Philosophy of composition of Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
 born on January 19,
 born on January 19,
1809, in Boston,
1809, in Boston,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
 Son of Elizabeth and
 Son of Elizabeth and
David Poe Jr.
David Poe Jr.
 an editor, journalist,
 an editor, journalist,
poet, literary critic, and
poet, literary critic, and
short story writer
short story writer
 adopted by John and
 adopted by John and
Frances Allen
Frances Allen

 best known for his use of Gothic, horror,
 best known for his use of Gothic, horror,
mystery tales and psychological dramas
mystery tales and psychological dramas

 Some of his most famous works include
 Some of his most famous works include

 Despite his success as a writer, he lived in
 Despite his success as a writer, he lived in
poverty. He suffered from alcoholism,
poverty. He suffered from alcoholism,
depression, and possibly diabetes.
depression, and possibly diabetes.
 Died on October 7, 1849 with his last words,
 Died on October 7, 1849 with his last words,
"Lord, help my poor soul."
"Lord, help my poor soul."

Philosophy of Composition
Philosophy of Composition
 an essay by Edgar Allan Poe which was published in
1846.
 analyzes the elements that contribute the construction of
a good writing.
 discusses how he crafted his poem 'The Raven'
according to his methods of focusing on order and
beauty (aesthetic).
 sets out the successful method by which he wrote his
popular works and offers it to other hopeful writers as a
guideline for creating their own literary masterpieces.

"It is my design to render it manifest that no one
point in its composition is referable either to
accident or intuition- that the work proceeded
step by step, to its completion, with the precision
and rigid consequence of a mathematical
problem."

Writing Backwards
-Denouement
“Nothing is more clear than that every plot, worth
the name, must be elaborated to its denouement
before any thing be attempted with the pen”
 Every plot must be elaborated to its
denouement.
 The denouement must be constantly in view.

 only with the “denouement” in mind
that the author can establish the steps
toward the “tone at all points” and the
“development of the intention”.

CONSIDERATION OF AN EFFECT
 Effect as achieved through:
• incident
• tone
 ordinary incident and peculiar tone
 peculiar incident and ordinary tone
 peculiar tone and peculiar incident

LENGTH or “extent”
“if any literary work is too long to be read at one
sitting, we must be content to dispense with the
immensely important effect derivable from
unity of impression”
 A poem should be read “at one sitting” to
sustain the “unity of impression”

 Poe believes that if a literary work is too long
to be read in one sitting then its “totality is at
once destroyed”
 Length must be proportional with the intensity
of the intended effect

“the proper length for my intended poem--a
length of about one hundred lines. In is, in
fact, one hundred and eight.”

CHOICE OF AN IMPRESSION
“I kept steadily in view the design of rendering
the work universally appreciable”
 The three main categories to which Poe
believes a literary work is found favorable
with the general public is: Beauty, Truth, and
Passion
 Truth, or the satisfaction of the intellect,
 Passion, or the excitement of the heart,

“When, indeed, men speak of Beauty, they
mean, precisely, not a quality, as is supposed, but
an effect- they refer, in short, just to that intense
and pure elevation of soul- not of intellect, or of
heart- upon which I have commented, and which
is experienced in consequence of contemplating
the "beautiful”.
 “Universally appreciable” = Beauty

“Beauty is the sole legitimate province of the
poem.”

 Poetry can embrace both Truth and Passion
but not in the expense of Beauty.

TONE and PIVOT
 defers to "experience" rather than "inspiration" as
the arbiter of the best choice of tone for poetry:
"all experience has shown that this tone is one
of sadness"

“Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme
development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to
tears”

“Melancholy is thus the most legitimate of
poetical tones.”
 Poe decides upon using the refrain,
-“a phrase, verse, or group of verses repeated at
intervals throughout a song or poem, especially at
the end of each stanza”, or a “a repeated
utterance or theme”
 Refrain is repeated in monotone both in sound
and thought, and is not varied/changed

Character of the word
 The word in the refrain must be:
 a single word
 sonorous - “o” as the most sonorous vowel
 susceptible of protracted emphasis – “r” as
the most producible consonant
 keeps with the intended tone
 “Nevermore”

 spoken by a non-reasoning creature
 Raven
 Equally capable of speech as
that of a parrot
 Infinitely more in keeping with
the intended tone

“I had now gone so far as the conception of a
Raven, the bird of ill-omen, monotonously
repeating the one word "Nevermore" at the
conclusion of each stanza in a poem of
melancholy tone, and in length about one
hundred
lines.”

SUBJECT
"Of all melancholy topics what, according to the
universal understanding of mankind, is the
most melancholy?"
 Death

“When is this most melancholy of topics most
poetical?”
“When death allies itself to Beauty

“The death, then, 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.”

APPLICATION
“I had now to combine the two ideas of a lover
lamenting his deceased mistress and a Raven
continuously repeating the word "Nevermore."
“A Raven employing the word “Nevermore”
in answer to the queries of the lover”

“The lover’s first query must be a commonplace
one – the second less so – the third still less, and
so on – until at length the lover, startled from his
original nonchalance by the melancholy character
of the word itself, is at length excited to
superstition and consequently brought him to the
most intolerable sorrow.”

 Poe made his choice by imagining the last
refrain of the poem:

“I first established in mind the climax, or
the concluding query, to which
“Nevermore” would be the last answer
must involve the utmost conceivable
amount of sorrow and despair.”

RHYTHM AND METRE
“The former is trochaic – the latter is octameter
catalectic, alternating with heptameter catalectic repeated
in the refrain of the fifth verse, and terminating with
tetrameter catalectic.”
(foot= 2 syllables)
1st line: 8 feet (16 syllables)
2nd line: 7 and half feet (15 syllables)
3rd line: 8 feet (16 syllables)
4th line: 7 and half feet (15 syllables)
5th line: the same (15 syllables)
6th line: 3 and half feet (7 syllables)

 The combination of such into stanza makes
“The Raven” original because “nothing even
remotely approaching this combination has
ever been attempted.”

 aided by: application of rhythm & alliteration

MODE
Locale:
the lover’s chamber

 Method of Entry: the window

 Bird’s position: “alight on the bust of Pallas”

 Bird’s position: “alight on the bust of Pallas”

“for the effect of contrast between the marble
and the plumage” “in keeping with the scholarship
of the lover”
“and for the sonorousness of the word, Pallas,
itself.”

THE APPROACHING DENOUEMENT
“But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid
bust, spoke only,
That one word…”
-The Raven
 Drop the fantastic - Tone of deep
seriousness

From this epoch:
 lover no longer jests
 no longer sees anything fantastic in the
raven's demeanour
 Revolution of thought, or fancy
 to induce a similar one on the part of
the reader
 to bring the mind into a proper frame
for the denouement as rapidly and as
directly as possible

 Dénouement is now proper;

 Everything is within the
limits of the
• Accountable
• real

 But for a poem to be really “rich” it must have
two things:
 Complexity or adaptation
Some amount of suggestiveness
(but not too much) or
undercurrent
-implied meaning

“I added the two concluding stanzas of the
poem- their suggestiveness being thus made to
pervade all the narrative which has preceded
them.”

“Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy
form from off my door!
Quoth the Raven ‘Nevermore!’”
 first metaphorical expression:
 "from out my heart"
 The answer “Nevermore” disposes the
mind to seek a moral in all that has
been previously narrated

 Raven as Emblematical
 at very last line of the very last stanza
distinctly seen emblematical of
 Mournful
 Never-ending Remembrance

The Raven
Edgar Allan Poe
[First published in 1845]
Once upon aamidnight dreary, while IIpondered, weak and
Once upon midnight dreary, while pondered, weak and
weary,
weary,
Over many aaquaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
Over many quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While IInodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came aatapping,
While nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," IImuttered, "tapping at my chamber door"'Tis some visitor," muttered, "tapping at my chamber doorOnly this, and nothing more."
Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly IIremember it was in the bleak December,
Ah, distinctly remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly IIwished the morrow;- vainly IIhad sought to borrow
Eagerly wished the morrow;- vainly had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow- sorrow for the lost LenoreFrom my books surcease of sorrow- sorrow for the lost LenoreFor the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name LenoreFor the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name LenoreNameless here for evermore.
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
Thrilled me- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, IIstood repeating,
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber doorSome late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;This it is, and nothing more."
This it is, and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness IIimplore;
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness implore;
But the fact is IIwas napping, and so gently you came rapping,
But the fact is was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That IIscarce was sure IIheard you"- here IIopened wide the
That scarce was sure heard you"- here opened wide the
door;door;Darkness there, and nothing more.
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long IIstood there wondering,
Deep into that darkness peering, long stood there wondering,
fearing,
fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream
before;
before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word,
"Lenore!"
"Lenore!"
This IIwhispered, and an echo murmured back the word,
This whispered, and an echo murmured back the word,
"Lenore!""Lenore!"Merely this, and nothing more.
Merely this, and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again IIheard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
Soon again heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery exploreLet me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery exploreLet my heart be still aamoment and this mystery explore;Let my heart be still moment and this mystery explore;'Tis the wind and nothing more."
'Tis the wind and nothing more."

Open here IIflung the shutter, when, with many aaflirt and
Open here flung the shutter, when, with many flirt and
flutter,
flutter,
In there stepped aastately raven of the saintly days of yore;
In there stepped stately raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not aaminute stopped or stayed
Not the least obeisance made he; not minute stopped or stayed
he;
he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber doorBut, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber doorPerched upon aabust of Pallas just above my chamber doorPerched upon bust of Pallas just above my chamber doorPerched, and sat, and nothing more.
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," IIsaid, "art sure no
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," said, "art sure no
craven,
craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shoreGhastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shoreTell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

Much IImarvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Much marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber doorEver yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber doorBird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."
With such name as "Nevermore."

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered- not aafeather then he flutteredNothing further then he uttered- not feather then he flutteredTill IIscarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown
Till scarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown
beforebeforeOn the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden boreFollowed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden boreTill the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never- nevermore'."
Of 'Never- nevermore'."

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight IIwheeled aacushioned seat in front of bird, and bust
Straight wheeled cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust
and door;
and door;
Then upon the velvet sinking, IIbetook myself to linking
Then upon the velvet sinking, betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yoreFancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yoreWhat this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of
yore
yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This IIsat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
This sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more IIsat divining, with my head at ease reclining
This and more sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen
Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen
censer
censer
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," IIcried, "thy God hath lent thee- by these angels he
"Wretch," cried, "thy God hath lent thee- by these angels he
hath sent thee
hath sent thee
Respite- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore!
Respite- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!- prophet still, if bird or
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!- prophet still, if bird or
devil!devil!Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here
ashore,
ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchantedDesolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchantedOn this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, IIimploreOn this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, imploreIs there- is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, IIimplore!"
Is there- is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, implore!"

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil- prophet still, if bird or
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil- prophet still, if bird or
devil!
devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us- by that God we both
By that Heaven that bends above us- by that God we both
adoreadoreTell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp aasainted maiden whom the angels name LenoreIt shall clasp sainted maiden whom the angels name LenoreClasp aarare and radiant maiden whom the angels name
Clasp rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name
Lenore."
Lenore."

"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," IIshrieked,
"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," shrieked,
upstartingupstarting"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian
shore!
shore!
Leave no black plume as aatoken of that lie thy soul hath
Leave no black plume as token of that lie thy soul hath
spoken!
spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off
my
my
door!"
door!"

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is
dreaming,
dreaming,
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow
on the floor;
on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on
the floor
the floor
Shall be lifted- nevermore!
Shall be lifted- nevermore!

Sources:

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Image Sources:
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Philosophy of composition of Edgar Allan Poe

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