Lecture13 Edgar Allan Poe.pptVIP

Lecture13 Edgar Allan Poe His Short Stories I. His theory of short story 1. The short story must be of such length as to be read at one sitting (brevity), so as to ensure the totality of impression. 2. The very first sentence ought to help bring out the “single effect” of the story. (immediacy) 3. No word should be used which does not contribute to the “pre-established” design of the work (compression). 4.A tale should reveal some logical truth with “the fullest satisfaction,” and should end with the last sentence, leaving a sense of finality with the reader. (profoundness and finality) II.His famous short stories The Murders in the Rue Morgue (detective and ratiocinative story) The Fall of the House of Usher (horrible story) Ligeia The Black Cat (Psychological story) III. Features of His short Stories 1.Gothic element (Gothic fiction: a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance.) 2.deep analysis of human psychology ( He noticed the subconsciousness of human mind nearly one hundred years before Freud), (He was also the first American author who took neurotic characters as protagonists in his stories.) 3. detective elements VI. Elements of the Short Story Setting: the setting of a story includes the time, location and circumstances in which it takes place. Broadly speaking, the setting provides the main backdrop for the story. Atmosphere: it begins with setting and is part of setting. Besides, it is rather the emotional aura which prepares the readers and which permeates the work. Plot: it can be defined as the author’s dramatic manipulation of the vents of his tale for the maximum artistic effect. Character: The participant in the plot. Character and plot are seen as two different sides of the same coin. V. Appreciation of The Fall of the Usher House Poe composed this short story in accordance with his own theory. Questions: 1.What is the function of the first sentence of the short story? The first sentence, a long periodic, h