Poems

The narrator of the story, who is unnamed, tells the story of his beloved and dead wife Ligeia. He uses opium to deal with his sadness. He admits to having a bad memory, which along with his drug use, makes his perspective questionable. He wants Ligeia to come back and “loathes” his new wife. 

Ligeia is the Narrator’s late first wife. She was unconventionally beautiful, her dark eyes and black curly hair set her apart. Ligeia was also intelligent, she had knowledge of science and was a writer. She was described as lively and passionate. However, she was scared of death (reflected in her poem “The Conqueror Worm”). Unfortunately, she dies and triggers the Narrator’s sadness and drug use. 

Lady Rowena Trevanion of Tremaine is the second wife to the narrator. She has fair hair and blue eyes. She represents traditional beauty while Ligeia represents a dark and ethereal beauty.  She is shorter than Ligeia and her family is wealthy. She is passive while Ligeia was strong-willed. They are opposites and contrast each other. Rowena and the Narrator’s marriage is loveless and he hates her. 

Death cannot be avoided, but it is also never the end. In Ligeia, there's a small possibility that people can overcome it and return to life. "The Conqueror Worm” reflects this idea. In the end, Ligeia triumphs over death, and comes back to life in Lady Rowena's body.

The Narrator is addicted to opium. Drugs can affect perception and one’s reality. Because of this, his point of view of the story can be considered unreliable.

Love and Obsession

The common themes in both the Raven and Ligeia are both loss (mortality) and love. The narrator's of these poems/stories have both lost women that they love and they wish for them to come back.