美国文学欣赏Edgar_Allan_Poe.pptVIP

Edgar Allan Poe坡 (1809—1849) E.A. Poe (1809—1849) Edgar Allan Poe（1809—1849）埃德加.爱伦.坡 Part I. Life Experience Part II Literary Position Part III. Major Works Part IV. Point of View Part V. Style Part VI. Appreciation This daguerreotype of Poe was taken in 1848 when he was 39, a year before his death Life Experience A miserable childhood: born in Boston, both parents died within two years after his birth, taken into the home of John Allan in Virginia, had an unhappy relationship with his foster father An unhappy youth: at 17 went to the University of Virginia but did not finish, an appointment to West Point but was dismissed less than a year later A struggling life: in 1833, became an editor of Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond, lost the position because of excessive drinking and an inability to meet deadlines, managed to regain the job in 1835, at 27, married his 13 year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm, drifted for several years as editors in different magazines but remained poor all his life A bitter and mysterious death: in 1847, wife died of tuberculosis, in 1849, died in mysterious circumstances Life Experience Part II. Poe’s literary position Forerunner of western decadent literature Forerunner of aesthetic literature Explorer of abnormal psychology Father of psychoanalytic criticism Path-breaker of American detective novel Father of modern short story His position Poe’s position in world literature is secure. His influence is world-wide in modern literature. His aesthetics and conscious craftsmanship, his attack on “the heresy of the didactic” and his call for “the rhythmical creation of beauty” have influenced French symbolism and the devotees of “art for art’s sake”. Poe is father of many things, one of which is psychoanalytic criticism, the other being the detective story. Edgar Allan Poe Poe’s literary contribution Aestheticism Principle of beauty Principle of unity and concentration Careful choice of diction for desired effect (the musi