William Wilson (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Edgar Allan Poe
- First Published: 1839
- Type of Plot: Parable
- Time of Work: The 1820's and 1830's
- Setting: An unnamed village, Eton College and Oxford University in England, and Rome, Italy
- Principal Characters: William Wilson, William Wilson
- Genres: Short fiction, Allegory, Parable
- Subjects: Split personalities
- Locales: England, Rome, Italy
The Story
“William Wilson” is a tale narrated by an infamous criminal who is on the verge of death. He is ashamed to reveal his name; William Wilson is an admitted pseudonym. As death approaches, he tries to explain the momentous event that led to his life of misery and crime. His greatest fear is that he has forfeited heavenly bliss as well as earthly honor.
The path to the single event responsible for Wilson's criminality begins in an ancient, dreamlike English village whose memories alone now afford him pleasure. The village includes the church and academy that...
[The entire page is 1417 words long]
See Also:
Edgar Allan Poe (Cyclopedia of World Authors)Edgar Allan Poe (Poetry)Edgar Allan Poe (Short Fiction)Edgar Allan Poe (Mystery and Detective Fiction)Edgar Allan Poe (Dictionary of World Biography)Theory of Short Fiction (Topical Overview--Short Fiction)
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