Poe의 世界 : 短篇小說을 中心으로 = Poe's Word

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

There has been a lot of controversy over Poe's life and the evaluation of Poe's works. Many causes may be attributed to the fact. First, we must see to it that R.W. Griswold to whom Poe entrusted his biography misrepresented Poe intentionally because of Poe's sharp criticism against him. Secondly, as a critic and literary combatant, Poe made dozens of enemies who were ready to do their share in blackening his name. Last, Americans were inclined to speak ill of Poe in his days because he despised the American tradition. Around the centenial ceremony after his death, a lot of critics even in America have agreed that his achievements in literature were enomous in three fields in fiction, Poetry and criticism. To say Poe's poetry seems to have a considerable effect on the present poetic tendency along with his poetic theory and the influence of his short tale. He is regarded as a pioneer of the short tales and a founder of the detective. His theory, a single total effect, is frequently quoted in the evaluation of short story these days.
No one today will deny that the originality of artistic genius of Edgar A. Poe has made a great contribution to the foundations for a native American literary tradition of conscious art.
In America they do not evaluate Poe as nothing but a third writer. The recent revival of interest in Poe has brought to light a good deal of information and supplies us readers with a serious interpretation of personal career.
In this essay, I will try to investigate how Poe can apply his life and experience to his literary works without regard to the didacticism and how he can match his literary theory with his works on the basis of his plot. To find ut the dark side of mind and anguish, Poe used the term "plot" to describe the creation of universe in agreement with the theory of the short story.
The tales derive from the central core of single effect to which all elements must be related. In this case the short story, like the universe remains unified in that every element depends on the others.
"The Fall of the House of Usher" and "Ligeia" have been found to be a nearly perfect illustration of Poe's theory.
"The Fall of the House of Usher" describes how discrete objects, by long and close association, may develop a common identify.
The destruction of the house by storm and that of Roderick Usher's self by storm-like anguish make the whole situation identical with the person of Poe.
"Ligeia" relates how narrators becomes obssessed with the idea that he can, by the power of will, incorporate his ideal of beauty in the person of a real woman.
By the way all these actions can be explained by the hallucination of insanity. In the development of his tales, Death, Love and Horror would seem to be closely related and they should be there in the vestigation of mind and art of Poe in both the poetry and the short story. The shock of experience forced Poe into the untrodden realm of human mind. Therefore Horror is Poe's insight into romantic self-consciousness.
In case of Poe Love is not simple, sensual love but more than that.
The above frequent themes of Poe's tales are death, love and horror. But these can ce looked into through the prism of his philosophy.
In this sense Poe's greatness can be interpreted by exploring into the dark underside of human consciousness and subconsciousness. To really estimate Poe's importance in his literary world we must pay special attention to what he try to communicate to the readers by reference to his plotting skill.
By doing so, We can enter the grotesque world of the extraordinary Poe and recognise how he sublimate the schock of his life experience into literary art even his tales yield multiple meanings.
Poe's works show the delicate sensibility and fervent feeling.
These facts give the readers not only the impression of being intoxicated by the narcotics or wine like a mad man, but also the nerverous impression of losing the balance.
It should be remembered that all these themes in his works are tested through the scientific analysis and synthesis. Judging from the characteristics, Poe took much account of the fact that the elements, romantic and intellectual, shoud be exhibited harmoniously.
The former may be classified into the grotesque tales and the latter the psychological ones, but each has its own original domains and the originality peculiar to Poe's short stories and poems will compensate all his weak point. and furthermore may tribute to his immortality.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Ⅰ. Introduction
• Ⅱ. The Background of his works.
• 1. His life
• 2. Women
• Ⅲ. Analytical Approaehcs to characters
• 1. Roderick Usher
• 2. Ligeia
• Ⅳ. Theme
• Ⅴ. Conclusion