The Power of Darkness

Before the Romantic period, early American culture had no place for made-up stories created largely for the purpose of entertainment. Authors such as Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgar Allan Poe were the first American short story writers American Short Stories Emerge

Positive –Individualism –Optimism –Nature –Emotions & Feelings –Idealism Negative –Individualism –Pessimism –Nature –Emotions & Feelings –Idealism Writers explored the dark or negative sides of these beliefs. What are examples of the negative aspects of these beliefs? Big Ideas of Romanticism

Gothic Horror Relies on atmosphere, or mood, to achieve effects. Plot focuses on mysteries, tragic events, and horrible outcomes Settings are Dark Contain decaying dwelling Shadowy Passageways Damp rooms Haunting sounds

Gothic Horror Characters are often mad or frightened to death They may exhibit strange behavior or physical traits

Gothic Horror Elements  supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of unknown terror pervades the action  High emotion, sentimentalism, but also pronounced anger, surprise, and especially terror  use of words indicating fear, mystery, etc.: apparition, devil, ghost, haunted, terror, fright, fainting

Edgar Allan Poe

First America Master of Gothic Literature Poe’s stories and poems deal with Loss or sorrow Ruin and revenge Disease and death His stories reflect his own troubles and fears. In contrast to transcendentalists who believed humans were inherently good, Poe believed humans had impulses for dark deeds

Poe used words for their sounds as well as their meanings. –Repetition of words –Alliteration—the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words. For example, Poe uses alliteration to create an almost hypnotic effect in phrases like “weak and weary,” and “nodded nearly napping.” Poe’s use of sound devices in “The Raven”

Poe and allusion  Reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event  Best sources are literature, history, Greek myth, and the Bible  Serves to explain or clarify or enhance whatever subject  Night’s Plutonian Shore=Hell or underworld

Short Story Elements The Raven is a narrative poem. –Poem that tells a story. It may include Figurative language Imagery Rhythm Rhyme –And includes story elements such as Setting Characters Plot “The Raven” p. 257

For homework, you will read and take notes over pp Read “The Pit and the Pendulum” optional study guide questions p. 263 Optional assignment: research toaster or mystery surrounding his death.

Discussion How do people react to the loss of a loved one? How does the narrator of “The Raven” react to the loss of Lenore? How does the theme in “The Raven” reflect Romantic ideas?

Edgar Allan Poe

His Family and Tragic Life  Born in Boston  The son of traveling actors  Tragic and unhappy life

Tragic and Unhappy Life  Mother died, father deserted him at the age of two  adopted by Mr. and Mrs. John Allan  constant disagreements with his step-father

...continued  Studied briefly at the University of Virginia  Drinking and gambling difficulties kept him from continuing at UVA

...continued  Received an appointment to West Point, but he provoked his own dismissal  Caused a final separation between Poe and his step- father

...continued  In 1836 married his 14 year old cousin, Virginia  Last 12 years of life worked as a journalist, editor, and creative writer

... continued  Lived in poverty stricken conditions  In 1846 wife died after a long illness

... continued  Died in Baltimore after he was found in a drunken stupor  Died a poor man

Poe’s Work Known for: TTales of mystery and terror stories IIntroducing the modern detective story

Just a Few Titles  Short Stories  The Tell-Tale Heart  The Cask of Amontillado  The Black Cat,  The Pit and The Pendulum PPoems: TThe Raven AAnnabel Lee TTo Helen LLenore

Addiction  Sometimes strange special effects have been linked to his addiction to opium  Addiction not uncommon in the 1800’s, because of frequent use of laudanum, an opium based medicine, to treat headaches and stomach pains

Symbol  Something that is itself and yet also represents something else  Universal symbols embody universally recognizable meanings  Invested symbols are given symbolic meaning by the way an author uses them in a literary work

You will identify how Poe uses allusion, gothic elements, and symbols in “The Pit and the Pendulum.”