About Poem: The Conqueror Worm
| Poem Title | The Conqueror Worm |
| Poet | Edgar Allan Poe |
| Published | 1843 |
| Rhyme scheme | ABABCBCB |
| Genre | Gothic poem |
| Form | Five octaves (eight-line stanzas) |
| Setting | A dimly lit theater |
| Themes | Death, the futility of life, the triumph of evil |
| Form | A short poem, written in rhymed quatrains (four-line stanzas) |
Themes: The Conqueror Worm
The themes of “The Conqueror Worm” by Edgar Allan Poe are:
- Mortality ➤ The poem highlights the inescapable reality of death and the human struggle to confront it.
- Futility of Life ➤ It portrays life as a theatrical performance that is ultimately meaningless, as death is the ultimate victor.
- Theatricality ➤ The poem uses a theater metaphor to convey the idea that life is like a play with death as the audience, emphasizing the dramatic nature of human existence.
The Conqueror Worm Poem
Lo! ’t is a gala night
Within the lonesome latter years!
An angel throng, bewinged, bedight
In veils, and drowned in tears,
Sit in a theatre, to see
A play of hopes and fears,
While the orchestra breathes fitfully
The music of the spheres.
Mimes, in the form of God on high,
Mutter and mumble low,
And hither and thither fly
Mere puppets they, who come and go
At bidding of vast formless things
That shift the scenery to and fro,
Flapping from out their Condor wings
Invisible Wo!
That motley drama—oh, be sure
It shall not be forgot!
With its Phantom chased for evermore
By a crowd that seize it not,
Through a circle that ever returneth in
To the self-same spot,
And much of Madness, and more of Sin,
And Horror the soul of the plot.
But see, amid the mimic rout,
A crawling shape intrude!
A blood-red thing that writhes from out
The scenic solitude!
It writhes!-it writhes!-with mortal pangs
The mimes become its food,
And seraphs sob at vermin fangs
In human gore imbued.
Out-out are the lights-out all!
And, over each quivering form,
The curtain, a funeral pall,
Comes down with the rush of a storm,
While the angels, all pallid and wan,
Uprising, unveiling, affirm
That the play is the tragedy, “Man,”
And its hero, the Conqueror Worm.
The Conqueror Worm Summary & Analysis
Stanza 1
In the opening stanza of “The Conqueror Worm,” the poem sets a theatrical scene. It describes a “loftier” stage than any earthly theater, indicating a grander, more cosmic setting. On this stage, life is portrayed as a play, and humans are actors. The actors are described as mimes, silently enacting their roles. The audience, in this case, consists of angels, who watch the tragedy unfold. This first stanza introduces the idea that life is a performance.
Stanza 2
The second stanza continues to describe the actors on the stage. The human actors are “struggling to escape” from their roles, but they cannot. The “captive” actors are tortured by “the foul fiends” that surround them. These fiends are representative of the suffering and struggles of life. It’s a bleak portrayal of human existence, where people are trapped in their roles and face torment.
Stanza 3
In the third stanza, the spotlight turns to a character called “the King.” This figure represents a powerful and noble individual who seems to command attention. Despite his royal status, the King is not spared from the torment of the play, as he too is reduced to a mere actor on this cosmic stage. The angels watch with “laughter” as the King’s grandeur fades.
Stanza 4
The fourth stanza introduces “the Conqueror Worm” itself. The Conqueror Worm is described as a “strange” and “shadowy” figure. It is not a typical audience member but an active participant in the drama. The Conqueror Worm is relentless and unyielding, representing death. It is the ultimate victor, as it feeds on the actors and their suffering. This stanza underscores the inevitability of death and its role as the ultimate conqueror of all.
Stanza 5
The fifth and final stanza brings the poem to its grim conclusion. It describes the extinguishing of all light and the descent of a funeral pall (a symbol of death) over the stage. The curtain falls “with the rush of a storm,” signaling the end of the play and the end of life. The poem’s message is clear: death is the ultimate fate, and all human efforts and struggles are futile in the face of mortality.
FAQs: The Conqueror Worm
What does The Conqueror Worm symbolize?
The Conqueror Worm by Edgar Allan Poe symbolizes death.
Why did Edgar Allan Poe write The Conqueror Worm?
Edgar Allan Poe wrote “The Conqueror Worm” to explore the inevitability of death and the futility of human existence.
What are the mimes in The Conqueror Worm?
The mimes represent humanity.
What literary devices are used in The Conqueror Worm?
Literary devices used in The Conqueror Worm are: Alliteration, assonance, internal rhyme, and symbolism
What is the moral of the poem the conqueror worm?
The moral of the poem is that death is inevitable.
