are unable to accept the death of their loved ones as others treat death normally, a passage rite. The short stories educate society on how to perceive and handle death. Society must acknowledge death as a rite of passage as it is more peaceful than clinging to those who are close to us when they die.
Works Cited
Poe, Edgar Allan. Ligeia. (1838):80-89. https://pinkmonkey.com/dl/library1/ligeia.pdf
Porter, Katherine Anne. The Jilting of GrannyWeatherall. (1930):1-2. https://www.k-state.edu/english/baker/english220/Porter-Jilting_of_Granny_Weatherall.pdf
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