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Who or what was William Wilson? Have you ever thought of your conscience as a separate being in the physical state? Well, Edgar Allen Poe describes a situation in which this may be the case in William Wilson. Who was the other William Wilson? What were the chances the narrator and William Wilson had the same name, same date of birth, and the same physical appearance? Was William Wilson the narrator s conscience?
When William Wilson was introduced in the story, the narrator did not enjoy his presence. The narrator was befuddled that William Wilson entered school on the exact day that he did. At this point, he also found out that their names were identical. A key point in the story is when the narrator pointed out that my rival had a weakness in the facial or guttural organs, which precluded him from raising his voice at any time above a very low whisper. Of this defect I did not fail to take what poor advantage lay in my power (15). The fact that William Wilson always whispered is an important clue that suggests that he is the narrator s conscience.
The narrator was irritated with him for having the same name. He did not like the fact that the things that William Wilson did, were often confused with his own actions. I felt angry with him for bearing the name, and doubly disgusted with the name because a stranger bore it, who would be the cause of its twofold repetition, who would be constantly in my presence, and whose concerns, in the ordinary routine of the school business, must inevitable, on account of the detestable coincidence, be often confounded with my own. (15) This quote brings a few points across. The statement, who would be constantly in my presence, shows a connection between the narrator and his conscience. Also, saying that William s actions were often confused with the narrators shows how identical the two characters are. These details reiterate the fact that William Wilson maybe the conscience of the narrator.
The narrator later reflects on how he wished he would have listened to William Wilson. Yet, at this distant day, let me do him the simple justice to acknowledge that I can recall no occasion when the suggestions of my rival were on the side of those errors or follies so usual to his immature age and seeming inexperience; that his moral sense, at least, if not his general talents and worldly wisdom, was far keener than my own; and that I might, to-day, have been a better and thus a happier man, had I less frequently rejected the counsels embodied in those meaning whispers which I then but too cordially hated and too bitterly despised. (16) I believe this quote gives very strong evidence that William Wilson was the narrator s conscience. The narrator started to realize that William Wilson was more intelligent and that he should have listened to William s advice. He appreciated William s advice and wished he had listened to the whispering voice. Another point that caught my attention was how the classmates of the narrator did not seem to notice William Wilson. the similarity [between Wilson and the narrator] had never been made a subject of comment, or even observed at all by our schoolmates (15).
This point is confirmed again when he says, in the fact that the imitation, apparently, was noticed by myself alone (16). These quotes emphasize how William Wilson was only seen by the narrator and by nobody else. This does not mean he has to be his conscience though. Another arguable analysis is that William Wilson was a hallucination created by the narrator.
But I believe it is sufficient evidence that implies that Wilson was the narrator s conscience. The narrator talks about how he believes he may have seen William Wilson before in the previous years of his life; I cannot better describe the sensation which oppressed me than by saying that I could with difficulty shake off the belief of my having been acquainted with the being [Wilson] who stood before me, at some epoch very long ago some point of the past even infinitely remote (17). This supports the evidence that William Wilson was the narrator s conscience. Since the narrator believes he may have seen Wilson earlier in his life, though he remembers it vaguely, I believe the narrator included this fine detail in the story to suggest to the reader that Wilson in the narrator s conscience.
Towards the end of the story, when the narrator is frantically running from Wilson, he speaks about Wilson and says the apparent omnipresence and omnipotence of Wilson, added to a feeling of even terror (24). This description of Wilson s existence gives strong support that suggests Wilson is the narrator s conscience. Describing Wilson as omnipresent (present in all places at all times) and omnipotent (having virtually unlimited authority or influence) suggests the narrator s fear of Wilson and these facts may have provoked the narrator to attempt to murder Wilson. From the various clues provided by Poe that I have illustrated, I believe there is a very strong argument that establishes that William Wilson is the narrator s conscience.
Again, it could be disputed that Wilson was actually a hallucination created by the narrator, and I believe there was a hallucination because the narrator could see Wilson. But I believe that the hallucination itself was the physical form of the conscience. The narrator clearly suffered from sort of mental disease and that disease, his conscience, eventually brought him to the edge and ultimately to his fall.
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Research essay sample on Evidence That William Wilson Fact That William Wilson Narrator
