Communications in Humanities Research
- The Open Access Proceedings Series for Conferences
Communications in Humanities Research
Vol. 22, 07 December 2023
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Exploration of Androgyny and Moral Allegory in The Black Cat in Terms of Narrative Structure
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Abstract
The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe is a classic horror novel renowned for incorporating traditional gothic elements, intricate layering of narrative, extensive use of symbolism, free direct quotations, and a narrative structure characterised by unreliable first-person narration. These literary devices collectively create a profound allegory for the human soul, inviting a plethora of diverse interpretations. This paper undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the novel’s narrative structure, shedding light on the complex relationship between the protagonist and his wife from an androgynous standpoint, revealing a duality of good and evil within them. It posits that the wife serves as the custodian and voice of the protagonist’s soul, embodying the force of good within him. Furthermore, the paper delves into how the novel chronicles the protagonist’s soul’s response to escalating evil, providing a spiritual exploration of human nature encompassing sin and punishment, harmony and division. Ultimately, it suggests a central theme: the androgynous nature of human beings, where the presence of good necessitates punishment for evil. Even if the force of good is obliterated, the burden of sin remains irremovable. Beyond its apparent horror, The Black Cat serves as Poe’s poignant dissection of human malevolence and a condemnation of wicked deeds.
Keywords
The Black Cat, androgyny, soul exploration, moral allegory
References
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Data Availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
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- Volume Title
- Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Interdisciplinary Humanities and Communication Studies
- ISBN (Print)
- 978-1-83558-187-2
- ISBN (Online)
- 978-1-83558-188-9
- Published Date
- 07 December 2023
- Series
- Communications in Humanities Research
- ISSN (Print)
- 2753-7064
- ISSN (Online)
- 2753-7072
- DOI
- 10.54254/2753-7064/22/20231646
- Copyright
- 07 December 2023
- Open Access
- This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited