William Wilson (short story)

William Wilson is a short story by American author Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1839. It explores themes of duality, guilt, and the destructive nature of a doppelgänger. The story is narrated by a character named William Wilson, who recounts his life of moral degradation and his haunting experiences with a physical double who shares his name and seems dedicated to thwarting his wicked actions.

The narrative begins with Wilson detailing his early life and education at a peculiar, labyrinthine school. It is here that he first encounters his namesake and double. This other William Wilson, though physically identical, possesses a different temperament and moral compass. He mimics the narrator's actions and words, always in a hushed whisper, serving as a constant reminder of the narrator's own failings.

As the narrator progresses through life, attempting to indulge in vices and immoral behaviors at Eton and then Oxford, his double repeatedly intervenes, exposing his schemes and thwarting his plans. This constant interference drives the narrator to increasing levels of rage and frustration. He views his double not as a benevolent conscience but as a malevolent force seeking to control and destroy him.

The climax of the story occurs in Rome, where the narrator, driven to madness, confronts and seemingly kills his double at a masquerade ball. However, after stabbing his doppelgänger, he sees his own reflection in a mirror, revealing that he has, in effect, murdered his own conscience and destroyed himself. The dying words of the double suggest that in killing him, the narrator has ensured his own eternal damnation.

The story is often interpreted as an allegory for the internal struggle between good and evil, and the consequences of suppressing one's conscience. The double represents the narrator's higher self, constantly attempting to guide him towards righteousness, but ultimately rejected and destroyed. "William Wilson" is considered a classic example of Poe's psychological horror and exploration of the darker aspects of human nature.