The story of Ligeia is about an unnamed narrator and his bed ridden wife Ligeia. She is described as tall, slender, and, in her later days, emaciated. She treads lightly, moving like a shadow. Though fiercely beautiful, Ligeia does not conform to a traditional mold of beauty: the narrator identifies a “strangeness” in her features.
However after been mysteriously ill for a long time, Ligeia is departed. The grieving narrator moves to England and purchases an abbey. He soon marries a lady named Rowena. After a few months into the marriage, he soon realizes that his wife doesn't love him.
Lady Rowena, like Ligia, falls ill under mysterious circumstances. Three days later, Rowena dies, and on the fourth day, the narrator sits alone with her corpse. He later discovers that a tinge of color has returned to Rowena’s face. Rowena was alive. Her body begins to reveals more color. However, the flash of life is brief, and Rowena’s body becomes dead cold again.
Faced again with memories of his deceased first wife, Ligeia, the narrator, encounters another reawakening of the corpse. This time the corpse moves from its deathbed and advances, into the middle of the apartment. Horrified, he narrator questions the identity of the corpse. He notices the body has grown taller. And upon proper observation he is now certain that it is Ligeia standing in the middle of the chamber.
Its a tale about love, death and resurrection and this short story is one of my favorite works of Poe. The way he has eloquently describes the characters and the grief of losing someone you love.
My Rating : ★★★★☆
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