Sunday, February 26, 2017

Poe's "The Black Cat", and the god of the Underworld


Poe's "The Black Cat" is undeniably one of the most eerie tales the author has to offer. Its unreliable narrator is led by the spirit of PERVERSENESS into committing horrible crimes which he recollects as he awaits for his demise in death row. 

Among his crimes, the removal of one of his black cat's eyes is perhaps the one that terrifies readers the most, and I have noticed that from reactions that I have obtained while being next to people who were reading the story in the past. 


Many critics have considered the second cat to be a doppelganger, whereas others have claimed that it is Pluto that has come back to life. Beyond doubt, Pluto bears a number of supernatural features; or at least that's what Poe intended to achieve. Even though the narrator tries to logically figure out the answer to occurences that seem to be out of this world, he also comes to realize that the cat is "a phantasm", as he calls it. 




Is Pluto a regular cat just like those you see in every neighborhood? That question could only be answered by Poe himself. Yet, if one observes closely, they may observe that Poe's choice of name might be an reference to the ancient Pluto himself. That idea has been remarked on in one of Mabbott's notes, but no one has ever delved its depth. The god of death fed upon his subjects to prolong his ruling just like the black cat fed upon the dead wife to stay alive in the 'tomb'. Have you noticed how Poe describes the moment of the corpse's reappearance? The cat has a red mouth, hinting that it fed had been devouring the dead wife without even saying a word. That is why this tale is among my favourites. Do you believe that the cat is an allusion to Classical literature? Let me know on your thoughts.

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