Edgar Allan Poe’s name is related to the American short story like none other in the history of American Literature. While Washington Irving is commonly seen as the creator of the short story, Edgar Allan Poe is regarded as the first to have realised its potential and the first to have created an aesthetical theory of the short story. This theory though, especially Poe’s depiction of the skilful artist and his/her perfect way of creating art, gave rise to many heated discussions, which strongly shaped the image of Poe. Thus he is likely to be seen as the cold-blooded, emotionally unaffected author who creates art on demand, contriving compositions with an unparalleled precision and brilliancy. Many critics therefore rather based their criticism on the life and the person of Edgar Allan Poe, instead of his contributions to the development of literature. This work strictly wants to avoid to draw any populist parallels between the author Poe and the person Poe.
The first part of this term paper therefore deals with Poe’s literary theory as such. I will focus mainly on Poe’s major concerns of effect and the genres of poetry and prose. Furthermore I will pose the question, what is the actual matter of Poe’s theory, is it a profound concept or just a vague and hasty response to Emerson’s “The Poet”, with the mere purpose of provoking his contemporaries and thus to get attention?
Since the formulation of a theory always raises the question of its applicability, especially on the part of its originator, the second part will scrutinise to what extent Edgar Allan Poe stuck to his own principles. Is there a discrepancy between theory and practice in the work of Edgar Allan Poe, and if so how can this be explained? His short story “The Fall of the House of Usher” will provide the paradigm, as it is in general, and even by Poe himself, considered one of his masterpieces. It is not the intention of said scrutiny to develop an overall-interpretation of the story, furthermore, the presented conclusions, drawn from the story’s symbolism, do not claim exclusiveness, they rather present possible ways of reading next to which other perspectives can coexist with just the same plausibility.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Literary Theory
2.1 Effect
2.2 Beauty and Truth as the Domains of Poetry and Prose
2.3 Poe’s Literary Theory in the Context of his Time
3. The Fall of the House of Usher
3.1 Poe’s Composition Standards in Usage?
3.2 “The Haunted Palace” - Beauty serving Truth?
3.3 The “Mad Trist” – Merging of a Horror Tale with a Love Story
4. Final Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines Edgar Allan Poe’s literary theory, specifically his principles of unity of effect, beauty, and truth, and analyzes how these theories are applied in his masterwork, "The Fall of the House of Usher."
- Poe’s theoretical framework regarding poetry and prose.
- The concept of "unity of effect" and its structural importance.
- The symbolic significance of "The Haunted Palace" and "Mad Trist."
- The tension between Poe’s theoretical standards and his narrative practice.
- The role of the narrator and atmosphere in creating horror.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Poe’s Composition Standards in Usage?
Poe’s emphasis on due length has been alluded to several times in the course of this term paper, therefore it is not necessary to point out its main intention again.
“The Fall of the House of Usher” however, definitely fits Poe’s idea of due length. Yet compared to “The Gold-Bug” or “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”, this short story can be considered a minor tale in terms of length.
The diversity of Poe’s oeuvre is just impressing. Despite the frequent reoccurrence of his main themes, i.e. the burial alive, the Doppelgänger motif and his obsession with states of alternative perception, such as madness and sleep, these do appear always with a different notion to them. In “The Cask of Amontillado”, for instance the burial alive is discerned from within the coffin and the victim states its horror, whereas in “The Fall of the House of Usher” it is illustrated, how such a horrible act is consciously performed and which circumstances lead to the act. The depiction of Roderick’s madness and the depiction of the narrator’s madness in “The Tell-Tale Heart” varies in that respect, that in “Usher” the “madman” is shown as a madman through the description of the matter-of-fact narrator, whereas the narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart” tries to convince the reader of his sanity, and thus reveals his mental disorder. A list of further examples would be countless, so that it is safe to say that throughout his own works Poe displayed his demanded originality, in terms of diversity.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents Poe as a pioneer of short story theory and outlines the paper's goal to analyze his principles through the lens of "The Fall of the House of Usher."
2. Literary Theory: Explores Poe’s core concepts of unity of effect, the distinction between poetry and prose, and his response to the literary trends of his era.
3. The Fall of the House of Usher: Analyzes the practical application of Poe’s theories in his famous short story, focusing on composition, symbolism, and the integration of embedded texts.
4. Final Conclusion: Summarizes how Poe’s literary theories, despite their inherent vagueness, serve as a foundational framework for his enduring masterpieces.
Keywords
Edgar Allan Poe, Literary Theory, The Fall of the House of Usher, Unity of Effect, Beauty, Truth, Short Story, Symbolism, Gothic, Narrative, Composition, Dénouement, Atmosphere, Horror, Poe-criticism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on the relationship between Edgar Allan Poe's formal literary theory and his practical application of those theories in his short story "The Fall of the House of Usher."
What are the primary theoretical themes discussed?
The work centers on Poe’s concepts of "unity of effect," "due length," the distinction between "Beauty" (poetry) and "Truth" (prose), and the deliberate, teleological construction of narratives.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine if Poe successfully adhered to his own literary principles in "The Fall of the House of Usher" and to investigate the symbolic depth of the story beyond its horror elements.
Which scientific approach does the author use?
The author employs a text-analytical approach, comparing Poe’s critical essays with his creative work and engaging with various scholarly interpretations to examine narrative structure and symbolism.
What does the main body of the paper address?
The main body breaks down Poe’s essays on composition, contrasts the roles of poetry and prose, and provides a deep dive into the internal texts "The Haunted Palace" and "Mad Trist" within the story.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Edgar Allan Poe, Unity of Effect, Short Story Theory, Symbolism, and Narratology.
How does the author define the "unity of effect"?
The author describes it as the "unblemished, because undisturbed" impression of a composition on the reader, which requires completion within one sitting to maintain a singular atmosphere.
What role do the embedded texts play in the analysis?
The author argues that "The Haunted Palace" and "Mad Trist" are not merely ornamental, but serve as functional devices that foreshadow the collapse of the Usher family and mansion.
- Quote paper
- Felix Kremser (Author), 2009, Edgar Allan Poe's Literary Theory and its Application in "The Fall of the House of Usher", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/145320
