One of the most tragic themes tackled in “Berenice” is the devastating toll that illness, both mental and physical, can take upon a person. In the case of Berenice, the story’s titular character, it is a physical illness with which she must contend (manifesting in epileptic seizures and periods of catatonic sleep). Poe takes care to describe Berenice’s youthful energy and beauty prior to falling sick in order to illustrate the harrowing effects of the disease that destroys her health. As he does so, he alludes to multiple mythological creatures:
Oh, gorgeous yet fantastic beauty! Oh, sylph amid the shrubberies of Arnheim! Oh, Naiad among its fountains!
Sylphs are invisible creatures that appear in medieval folklore, known for their femininity and airy disposition, while naiads belong to a specific species of nymphs (recurring figures in Greek mythology) associated with beauty, benevolence, and lightheartedness. In literature, both of these creatures are often described as living freely and joyously in nature. Berenice, too, is described as “agile, graceful, and overflowing with energy”—the hillside is her domain, and unguarded enjoyment her only occupation. By likening Berenice to a sylph and a naiad, Poe elevates her beauty and innate goodness to otherworldly proportions, making her swift decay all the more jarring and terrible.
Besides highlighting Berenice’s fantastical attractiveness, these allusions subtly hint at the tragedy that will soon befall her. Naiads are also heavily associated with bodies of flowing freshwater such as rivers and springs, which can symbolize imminent change and the passage of time. Likewise, sylphs are inherently ephemeral creatures due to their incorporeality. Thus, Poe engages with the idea that the health and good fortune that characterize Berenice’s youth are ultimately fleeting.
