2024年5月12日发(作者：蹇奇伟)
Edgar Allen Poe
埃德加· 爱伦· 坡(1809 - 1849)
Edgar Allen Poe
(1809 - 1849)
•most controversial and most misunderstood literary figure in the history of
American literature
•1. Life
•He lived a short and tragic life.
•(1) His childhood was a miserable one. He lost both of his parents when he
was very young and then he was adopted by a wealthy merchant, John Allan.
Poe’s relation with the Allans was unhappy.
•(2) He entered University of Virginia and then West Point but did not finish.
•.
•(3) He worked as editor and writer most of his life and he was always poor.
•(4) At 27 he married his thirteen-year-old cousin, whose death in 1847 left
him inconsolable, which leads to one of his major themes in his poetry: the death
of a young and beautiful woman.
2. Evaluation of Poe
Controversial in America at first. Today, his works are read with
appreciation and understanding:
a villain with no virtue
an evil genius
Emerson: “the jingle man” 叮当诗人/顺口溜作家
Whitman: “its narrow range and unhealthy,
lurid quality” (不丰富的选材和不健康、可怕的质量)
Poe enjoyed respect and welcome in Europe first.
Swinburne, Bernard Shaw, ce and all spoke highly
2024年5月12日发(作者：蹇奇伟)
Edgar Allen Poe
埃德加· 爱伦· 坡(1809 - 1849)
Edgar Allen Poe
(1809 - 1849)
•most controversial and most misunderstood literary figure in the history of
American literature
•1. Life
•He lived a short and tragic life.
•(1) His childhood was a miserable one. He lost both of his parents when he
was very young and then he was adopted by a wealthy merchant, John Allan.
Poe’s relation with the Allans was unhappy.
•(2) He entered University of Virginia and then West Point but did not finish.
•.
•(3) He worked as editor and writer most of his life and he was always poor.
•(4) At 27 he married his thirteen-year-old cousin, whose death in 1847 left
him inconsolable, which leads to one of his major themes in his poetry: the death
of a young and beautiful woman.
2. Evaluation of Poe
Controversial in America at first. Today, his works are read with
appreciation and understanding:
a villain with no virtue
an evil genius
Emerson: “the jingle man” 叮当诗人/顺口溜作家
Whitman: “its narrow range and unhealthy,
lurid quality” (不丰富的选材和不健康、可怕的质量)
Poe enjoyed respect and welcome in Europe first.
Swinburne, Bernard Shaw, ce and all spoke highly