Abstract The author of this paper examines how Edgard AllanPoe's own life's obstacles influenced and inspired the writing of "The Masque of the Red Death." One specific source of inspiration involves Poe's foster father, John Allan, ignoring Poe's pleas for help in assisting his wife, who was ill with tuberculosis. In the story, the audacity of Prince Prospero holding a ball while the outside world dies can be taken as a symbol that reflects John Allan ignoring Poe's many pleas for assistance. There is no compassion in the prince just as John Allan felt no compassion for Poe. "The Masque of the Red Death" is EdgarAllanPoe's literary way of exposing the truly wicked ways of his enemies and visiting upon them the most horrible punishment he can imagine to serve them justice for their crimes.
From the Paper "Edgar had never forgiven John Allan and despised everything that he had and Edgar did not. This hatred extended from solely John Allan to any wealthy person who was not willing to help or at least acknowledge his own genius. Nathanial Hawthorne was one such person who was so fascinated with Edgar's tales that he took the time to write him a rather cordial letter expressing his admiration for his earnest criticism and writing ability. On the other hand Edgar felt very slighted and unappreciated compared to many of his literary peers. "He could not stand to see other writers, such as Henry Longfellow, Ralph Waldo Emerson and James Russell Lowell, earn more praise and money than he did" (Streissguth 79). Aristocracy seemed to hold Edgar down and when examining "The Masque of the Red Death" we see the revenge that he would wish extracted upon them. Prince Prospero is the embodiment of John Allan and all other men who possessed wealth, but refused to come to his aid. It is possible that Edgar desired the very pestilence that had haunted him for so many years to go forth and destroy those who never knew want or suffered from financial trouble. What better way to see his enemies destroyed than by the disease he was most familiar with?"
Abstract This paper examines some of the contributions of EdgarAllanPoe's only novel, "Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket". It examines in particular the ways in which Poe approaches the foreign and the different, in this work as well as adjacent works. It analyzes the introduction of the strong and sometimes hidden elements of horror in Poe's works.
From the Paper "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket (1838) is the only novel written by Edgar Allan Poe, and yet despite this singularity it is in fundamental ways connected to the rest of his body of work as well as to other important works of 19th century American fiction. This paper examines some of the contributions of this novel, examining in particular the ways in which Poe approaches the foreign and the different ? a concept that was in many ways (some explicit, some deeply encoded) a proxy for race in both the work in question and that of other works adjacent in time and theme to Poe's novel, especially that of Herman Melville's Moby Dick (1851)."
Abstract This paper looks at EdgarAllanPoe, his life and his work, and how they were affected by alcoholism. It looks at how the theme of alcoholism crept into his stories by having alcoholics as characters, or characters descending into madness from drinking. It shows that despite his drinking problems, Poe produced masterpieces that have world wide acclaim and are still high on the reading list of mystery lovers today.
This paper is a comparison and contrast of EdgarAllanPoe's two styles of writing: the gothic genre of Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" and the detective genre of "The Purloined Letter."
Abstract This paper is a comparison and contrast of EdgarAllanPoe's two styles of writing: the gothic genre of Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" and the detective genre of "The Purloined Letter". The paper includes topics such as diction and the ease or difficulty in the ability to read and comprehend Poe's stories.
From the Paper "Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most well known names in literature. He was a short story writer, a poet, a literary critic, a journalist, an editor, an essayist and novelist. Edgar Allen Poe virtually created the detective story genre and perfected the psychological thriller. Poe is celebrated as one of America's greatest writers of short stories but his first published works were poems. Arguably, the most prominent feature of Edgar Allen Poe's writing is his obsession with death."
Abstract This paper examines the personal and historical context of EdgarAllanPoe's work. It focuses in on Poe's handling of human nature in three stories: "The Cask of Amontillado," "The Tale-Tell Heart," and "The Black Cat," and the poem, "The Raven."
From the Paper "Edgar Allan Poe is known as the writer of ghost stories .And while it's certainly true that many of his tales have the requisite elements of ghost stories, ghoulies and ghosties and things that go bump in the night, they are much more than simply attempt to .."
Abstract The author of this paper sets out to prove that EdgarAllanPoe did not ascribe to Freud's theory that man has an unconscious desire to die, despite his preoccupation with death in his poems. By elaborating on Freud's theory, the author shows how Poe did not desire death but instead sought a change of condition from sorrow to joy.
From the Paper "Poe's overwhelming desire for release from suffering, even temporarily, is as great as his overwhelming anguish and loneliness. But he continues to reject death by rejecting the Raven which symbolizes and portends it. And even in the unconscious state, he is inclined towards former joy in the company of Lenore rather than towards a voiding of that joy in the voiding of life in or through death. Hence, Freud's assumption on a death wish fails."
Abstract This paper examines how EdgarAllanPoe shows a fascination with death, disease and decay in his stories and poems and how he uses symbolism to represent death and dying as something that takes place not separate from life, but deeply embedded within it. Through a review of some of his works, it shows how Poe mixes life and death in a variety of ways, so much so that he seems to show a morbid fascination with the processes of dying and with the symbolism of death. It evaluates how his preoccupation with death and more specifically with death-in-life is seen in so many of his short stories.
From the Paper "A similar combination of time and death is expressed in the poem "The Raven," where the poet emphasizes that the events described take place at midnight when the black bird appears. Critic Vincent Buranelli emphasizes the dual meaning of the poem. The surface meaning is the narrative, with the poet asking questions of the raven and hearing the repeated "Nevermore, " leading to the final question of whether he and his mistress will ever be reunited--"Nevermore." The second meaning, says Buranelli, has to be interpreted through the symbols of the poem and through suggestive signs which represent ideas hidden below the surface. The principal symbol is the raven, which with its jet black feathers and harsh croak has been accepted by common consent to represent fate."
Abstract Metaphors not only can be used as literal interpretation of events, but also have metaphorical meanings. A good example would be the black cat in EdgarAllanPoe's "The Black Cat" and how the narrator in the story implied throughout the story that the cat is of demonic creature. The black cat in the short story not only has a literal meaning of a normal household cat but also from a metaphorical-side of meaning, as the narrator's personal demon, which haunts him throughout the story and brings him to the point of near insanity.
From the Paper "The first mention of the black cat in the short story is when the narrator's wife noticed his partiality for domestic pets and "lost no opportunity of procuring those of the most agreeable kind" (894), which includes a black cat. In the beginning, the narrator describes the cat as a "large and beautiful animal, entirely black, and sagacious to a degree" (894). When he describes the cat in this way, the narrator gave us his view of the cat as an everyday, normal household cat that people who have had an encounter with cats can feel a real connection to. Even though some people might have the superstitious belief that an entirely black cat might be a minion of the underworld or a witch in disguise which his wife did when she "made frequent allusions to the ancient popular notion" (894), the narrator tries his best to also show that this is a normal cat like any other. The narrator also gives the pet the name of Pluto, which is the name for the god of the underworld in Roman mythology. By doing this, he further connects the black cat of his to something from the underworld. He also calls what he sees when he went back to check out the ruins of his house that burned down as an apparition (895) and a "phantasm of the cat" (896). An apparition is a ghost or spirit and by following what the narrator describes, his view of the black cat goes from a normal household pet to something that haunts him for months. The loss of the cat not only brought him remorse at what he did to the cat when he hung it on a rope but also regret at the loss of a fine pet."
Abstract This paper discusses and reflects upon the lonely and difficult life of EdgarAllanPoe. The paper explains that Poe suffered from depression for most of his life and that it was this depression that eventually caused his early death. The paper uses the poetry of Poe as well as biographical information to reflect on the American poet's life.
From the Paper ""Helen, they beauty is to me Like those Nicean barks of yore, That gently, o'er a perfumed sea, The weary, way-worn wanderer bore To his own native shore" (Barnet, Berman, and Burto 697). This is the first verse of the poem called, "To Helen," and it is only one of many poems and writings that Edgar Allan Poe wrote during his life. "Helen of Troy, [was] considered the most beautiful woman of ancient times" (Barnet, Berman, and Burto 697). No doubt, Edgar Allen Poe was touched by her beauty and moved to write this poem. Poe's biography will show that his life was difficult due to losing both of his parents before the age of three. This and the lost of his wife caused Poe to suffer with depression. This depression is what finally caused him to die at an early age. Looking at the biography and..."
Abstract This paper studies the EdgarAllanPoe poem "The Raven" by comparing its art form to that of sculpture. The paper provides a stanza-by-stanza recitation and analysis of the poem, which demonstrates how Poe crafted his piece like a sculpture, stripping away all unnecessary detail. By leaving only the essence and repeating it in rich detail, the paper argues that Poe composed a visual, multidimensional picture of human emotion.
From the Paper "Poe's works of poetry are known for their ephemeral quality, the sense that it is not quite possible to glean a precise meaning, but there is an undeniable mood that communicates deep emotional resonance to the reader. His poems remain mysterious to the extent that they are not simple allegories open to straightforward interpretations. For Poe, reality is not the physical or the material, but the spiritual and the intangible. In "The Raven" we are never sure just what happened "upon a midnight dreary" but we know that something profound took place in the soul of this grieving man who "pondered weak and weary" dreaming of the lost Lenore."
Abstract This paper explores the works of EdgarAllanPoe,by looking at the man behind the book. The author specifically centers on the two most famous works of Poe, "Tell- Tale Heart" and "The Black Cat" by examining the attitudes of the characters and how they are portrayed and what message the books are trying to give.The author concludes that with the similarities and differences between these two main works of EdgarAllanPoe, it is easy to see why Poe is considered one of the most controversial writers of all time and why has been criticized and also had much honor.
From the Paper "The task of the narrator begins with careful planning, but in the end his guilty conscience creates his downfall. For seven days, the narrator watches the old man while he sleeps. The narrator's comments show his confidence and courage in his plan to kill: "Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers - of my sagacity. I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph" (Poe 810). The narrator's comfort in his evil act continued even when the police came to check on the old man and investigate the loud noises neighbors heard the night before: "I smiled,-for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome" (Poe 813). However, the narrator's mind is quickly consumed with guilt, which creates his figment of the imagination of hearing the old man's heartbeat from under the flooring."
Abstract The paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the writer EdgarAllanPoe. The paper specifically discusses how his writings are dark and filled with death. From a very early age, EdgarAllanPoe seems to have been obsessed with the topic of death, and many (or most) of his works are dark, brooding pieces filled with mystery, dark deeds, and the death of at least one character, or the lingering theme of death. The paper questions why Poe was so consumed with death and dying.
From the Paper " He writes, "He also offered his famous pronouncement that 'the death of a beautiful woman is the purest of all poetical themes'". Thus, Poe recognized this theme recurred in his works, and found it both satisfying and pure, elements of his fiction that might not seem satisfying and pure to others. After losing his parents and living in a foster home, Poe met Mrs. Jane Stith Stanard, who he became very fond of, and many people believe he loved. He wrote the poem "To Helen" to her, but her life ended tragically, as well. An early Poe biographer writes, "Mrs. Stanard soon went mad and died. "
Abstract This paper examines the importance of the setting in the book, "The Oblong Box", by EdgarAllanPoe. The paper first explains that when considering the settings in any story, it is important to consider the geographical location, the time, weather conditions, social conditions, and the mood. The paper then looks at how all of these parts of the setting play an important role in the story written by EdgarAllanPoe. The paper also points out that time of the story is important because it helps to build the suspense of the story as time (in the short story) is delayed without explanation.
From the Paper "First, consider the place where the story takes place. The place is the packet-ship called, Independence. Poe tells how the ship would have many passengers and one of the passengers is a man called Mr. Cornelius Wyatt who is an artist and having been a fellow-student with him at the C--- University. This is an important part of the setting that will lead the story from one point to another as the narrator tries to find out why Wyatt is not friendly and even to the death of Wyatt in the last section of the story. Included in the setting is the fact that Mr. Wyatt having three state rooms with these rooms being roomy."
Abstract This paper examines how, since his death, there have been two different people with the name of Edgar Allen Poe. It looks at how many readers now believe EdgarAllanPoe was a drunkard and a drug addict who suffered from insanity. This paper points out why and how Poe's reputation was desecrated after his death and looks into both the falsehoods and truths of his life.
From the Paper "Griswold and Poe became acquainted in 1841 in connection to an anthology of poetry on which Griswold was working. Poe had given him some advice in regards to poets and works that he felt should be included in the book, but Griswold disregarded Poe's advice. After the book was published, Poe, who was a critic, stated in a review that some of the poets who made their appearance were "too mediocre to entitle them to particular notice". Still, overall the review was a good one, but the negative comment angered Griswold. When a later review that was highly negative of both the book and Griswold's talents was published anonymously, he assumed that Poe was responsible for that review."
Abstract This paper discusses EdgarAllanPoe's "Metzengerstein" and "A Tale Of The Ragged Mountains" by examining the relationship between symbolic imagery and the human psyche in these short stories. The author points out that in "Metzengerstein", Poe's uses the physical object of a tapestry to symbolize the acute madness that is befalling the protagonist Frederick Baron Metzengerstein. The paper then relates ways that Poe's literary techniques and devices are used for specific purposes in "A Tale of the Ragged Mountains". The paper concludes that, in both of these short stories, Poe is advocating the idea that what may appear to be is not always what it is.
From the Paper "In addition to the short story "Metzengerstein," the similar use of a physical object to allegorize a character's psyche can also be seen in Poe's short story "A Tale Of The Ragged Mountains." Daniel J. Philippon (1998) discusses this specific literary technique of Poe's in his article "Poe in the Ragged Mountains' Environmental History And Romantic Aesthetics." Philippon explains how most of Poe's stories explore the internal landscape of his characters at the expense of the physical world."
