by Lisa Rosenkranz

Created on: October 20, 2010

Edgar Allan Poe uses an endless array of Gothic Elements and dark symbolism to set the perfect scene for each of his tales, giving each story it’s own  uniquely morbid feel.  Gothic elements are typically considered as “tales dealing with horror, despair, the grotesque and other “dark” subjects.  (unc.edu)  Poe’s ability to blend gothic elements into his dark, depressing tales gives readers many fantastic opportunities to delve into Poe’s dismal world of terror and psychosis.

            In The Black Cat, Poe uses many gothic elements commonly found in his prose.  The first, which is evident from the very beginning, is the highly charged emotional state of the narrator.  In the first few sentences the narrator is already establishing himself as unreliable, for he states that he does not “expect nor solicit belief.”    As the story progresses, the narrator’s mental state deteriorates at an extraordinary rate.  The narrator states that he was “noted for [his] docility and humanity of disposition.”  He even says his tender heart had caused to be made fun of by his friends.  It’s the violent change from compassion to cruelty that brings about the horrifying gothic feel of this piece, which leaves the reader with an uncomfortable feeling of terror.  (Poe 1593)

            Another common element in Poe’s work is use of a dark animal typically stereotyped as evil or satanic.   Both cats are black, with second cat displaying an “indefinite” white marking on his chest.  In this case, the animal is innocently persecuted by the narrator’s failing mental state.   In the beginning of this change of disposition, the narrator says he “retained from sufficient regard to restrain [himself] from maltreating [the cat], but after the deliberately avoids him, the narrators develops an extreme hatred for the animal.  After boring the animal’s eye out with his pocket knife, the narrator shows a brief display of remorse.  “I blush, I burn, I shudder, while pen the damnable atrocity.”   (Poe 1594)

            Even though the narrator has a brief moment of regret, it does not stop him from killing

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