The Motif of Death in Edgar Allan Poe's Short Stories

This thesis examines how the motif of death appears in Edgar Allan Poe's following short stories: The Premature Burial, The Pit and the Pendulum, Berenice, Ligeia, Morella, Eleonora, The Masque of the Red Death and The Fall of the House of Usher. The motif of decease is represented in all these tales and is concentrated around particular ideas such as the figure of women, premature burial, fear, torture, illnesses of the mind and gloomy scenes. I will point out the connections between these ideas and death with the help of symbolic meanings. I will also show why the author used these symbols. He wrote about decease not only because he was expected to elaborate this theme, but because he was afraid of yet desired death.