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Poe uses the physical manifestation of the doppelgänger to explore
the psychological alter ego of the narrator.
ż The story is narrated by the title character, William Wilson,
who as a boy attended a strict boarding school in England.
There, he felt superior to all his classmates except one, another
boy who shared his name, William Wilson. This other William
Wilson looked similar to (but not exactly like) William, dressed
like William, and even imitated William’s voice but only in
a whisper.ż The other William becomes the narrator’s competitor and rival.
One night, the narrator sneaks into his rival’s bedroom to play
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face has transformed and now looks exactly like his own.ż For the rest of the story, William’s lookalike rival haunts him,
showing up at different points in his life, thwarting his attempts
at vice and evil activity, and always whispering, “William
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his lookalike and stabs him with a sword. But then, to his
horror, the scene changes, and William is no longer looking at
his rival; instead, he is gazing into a mirror in which he sees
himself, stabbed and bleeding. William has killed himself.z Although doppelgänger is still used to refer to such ghostly doubles,
it has recently taken on a second meaning, referring to someone
who closely resembles another person.z Literally translated from German, doppelgänger means “double-
goer” or “double-walker.” The word didn’t enter English until the
1830s, but the concept of spirit doubles and alter egos is found
in myth and folklore from cultures around the world. In some
traditions, if a friend or family member sees your doppelgänger, it’s
considered a harbinger of illness or danger. If you see your own
doppelgänger, it’s an omen of your death.