Duality in Literature

Katherine Cheng

The idea of duality describes the interaction and balance between two different objects or forces. Through the lens of duality, we are able to sharpen our senses and broaden our perceptions to better understand the world around us. Take the definition of the sublime for example: how would one explain sublime? Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher suggests that the mental concepts of imagination and reason are the two traits that are required to understand the sublime. “[The feeling of sublime] is produced by the feeling of a momentary inhibition of the vital forces followed immediately by an outpouring of them that is all the stronger” (Kant 98). Another philosopher, Edmund Burke, believes that the sublime consists of the individual and demonstrates itself as a push-pull phenomenon — the self-preservation push versus the gravitational pull towards terrifying things. “When danger or pain press too nearly, they are incapable of giving any delight, and [yet] with certain modifications, they may be, and they are delightful, as we every day experience” (Burke 86). As one of the important elements in Romantic literature, duality often accentuates the presentation and understanding of popular themes such as the sublime, love, and conflict. Mastery of those examples can be found in Edgar Allan Poe’s “Black Cat,” and “William Wilson,” and Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights.

In the short story “The Black Cat” by Poe, the drama begins when the narrator, an alcoholic, accidentally harms and eventually hangs his favorite black cat, Pluto. The night that he hangs the cat, his house burns down. Months later, he encounters a second cat that looks very similar to Pluto, except with a white patch on its chest. At first, the narrator loves the cat and takes it home with him. However, as the cat’s white patch begins to look more and more like the gallows, he begins to hate the cat so much that he ends up killing his wife when she tries to stop him from killing it. The narrator hides his wife’s dead body so well that not even the investigators who visit him a few days later can find any evidence of the murder. In the end, his effort and pridefulness are ruined by the cat, who ends up accidentally trapped with the corpse behind the wall.

The sublime part of the experience occurs when the reader is able to “see” the narrator uncovering the gory crime he committed in the first-person point of view. The narrator paints a vivid picture of his terrifying thoughts and actions using his words.

The cat followed me down the steep stairs, and, nearly throwing me headlong, exasperated me to madness. Uplifting an axe, and forgetting in my wrath the childish dread which had hitherto stayed my hand, I aimed a blow at the animal, which, of course, would have proved instantly fatal had it descended as I wished. But this blow was arrested by the hand of my wife. Goaded by the interference into a rage more than demoniacal, I withdrew my arm from her grasp and buried the axe in her brain. She fell dead upon the spot without a groan. (Poe 28)

The domestic violence and brutal murder may arouse fear in those who try to imagine the terrifying scene. This feeling is then enhanced by the introduction of the horrifying, yet intriguing, thoughts of the narrator as he plots how to hide the corpse.

The hideous murder accomplished, I set myself forthwith, and with entire deliberation, to the task of concealing the body. I knew that I could not remove it from the house, either by day or by night, without the risk of being observed by the neighbors[…] At one period I thought of cutting the corpse into minute fragments, and destroying them by fire. At another, I resolved to dig a grave for it in the floor of the cellar. Again, I deliberated about casting it in the well in the yard — about packing it in a box, as if merchandise, with the usual arrangements, and so getting a porter to take it from the house. Finally I hit upon what I considered a far better expedient than either of these. I determined to wall it up in the cellar, as the monks of the Middle Ages are recorded to have walled up their victims. (Poe)

The inhumane cruelness of the narrator is almost beyond the reader’s imagination, however, this is crucial to draw the ultimate thrill from this character. The first person viewpoint that the reader is presented with further enhances this thrill. However, that reader is able to enjoy the thrill without getting harmed is due to their sense of reason — the acknowledgment of their imagination. This comes back to the duality of mental concepts; in this case, the opposing forces are the readers’ sense of reason and their imagination. This push-pull between these faculties allows the reader to experience the full range of emotions while understanding that it poses no real threat to them.

While “The Black Cat” introduces seemingly otherworldly duality concepts, “William Wilson” takes on a more personal tone. The narrator, who wants to be introduced as William Wilson, explains at the beginning that he is prone to the imagination and ungovernable passions, which he inherited from his antecedents. He then talks about how he is never able to get rid of this second William Wilson who shares the same name and features as him ever since childhood. From the start, their relationship is one of rivalry and affection despite their personalities being very different from each other. However as time goes on, the narrator begins to feel disgusted by the similarities he shares with the second Wilson and as a result, he flees. However, no matter where he tries to hide around the world, the second Wilson always finds him and ruins his amoral plans. The narrator finally has enough and stabs the second Wilson with his sword, only to find out that he has stabbed his own reflection. His reflection tells him that he only lived through his double, therefore the narrator has now murdered himself.

The duality in this short story, “William Wilson,” is slightly more complicated than the one in “The Black Cat.” In “William Wilson,” Poe uses a shift of duality for the readers to understand the overarching plot. This shift is characterized by the transition of Man versus Man to Man versus Self. He does, however, leave some clues throughout the story for his readers to gradually lead them to understand the ultimate purpose of the story. For example, the reader is given a hint from the narrator in the beginning. “I am the descendant of a race whose imaginative and easily excitable temperament has at all times rendered them remarkable” (Poe 272). The narrator’s confession of his condition foreshadows the unreliability of his own story. Together with the narrator, the reader’s suspenseful journey of searching for the ultimate truth about the second Wilson is undoubtedly a great sublime experience. It isn’t until the end of the story that the second Wilson finally reveals the truth about everything as the narrator’s reflection. “‘You have conquered, and I yield. Yet henceforward art thou also dead — dead to the World, to Heaven, and to Hope! In me didst thou exist — and, in my death, see by this image, which is thine own, how utterly thou hast murdered thyself’”(Poe 298).

It all becomes clear that the second Wilson is the narrator himself, and this reaches the climactic point of the story. By transforming the duality from between the narrator versus the second Wilson to the narrator versus himself, the story empowers and inspires the reader to understand the purpose of the story, thereby surpassing this specific notion of sublime. This is exactly what Kant means by “... in our power of reason, a different and nonsensible standard that has this infinity itself under it as a unit” (Kant 36), with the infinity referring to the sublime. In addition to this, Poe may have also intended for the reader to think about their own personal conflicts that may exist and how to face them. Overall, Poe’s exquisite use of duality shifts allows for this sublime experience to manifest within his readers and allows them the opportunity to transcend the sublime.

In addition to the concepts of duality being introduced in the readings of the story, another duality must also be mentioned. Poe is able to write in such a way that hovers between the real and the supernatural, and this is what gives the reader the utmost sublime experience. Poe lets his readers have the freedom to interpret the story in many different ways. For example in his story of “The Black Cat,” one may argue that the changing shape of the second cat’s white patch may be a source of the supernatural; another may argue that the changing shape of the white patch may just be an illusion of the narrator. To extend that idea further, one may also argue that the existence of the second black cat could also be an illusion of the narrator. The narrator admits himself that he suffers from violent mood-swings due to his drinking problem, and the story leaves the interpretation to the readers: is it really supernatural? Or just an illusion? Or even karma? In Poe’s other story “William Wilson,” he also excites his readers by raising intriguing questions such as: Do doppelgangers actually exist? Will they suddenly appear from nowhere and ruin our lives? Or is there a secret, unconscious “self” that secretly conceals under our consciousness? When reality becomes surreal, it broadens and adds colors and creativity to the readers’ imaginative canvas, so that they may experience what we call the sublime.

Besides themes of terror and violence — which were very prevalent in writing during this time period — there are also other popular comparisons of duality, such as love and morality, which is exemplified in Wuthering Heights. This is a story about a man named Heathcliff and his revenge for the loss of his love, Catherine. Although it is social standards that first separate the two, the main part of the story describes the ends to which Heathcliff goes to exact revenge on the people who “stole” Catherine from him.

In this story, the readers witness the actions both Heathcliff and Catherine commit that eventually brings their love to a tragic end. Catherine’s own selfishness leads to the initial parting and starts the avalanche of events that lead to her own demise. “‘[...] if the wicked man [Hindley] in there had not brought Heathcliff so low, I shouldn't have thought of it. It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him; [...] Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same, and [Edgar's] is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire’ ” (Brontë 71). Because of her own pride, Catherine chooses to marry Edgar over Heathcliff; she cannot allow herself to show her love for Heathcliff, even though she loves him as if they are one soul. Catherine’s decisions make her maid Nelly, as well as the reader, question her righteousness as a person. After Nelly tells Catherine that she just noticed Heathcliff, who overheard the conversation and runs away, Catherine then desperately tries to justify the “misunderstanding” and explains the actual reason for accepting Edgar’s proposal.

‘Every Linton on the face of the earth might melt into nothing before I could consent to forsake Heathcliff. Oh, that's not what I intend - that's not what I mean! I shouldn't be Mrs. Linton were such a price demanded! He'll be as much to me as he has been all his lifetime. Edgar must shake off his antipathy, and tolerate him, at least. He will, when he learns my true feelings towards him. Nelly, I see now you think me a selfish wretch; but did it never strike you that if Heathcliff and I married, we should be beggars? whereas, if I marry Linton I can aid Heathcliff to rise, and place him out of my brother's power.’ (Brontë 72)

In this passage, the reader understands that Catherine’s intention of accepting Edgar’s proposal is not done out of love but instead she plans to use his fortune to help Heathcliff rise the social ladder. This challenges the boundaries of the reader’s morality: it is true that marrying Heathcliff would not save him from the tortures of Hindley’s hands, not to mention not having the proper financial support to sustain a future. Is that really a good enough reason for Catherine to use Edgar’s love towards her — expecting Edgar to tolerate her after finding out that she is only marrying him for financial support to help out her actual true love, Heathcliff?

When he finally returns to Wuthering Heights three years later, Heathcliff’s actions straddles the boundaries of morality. He seduces Isabella Linton and eventually lets her elope with him, even though he has no romantic interest in her. After they return to Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff finally reveals his savage self. When Nelly comes to visit Isabella, she tells her the true intentions behind this marriage. “He's a lying fiend! A monster, and not a human being! I've been told I might leave him before; and I've made the attempt, but I dare not repeat it! [...] Whatever he may pretend, he wishes to provoke Edgar to desperation: he says he has married me on purpose to obtain power over him; and he sha'n't obtain it - I'll die first!” (Brontë 134). Through Isabella’s desperate tone in this passage, the reader can fully comprehend Heathcliff’s horrible revenge against the Lintons: using Isabella’s sincere feelings against her to take her away and break their hearts, and furthermore, abusing her both physically and mentally. ″‘He’s not a human being,’ she retorted; ‘and he has no claim on my charity. I gave him my heart, and he took and pinched it to death, and flung it back to me. People feel with their hearts, Ellen: and since he has destroyed mine, I have not power to feel for him’” (Brontë 152).

At this point, it is clear to both the characters as well as the readers what Heathcliff’s intentions are, and the rest of the novel documents Heathcliff's methodical ploys to exact his revenge. This also shows the lengths Heathcliff is willing to go to in order to get revenge on everyone who wronged him, showcasing exactly how far off the moral scale he eventually wanders. The culmination of all these actions by both Catherine and Heathcliff can be summed up by one phrase from Isabella, “Treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends; they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies” (Brontë 155). By hurting each other, they unknowingly hurt themselves even more. This is apparent as the novel continues with the duality between love and morality.

This is how the duality manifests itself: throughout the novel, the reader experiences both the pang of love emanating from Heathcliff as well as his own malicious thoughts of revenge. Just as he is torn, the reader is also torn with emotions and thoughts regarding the overall plot. Once the reader reconciles their thoughts, they can better understand the novel. The duality Brontë introduces serves as a link for the reader to identify with the characters, and serves to both enhance the sublime experience as well as elaborate on it.

An extension of this sublime experience through duality would be the reader’s contemplation and application of what they have read to their own lives. There are many ways this can be interpreted. One interpretation would be that the whole novel can be seen as a terrifying, yet sublime, experience. The readers are aware of this version of events, but they themselves are protected because it is not “real.” Much like Kant’s interpretations of the sublime, they may see this novel as a terrifying mountain. However, understanding this novel would help them further understand themselves as well as this theme of “unhealthy love.” It is clear to the readers that the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff is strained at best, and downright horrifying at worst. Perhaps the readers can take away their own lessons from this “experience” and can apply what they learn to their own situations. In doing so, they would be able to transcend the sublime — the experience of reading the novel — and, hopefully, become better people by rising above the sublime.

In conclusion, duality helps us broaden our perceptions and enables us to experience things without getting personally involved. It then gives us the means to make that connection — that “eureka” moment. In a way, the themes in Romantic literature can then be seen as somewhat of an exaggerated reflection of our lives. Whether it be feelings of terror, concern over love, or even introspective crises, one can see that generally all these themes may be present in their own life. Thus, reading about and being able to understand those themes can help us as readers better ourselves and transcend above the sublime.

Works Cited

Brontë Emily. Wuthering Heights. Oxford World's Classics, 2009.

Burke, Edmund. A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful. Penguin Classics, 1999.

Kant, Immanuel. The Critique of Judgement. Hackett Publishing Company, 1987.

Poe, Edgar Allan. Great Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Enriched Classics, 2007.