30 pages • 1 hour read
Edgar Allan PoeA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
The old man’s clothing and possessions are as mysterious as his behavior; the diamond and dagger that the narrator observes beneath the old man’s cloak serve as ambiguous symbols of an indeterminate identity. Diamonds are created under extreme heat and pressure, but when they are mined, they look rough, like coal. Like a diamond, the man has a rough and aged exterior, but underneath, there is something the protagonist deems valuable, making him stand out from the crowd.
However, like the contradictory emotions the narrator observes in the old man’s face, the diamond and dagger are contradictory symbols, representing the possible duality of this man’s identity. The diamond could be a marker of status, symbolizing the man’s possible wealth—similar to the “beautiful” linen he wears (Paragraph 14)—but like the man’s “filthy and ragged” clothing, the dagger could represent dangerous criminal behavior and “blood thirstiness” (Paragraph 13). By juxtaposing these two items, Poe reinforces the theme of Unknowable Secrets within the story. A symbol of wealth and status contrasted with a symbol of crime and violence raises questions about the man’s identity that by the end of the story still remain unanswered.
By Edgar Allan Poe
A Dream Within a Dream
A Dream Within a Dream
Edgar Allan Poe
Annabel Lee
Annabel Lee
Edgar Allan Poe
Berenice
Berenice
Edgar Allan Poe
Hop-Frog
Hop-Frog
Edgar Allan Poe
Ligeia
Ligeia
Edgar Allan Poe
Tamerlane
Tamerlane
Edgar Allan Poe
The Black Cat
The Black Cat
Edgar Allan Poe
The Cask of Amontillado
The Cask of Amontillado
Edgar Allan Poe
The Conqueror Worm
The Conqueror Worm
Edgar Allan Poe
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
Edgar Allan Poe
The Fall of the House of Usher
The Fall of the House of Usher
Edgar Allan Poe
The Gold Bug
The Gold Bug
Edgar Allan Poe
The Haunted Palace
The Haunted Palace
Edgar Allan Poe
The Imp of the Perverse
The Imp of the Perverse
Edgar Allan Poe
The Lake
The Lake
Edgar Allan Poe
The Masque of the Red Death
The Masque of the Red Death
Edgar Allan Poe
The Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Murders in the Rue Morgue
Edgar Allan Poe
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
Edgar Allan Poe
The Oval Portrait
The Oval Portrait
Edgar Allan Poe
The Philosophy of Composition
The Philosophy of Composition
Edgar Allan Poe