Gothic

Literature

And the Works of

Edgar Allan Poe

The Gothic Tradition

Began in EuropeBegan in Europe First Gothic Work: First Gothic Work:

– 1765 1765 The Castle of OtrantoThe Castle of Otranto – – Horace WalpoleHorace Walpole

Two Early Works:Two Early Works:– Mary Shelly’s Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, Frankenstein,

or The Modern Prometheus or The Modern Prometheus (1818)(1818)

– Bram Stoker’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula Dracula (1897)(1897)

Frankenstein’s

Monster

Gothic Architectur

e

The Gothic tradition The Gothic tradition was also reflected in was also reflected in

architecture: architecture: vaulted ceilings, vaulted ceilings, arches, stained arches, stained glass windows, glass windows,

gargoylesgargoyles

Notre Dame

Characteristics of Gothic Fiction

MysteryMysteryHorrorHorrorThe The

GrotesqueGrotesqueViolenceViolenceThe The

SupernaturalSupernatural

The Gothic

““The death…of a beautiful woman The death…of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most is, unquestionably, the most

poetical topic in the world – and poetical topic in the world – and equally is it beyond doubt that equally is it beyond doubt that

the lips best suited for such topic the lips best suited for such topic are those of a lover.”are those of a lover.”

Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe

from “The Philosophy of Composition”from “The Philosophy of Composition”

Edgar Allan Poe His biography is often His biography is often

distorteddistorted His life was filled with His life was filled with

personal tragedy and personal tragedy and professional failureprofessional failure

Poe drank to escape this Poe drank to escape this failure but had a low failure but had a low tolerance for alcoholtolerance for alcohol

Numerous women whom Numerous women whom he loved died, most from he loved died, most from tuberculosistuberculosis

His true love, his wife His true love, his wife Virginia died from Virginia died from tuberculosis; Poe watched tuberculosis; Poe watched her slowly die for five her slowly die for five yearsyears

The death of a The death of a beautiful woman beautiful woman was a common was a common topic of his works topic of his works because he had because he had experienced such experienced such loss himself, loss himself, including his including his stepmother, his stepmother, his childhood love, and childhood love, and his wifehis wife

Poe’s professional life was full of Poe’s professional life was full of failurefailure

His greatest success was “The His greatest success was “The Raven,” which brought him fame, but Raven,” which brought him fame, but earned him only $14.00earned him only $14.00

Poe wrote many short stories simply Poe wrote many short stories simply for the money; ironically he is most for the money; ironically he is most famous for these storiesfamous for these stories

He saw himself as a poet, but could He saw himself as a poet, but could not make a living from writing poetrynot make a living from writing poetry

He is the most important American He is the most important American poet before Walt Whitmanpoet before Walt Whitman

Poe was also an important literary Poe was also an important literary critic (he was known as the critic (he was known as the “tomahawk man” for his often brutal “tomahawk man” for his often brutal criticism)criticism)

He is credited with the invention of He is credited with the invention of the detective story (these stories the detective story (these stories provided Poe with the order & logic provided Poe with the order & logic that was lacking in his own life)that was lacking in his own life)

Poe

Poe can be Poe can be considered the father considered the father of the modern horror of the modern horror

story, influencing story, influencing writers such as writers such as

Stephen King and Stephen King and Anne RiceAnne Rice

Poe explored the Poe explored the dark and often dark and often irrational side of the irrational side of the human mind human mind (Hawthorne explored (Hawthorne explored the dark side of the the dark side of the human heart)human heart)

His stories often are His stories often are filled with a sense of filled with a sense of anxiety & have a anxiety & have a dreamlike qualitydreamlike quality

Master of the Short StoryMaster of the Short Story Along with Nathaniel Hawthorne, Poe Along with Nathaniel Hawthorne, Poe

perfected the modern short storyperfected the modern short story Poe stressed a single dominant effect Poe stressed a single dominant effect

in his short storiesin his short stories

The Premature

Burial

Poe

After the death of his After the death of his wife, Poe went insane, wife, Poe went insane, desperately trying to find desperately trying to find someone to take her someone to take her placeplace

His death remains a His death remains a mystery; his final words mystery; his final words were, “God help my poor were, “God help my poor soul.”soul.”

Poe saw women as angelic Poe saw women as angelic figures: “Women have been figures: “Women have been angels of mercy to me.”angels of mercy to me.”

Poe’s characters are often Poe’s characters are often tortured by guilttortured by guilt

Poe’s stories are quite Poe’s stories are quite modern in their modern in their psychoanalytical psychoanalytical componentscomponents

Like many of his Like many of his characters, Poe was caught characters, Poe was caught betweenbetween

Rationality & irrationalityRationality & irrationality Order & chaosOrder & chaos

Sigmund Freud The human Mind:The human Mind:

IdId EgoEgo Super-EgoSuper-Ego

The Human Psyche – Sigmund Freud

Id The id represented primary process thinking —

our most primitive, need-gratification impulses. It is organized around the primitive instinctual drives of sexuality and aggression. In the id, these drives require instant gratification or release.

Ego In Freud's view the ego mediates between the id, the In Freud's view the ego mediates between the id, the

superego, and the external world to balance our primitive superego, and the external world to balance our primitive drives, our moral ideals and taboos, and the limitations of drives, our moral ideals and taboos, and the limitations of reality. reality.

Superego The superego stands in opposition to the desires of the id. The superego stands in opposition to the desires of the id.

The superego is based upon the internalization of the world The superego is based upon the internalization of the world view, norms and mores a child absorbs from parents and view, norms and mores a child absorbs from parents and the surrounding environment at a young age. As the the surrounding environment at a young age. As the conscience, it includes our sense of right and wrong, conscience, it includes our sense of right and wrong, maintaining taboos specific to a child's internalization of maintaining taboos specific to a child's internalization of parental culture.parental culture.

“The Raven” Written while Poe’s Written while Poe’s wife, Virginia, was wife, Virginia, was dying from tuberculosisdying from tuberculosis

The darkness of the The darkness of the poem– the feeling that poem– the feeling that he will be free from the he will be free from the pain of the memory of pain of the memory of his “Lost Lenore” his “Lost Lenore” nevermore is reflective nevermore is reflective of the agony and of the agony and desperation Poe felt in desperation Poe felt in his own lifehis own life

“Annabel Lee”

This poem is also about the death of Poe’s wife, Virginia, but it evinces a much more positive view of her passing.

Poe seems to have come to terms with the loss of his wife; he seems to be at peace with her passing, for she remains with him

The poem presents a romanticized memory of the death of Poe’s wife

“For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams of the beautiful Annabel Lee/ And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes of my beautiful Annabel Lee.”

Contrary to “The Raven,” the narrator wants to remember his lost love; the narrator of “The Raven” wants to forget.

“Annabel Lee”

“For Annie” (1849)

Thank Heaven! the crisis-Thank Heaven! the crisis-

The danger is past,The danger is past,

And the lingering illnessAnd the lingering illness

Is over at last—Is over at last—

And the fever called And the fever called “Living”“Living”

Is conquered at last…Is conquered at last…

The moaning and groaning,The moaning and groaning,The sighing and sobbingThe sighing and sobbingAre quieted now,Are quieted now,With that horrible throbbingWith that horrible throbbingAt heart: --ah, that horrible,At heart: --ah, that horrible,Horrible throbbing!Horrible throbbing!

The sickness—the nauseaThe sickness—the nauseaThe pitiless pain—The pitiless pain—Have ceased, with the feverHave ceased, with the feverThat maddened my brain—That maddened my brain—With the fever called With the fever called

“Living”“Living”That burned in my brain…That burned in my brain…