Gothic Literature And the Works of Edgar Allan Poe

The Gothic Tradition Began in Europe Began in Europe First Gothic Work: First Gothic Work: –1765 The Castle of Otranto – Horace Walpole Two Early Works: Two Early Works: –Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus (1818) –Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897)

Frankenstein’s Monster

Vocabulary and Terms Gothic Gothic –noting or pertaining to a style of literature characterized by a gloomy setting, grotesque, mysterious, or violent events, and an atmosphere of degeneration and decay: 19th-century gothic novels.

Macabre Macabre –gruesome and horrifying; ghastly; horrible. –Of or pertaining to, dealing with, or representing death, esp. its grimmer or uglier aspect. –of or suggestive of the allegorical dance of death.

Grotesque Grotesque –Resembling a freak; bizarre – no reference to reality or common sense – ugly, misshapen, deformed

Elements of American Gothic Literature Setting Setting –Large, drafty old houses, estates  (Castles in Europe) Mystery/Suspense Mystery/Suspense –Plot seeks to discover secrets within the environment Unexplainable Unexplainable –Ghostly legend, unexplainable occurrence –Horrible death or murder in the past

Foreshadow Foreshadow –Omens –Dreams Highly charged state of emotion Highly charged state of emotion –Terror, the brink of insanity, anger, agitation, impending doom, obsessive love Supernatural Supernatural –Ghosts, unexplainable sounds and events –God

Damsel in Distress Damsel in Distress –Women who are frightened or confused –Wandering or lost –Slowly and unexplainably dying Gloom and Doom Gloom and Doom –Dark, foreboding, forbidding, ghostly Romantic Themes Romantic Themes –Death of a man or woman in the midst of passion –Obsessive love –Excessive grief due to a loss of a loved one of a loved one

“The death…of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most poetical topic in the world – and equally is it beyond doubt that the lips best suited for such topic are those of a bereaved lover.” Edgar Allan Poe from “The Philosophy of Composition”

Edgar Allan Poe His biography is often distorted His biography is often distorted His life was filled with personal tragedy and professional failure His life was filled with personal tragedy and professional failure Poe drank to escape this failure but had a low tolerance for alcohol Poe drank to escape this failure but had a low tolerance for alcohol Numerous women whom he loved died, most from tuberculosis Numerous women whom he loved died, most from tuberculosis His true love, his wife Virginia died from tuberculosis; Poe watched her slowly die for five years His true love, his wife Virginia died from tuberculosis; Poe watched her slowly die for five years

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

Poe’s professional life was full of failure Poe’s professional life was full of failure His greatest success was “The Raven,” which brought him fame, but earned him only $14.00 His greatest success was “The Raven,” which brought him fame, but earned him only $14.00 Poe wrote many short stories simply for the money; ironically he is most famous for these stories Poe wrote many short stories simply for the money; ironically he is most famous for these stories He saw himself as a poet, but could not make a living from writing poetry He saw himself as a poet, but could not make a living from writing poetry

He is the most important American poet before Walt Whitman He is the most important American poet before Walt Whitman Poe was also an important literary critic (he was known as the “tomahawk man” for his often brutal criticism) Poe was also an important literary critic (he was known as the “tomahawk man” for his often brutal criticism) He is credited with the invention of the detective story (these stories provided Poe with the order & logic that was lacking in his own life) He is credited with the invention of the detective story (these stories provided Poe with the order & logic that was lacking in his own life)

Poe Poe can be considered the father of the modern horror story, influencing writers such as Stephen King and Anne Rice

Poe explored the dark and often irrational side of the human mind (Hawthorne explored the dark side of the human heart) Poe explored the dark and often irrational side of the human mind (Hawthorne explored the dark side of the human heart) His stories often are filled with a sense of anxiety & have a dreamlike quality His stories often are filled with a sense of anxiety & have a dreamlike quality

Poe After the death of his wife, Poe went insane, desperately trying to find someone to take her place After the death of his wife, Poe went insane, desperately trying to find someone to take her place His death remains a mystery; his final words were, “God help my poor soul.” His death remains a mystery; his final words were, “God help my poor soul.”

“Six years ago, a wife whom I loved as no man ever loved before, ruptured a blood-vessel in singing. Her life was despaired of. I took leave of her forever, and underwent all the agonies of her death. She recovered partially, and again I hoped. At the end of a year, the vessel broke again. I went through precisely the same scene. Again, in about a year afterward. Then again—again—again—and even once again, at varying intervals. Each time I felt all the agonies of her death—and at each accession of the disorder I loved her more dearly and clung to her life with more desperate pertinacity…I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity. During these fits of absolute unconsciousness I drank, God only knows how often or how much. ” - Edgar Allan Poe, 1848

Poe saw women as angelic figures: “Women have been angels of mercy to me.” Poe saw women as angelic figures: “Women have been angels of mercy to me.” Poe’s characters are often tortured by guilt Poe’s characters are often tortured by guilt Poe’s stories are quite modern in their psychoanalytical components Poe’s stories are quite modern in their psychoanalytical components Like many of his characters, Poe was caught between Like many of his characters, Poe was caught between  Rationality & irrationality  Order & chaos

Sigmund Freud The human Mind: The human Mind: Id Id Ego Ego Super-Ego Super-Ego

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 superego, and the external world to balance our primitive drives, our moral ideals and taboos, and the limitations of reality. Superego  The superego stands in opposition to the desires of the id. The superego is based upon the internalization of the world view, norms and mores a child absorbs from parents and the surrounding environment at a young age. As the conscience, it includes our sense of right and wrong, maintaining taboos specific to a child's internalization of parental culture. The Human Psyche – Sigmund Freud

The alter ego: The part of our mind that haunts us against our wish