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1、埃德加 愛倫 坡用恐怖來娛樂【關(guān)鍵詞】愛倫 坡；恐怖；娛樂I. IntroductionA. Edgar Allan Poes CareerEdgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19, 1809. He is the second child of David Poe and Elizabeth Poe, both of whom were professional actors. Less than two year s old, Poes father deserted the family for som

2、e reasons, leaving his mother and other two children, and his mother died of tuberculosis the following year. Then Poe was adopted by John Allan who was a successful merchant in Richmond. His childhood was not a good memory to him, although he had studied for five years in England and was given a fi

3、ne elementary education. In 1826, he entered the University of Virginia where he studied well and got excellent marks, but he fell into large debts by drinking and gambling that his stepfather refused to pay. As a result, he had to terminate his education career, which made him break off relations w

4、ith John Allan, henceforth beginning his drifting life. After that, in order to make a living, Allan Poe joined the army in the May of 1827, where he stayed for two years. Then he went to the West Point Academy, taking one years course, but he didnt get accustomed to its serious life and eventually

5、was discharged. From then on, Allan Poe formally began his literary career, moving around Richmond, New York and some other places, creating poems for periodicals and once working as an editor with lowest pay just for living.Poes first love ended with the prevention of the girls father. Later, in 18

6、35, Allan Poe married his cousin Virginia. Its Poes prime time of his life and literary career during the twelve years after their marriage. Most of his important works were produced at this time. However, it was not a long time that his wifes death gave him a big blow in spirit. Because of grief at

7、 his wifes death, he had no mood in writing. So in the following two years, he just corrected one novel he had written 5 years ago except for few poems and the same fate on his poor love affairs. On October 3, 1849, Poe died of congestion of brain on a Baltimore street, ending his hard life.B. Allan

8、 Poes WorksDuring Allan Poes lifetime, he created many poems, novels and literary. His literary creation began with poetry writing. In all, he wrote more than 50 poems, most of them are popular, like To Helen, Raven, and the City in the Sea. As a poet, Poe thought that poetry should only appeal to t

9、he sense of beauty, not truth, and set himself against realistic details in poetry. He made good use of a number of poetic devices to create an atmosphere to appropriate to the theme of his poems.Another great contribution to American literature is his short stories. He writes 70 stories; about 20 o

10、f them are famous in the world. Poes short stories can be divided into two categories: tales of grotesque and detective. The former is full of fear and suspense, which has the features of Gothic novels. The representatives are The Fall of the House of Usher, The Black Cat, The Pit and Pendulum, The

11、cask of Amontillado, and Logier. The latter is filled with deduction as well as horror. The representatives are Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mystery of Marie Roget，The Gold Bug and Its You. Poe initiated the era of the detective novels and he was named“the father” of detective novels. Besides, as

12、the first major American critic, Poe stresses the value of art, form and unity that plays an important part in the development of the analytical approach, a method typical of modern criticism. These works have great influence on American and the worlds literature.II. the Source of Allan Poes Creatio

13、n in NovelsA. History Background in the 19th CenturyAllan Poe was born in the 19th century. At that time, the slavery was declining. American got the liberty, but Capitalism was developing swiftly. During the growing of national culture, the new works of the native writers were coming up. After a pe

14、riods turmoil of national literature, its reached the prime time in the first half of 19th century forming the Romantic Movement. American national literature used the vivid manifestation to express the bourgeoisies ideal and compassion in its rising time in content, and was freed from old pattern i

15、n colonial time, all of which made American national literature use romantic creational method. In addition, European literature was in the prime time of Romanticism at that time, and affected American literature. So naturally the trend of Romanticism appeared. And Super-Empiricism was born at that

16、time; its central idea was that human beings could directly get to know truth by his sensation and reason. It stressed the subjective initiation of human beings and provided ideological base to romanticism. It was the liberation movement of ideology that came up as the development of capitalism. The

17、re was another aspect of literature in this time, which was abolishing slavery literature. As Allan Poe received the traditional classic education, he instinctively repelled the development of the Capitalism. The old rules cannot be retrieved and all kinds of adversities which made him produce the h

18、orrible and disillusioned psychology. To some extent, Allan Poes works belonged to Black Romanticismpessimistic, disillusioned and horrible.B. Poes PersonalityThe whole life of Allan Poe was hard. When he was young, he lost his parental love. And then John Allan, a rich merchant, adopted him. Althou

19、gh he accepted some education, he couldnt get the real love from them. He was sensitive, impetuous, and didnt get along well with his stepfather. The failure of family love made Poe feel depressed of future, and soon addicted to drinking, gambling and dragging. All of these vices made him break off

20、relationship with his stepfather. So since then, Poe had to make living by newspaper, magazine and editorial work, which just could keep the pot boiling. To some extent, the depression of life and thought may stimulate his inspiration of literary creation. But, he did not get a higher reputation and

21、 payment at that time because his thought did not coincide with Super-Empiricism.In his later life, his young wifes death undoubtedly gave a big blow to him in spirit. He couldnt accept and endure this fact, and the effect of the abnormal society made him write and drink to express his sorrow and de

22、pression. Before his death, he mentioned:“I was never really insane, except sometimes when my heart attacked.”1 Poes life was full of horrible crime and madness. So he was to get some psychological balance by writing. To a great extent, many of his works were the reflection of Poes real life. In the

23、 late of the 18th century, someone has created the horrible novel, but Allan Poes abnormal character made this type of work to its prime time. The contradiction in his heart reflected its basic character at that time. He realized the breakage between the“new” world and“old” world. America has being

24、freed from economic politics, but doubted literature. He was indulged in past and sensitive to the present. He said highly of noble politics, but doubted demonstration criticism; defending slavery system but deeply against development of commercial economy. He meant to find his own place in traditio

25、nal society, while it pushed him to his opposition, intensifying his loneness. The wreckage of his personal hope enabled him to know the life and society more clearly. He doubted the American dream and predicted many“nightmares” of the contemporary time in the 20th century.III. The Features of Allan

26、 Poes NovelsA. Poes Theory in NovelsAllan Poe has written seventy short stories in his lifetime and about twenty of them are famous in world literature, which make a great contribution to American literature. Poes short stories can be generally divided into two kinds: Gothic and Detective. Poe is co

27、nsidered the pioneer in the development of American short stories. His works make people understand the short stories better as an artistic form from the theory. He insists that everything, every plot, even every word and sentence should come to the effect of unity, expected, or an expressionism.2 A

28、ll of Poes novels embody this famous“effect theory” he has advocated. Poe says the effect is using the beautiful words, describing the plots skillfully to express his perpetual theme in his heartthe beauty and extinction of beauty, the horror of death and the skeptical of grotesque phenomenon. Also,

29、 he advocates innovation, especially the writers fantastic imagination and peculiar design. Only by this, the reader can be really touched and excited.B. The Feature of Gothic NovelsThe word“Goth” dates from the name of gothic tribe in the Teutonic nation, which formerly settled in the northern Euro

30、pean. After several centuries migration, they conquered the powerful Western Roman Empire in 5th century A.D. The strong gothic people are the main force against Roman in the battle. However, like many other nations conquered by advanced civilization in the history, the Goths also rapidly was assimi

31、lated and lost its own nationality. About in 7th century A.D., the Goths, as a nation, has disappeared in history. As they were brave and skillful in the battle, the traumas, hateful and horrible perplexed mind in southern Europeans heart was not dying out. After one thousand years of the extinction

32、 of Western Roman Empire, the Italian Vassar finds out the word“Goth” to address the middle centurys architectural style. This kind of architectural style prevailed on Europe from 12th century to 16th century, which mainly used for building the church and the castle. The architecture usually has a h

33、igh summit, a thick and heavy cliff, narrow windows, tinged glasses, gloomy indoors, the terrible tunnel and even the basement hiding corpse, which represents backwardness, brutality and darkness. This kind of architecture is the symbol of the Dark Ages of the old Romans glorious civilization. And t

34、hen, in the renaissance thinkers eye, the word“Goth” has many meanings, such as brutal, horrible, mysterious, and Dark Ages.Until the late 18th century,“Goth” has become a new form of novel. This sort of novel often sets in old castles, ruins, and the wilds. The stories often happen in the past, esp

35、ecially in the middle ages. The plots are filled with horror and stimulation, murder, violence, revenge, adultery. The ghost and other super-natural phenomenon usually appear in the story. From the beginning to end, the atmosphere is gloomy, mysterious and horrible, and which filled with suspense. A

36、s a new style of novels, it first appeared in the year 1764. The bible and Christianity legend are the most important sources of gothic novels. The most universal, outstanding and lasting theme is the perpetual conflict between evil and good. The gothic novel has not only established its place in En

37、gland but also influenced other countries, especially America. The famous and non-famous writers are passionate for writing this sort of novel, and make it be the main stream in literature.The gothic novel is considered to be Poes most important work. This kind of work almost describes mysterious de

38、ath, super-natural horror, which is thrilling and monstrous with gothic legend in writers tone. The background is generally gothic, such as decadent castle and mansion church or family tomb that is filled with skeleton and tomb-like new house. There are just one or two main characters, but they are

39、educated, rich and elegant in noble family, while at the same time degenerated and declining. They often get the disease that cant be cured and no one can escape the death. All the stories repeat the theme of grim insaneness and difficult position. Beauty makes reader veil in the gloomy horrible atm

40、osphere while reading. Just as Poe emphasizes the“ridiculous heightened into the grotesquethe fearful colored into the horrible; the witty exaggerated into mockerythe singular wrought out the strange and mystical.”3C. Feature of Detective NovelsAllan Poe only wrote five detective novels, but he was

41、considered the father of western detective stories. Because he did not only invent the literary form of detective novels but create the inference of abstract analysis and locate the literary value of detective novels. Poes detective novels are constructed by four parts: mysterious and terrible atmos

42、phere, flexible plots, permanent persons and certain background. The plot has a pattern: lead to detect, how to detect, the result of detecting. The process of solving a case is using inference by compacting logic and placing oneself in others position, then forcing the criminal to commit the crime

43、in good order, and eventually the main hero prides him on explaining the whole accident. This is the pattern of Poes detective novel, which not only contain inference but also horror.IV. The Way to Entertain Using HorrorA. The Relation between Entertainment and Horror People are not lacking of looki

44、ng for excitement constitutionally, but horror can make someone excited for their psychology. Horror cannot hurt someones body, but seeking for pleasant sensation of psychology. Many horrible novels combined the super-natural power, unknown suspense charm with fearful psychology, which formed a stro

45、ng atmosphere to stimulate, satisfy and console the vulnerable hearts. In fact, reading the horrible works is to free him transiently. Horrible novel often describe revenge, murders, intrigue and irrational behavior, which is to expose another side of darkness of society and ugliness of human. To so

46、me extent, this way can balance someones gloomy mood. We can get entertainment and appreciation from reading horrible novels, which is a process of experiencing. With the development of technology and society, although people enjoy abundant resources, they still have some anxieties and fears sometim

47、es. The horrible novel contains these contents. We can associate it when we meet this horror, so readers are fearful but pleasant.B. The Way to Entertain in Horrible NovelWe know that Allan Poes life is hard and rough. He is very sensitive to everything. He is insane and indulges in writing and drin

48、king to get balance and entertainment. His aim is only for entertainment, not truth. He advocates“arts for arts,” writing short stories. He often describes some mysterious, horrible and thrilling phenomenon by using the factor of environment, psychology and detail. His language is skillful and the p

49、lot is arabesque. His theme is the dying out of the beauty, horror of death, color of gloomy and gothic. He emphasizes creating expected atmosphere, and pure arts. To amount to this effect, in his works, he usually produces the nervous and gloomy atmosphere and grotesque phenomenon by the environmen

50、t around all things. Then he begins to write the characters morbid psychology, horrible death, twists of heart-soul and revival from death to foil the atmosphere. Finally, the heroes spirits relieved from the death, by which he can break away from the misery. The misery is relation to the beauty of

51、death, the charm of blood, the connection of brutality and satisfaction. Most of his horrible novels belonged to psychological horror, which are full of psychology struggle, inhibition and fear. Poes inner heart is insane and crazy. So, in his novels, he does use these horrors to reflect himself to

52、get balance and entertainment.1. The Definition of Horrible NovelThere are many kinds of sayings about horrible novel. One says that it is mysterious things suddenly breaking of the reality; the others point out that it is the abnormal substance suddenly appears before the normal items, the eruption

53、 of the unaccepted objects in daily life. Actually, this kind of novel is fantastic, super-natural and romantic. Horrible novel is traced from gothic novel, which called black romanticism. Horrible novel often writes the action of revenge, conspiracy, unreasonable things, which exposed the societys

54、darkness and the side of ugliness of humanity. This kind of novel is to create beauty, because bloody violence, evil of human beings and frightful atmosphere is nonrealistic. Reading horrible novel doesnt feel horrible but release from it, which fully manifests in Allan Poes works.2. The Fall of the

55、 House of UsherThe novel The Fall of the House of Usher is regarded as the worlds most famous short stories. The story described the twin brother and sister of a noble family named the Usher, who lived in their old gloomy house that made people feel stifling. The sister Madeline was long-continued i

56、ll, and her brother Roderick Usher had been baffled with nameless horror, a little insane. Roderick invited“me” to company with him to get rid of his depress. Roderick buried his sister before she was eventually died. The reason is that he has an unexplained psychology illness and seriously sufferin

57、g. After that, Roderick was more miserable and mental-afflicted. Until a wet and windy night, Madeline came out of the coffin and dragged her brother, died together. At that moment, the friend“I” escaped from the house, the house of the Usher also collapsed in the rain. The effect that author expect

58、ed apparently is“horror.”Poes language in the description of the setting and its characters create horrible and gloomy atmosphere in the story. Revolving around the narrator, in the beginning of this story, he describes his attempts to heal his friend,Roderick Ushers, mental disease. The dark house

59、itself generated fear, which is evil. It is shown through gloomy personifications and descriptions. Adjectives such as“gloomy, dark, dying or paler,” which all suggest certain darkness about the building. The theme of“Fear” is developed clearly and concisely, a heavy gray cloud, which carried with R

60、odericks disease and fear. Poe also uses Roderick Usher as an example of fearing fear.“What frightens me is fear itself.”4 The action takes place in an old castle which in itself is gothic. In fact, Roderick was ambivalent in psychology, because he has no choice but waiting for his sisters death. Fa

61、cing the illness of his sister becoming more and more serious, his inner world is very miserable.“I” did not know the truth when he buried his sister prematurely with“me.” The author described the horror with beauty at this time. Such as“when she died, smile and aula still existed on her face”.5 we

62、would be surprised and felt horrific about her complexion. After following days,“I” often found some strange things. Also the friends, his countenance and mood were different from ever before. Here, Poe also used the psychological analytical ways to create the atmosphere. A threatening feeling, a fe

63、ar enhanced by the unknown sounds in the house when they were reading book. The plot was built upon the mystery of Usher and his sister, Madeline. In particular, the description of the strange sounds which seemed from Madelines moan, and then she appeared bloodily before the Roderick Ushers with wea

64、ring grave clothes. Finally, they died together, the horror and mental pressure is ended with the death.We cannot only release our feelings but also get the sense of beauty from the horror. For example, we can get to know the Madelines gloomy and classic appearance when she was buried by his brother

65、. The narrator himself is highly sentimental, giving the reader the sense that the narrator overcome with terror. Poe had described his dislike for the house and his feeling of impending destiny. Metonymies of gloom and horror are used effectively to describe Madelines looming. Strong wind represent

66、ed the horrors in the atmosphere while the storm outside symbolized the same. They provide an element of mystery and danger. Poe successfully created a story with Gothic elements and employed several techniques to ensure its success. In terms of plot, descriptions and atmosphere, they all contain thedoom and gloom of G