埃德加愛倫坡用恐怖來娛樂英語畢業(yè)論文

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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. Introduction A. Edgar Allan Poe’s Career Edgar 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, Poe’s father deserted the

2、 family for some 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

3、 was given a fine 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

4、off relations with 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 year’s course, but he didn’t get accustomed to its serious lif

5、e and eventually 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. Poe’s first love ended with the prevention of the girl’s

6、 father. Later, in 1835, Allan Poe married his cousin Virginia. It’s Poe’s 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 wife’s death gave him a big blow in spi

7、rit. Because of grief at his wife’s 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, endi

8、ng his hard life. B. Allan Poe’s Works During Allan Poe’s 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

9、 poetry should only appeal to the 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.

10、 He writes 70 stories; about 20 of them are famous in the world. Poe’s 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 Bla

11、ck Cat, The Pit and Pendulum, The 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 It’s You. Poe initiated the era of the detective novels and he was named“the father

12、” of detective novels. Besides, as 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 world’s literature.

13、 II. the Source of Allan Poe’s Creation in Novels A. History Background in the 19th Century Allan 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 th

14、e native writers were coming up. After a period’s turmoil of national literature, it’s 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 bourgeoisie’s ideal and compassion in its rising tim

15、e in content, and was freed from old pattern in 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 ap

16、peared. And Super-Empiricism was born at that 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

17、 came up as the development of capitalism. There 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 kin

18、ds of adversities which made him produce the horrible and disillusioned psychology. To some extent, Allan Poe’s works belonged to Black Romanticism—pessimistic, disillusioned and horrible. B. Poe’s Personality The whole life of Allan Poe was hard. When he was young, he lost his parental love. And

19、then John Allan, a rich merchant, adopted him. Although he accepted some education, he couldn’t get the real love from them. He was sensitive, impetuous, and didn’t get along well with his stepfather. The failure of family love made Poe feel depressed of future, and soon addicted to drinking, gambli

20、ng and dragging. All of these vices made him break off 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 literar

21、y creation. But, he did not get a higher reputation and payment at that time because his thought did not coincide with Super-Empiricism. In his later life, his young wife’s death undoubtedly gave a big blow to him in spirit. He couldn’t accept and endure this fact, and the effect of the abnormal so

22、ciety made him write and drink to express his sorrow and depression. Before his death, he mentioned:“I was never really insane, except sometimes when my heart attacked.”1 Poe’s life was full of horrible crime and madness. So he was to get some psychological balance by writing. To a great extent, man

23、y of his works were the reflection of Poe’s real life. In the late of the 18th century, someone has created the horrible novel, but Allan Poe’s 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 brea

24、kage between the“new” world and“old” world. America has being 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

25、commercial economy. He meant to find his own place in traditional 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 co

26、ntemporary time in the 20th century. III. The Features of Allan Poe’s Novels A. Poe’s Theory in Novels Allan 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. Poe’s short stories c

27、an be generally divided into two kinds: Gothic and Detective. Poe is considered 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 sentenc

28、e should come to the effect of unity, expected, or an expressionism.2 All of Poe’s 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 heart—the beauty and extinction of bea

29、uty, the horror of death and the skeptical of grotesque phenomenon. Also, he advocates innovation, especially the writer’s fantastic imagination and peculiar design. Only by this, the reader can be really touched and excited. B. The Feature of Gothic Novels The word“Goth” dates from the name of go

30、thic tribe in the Teutonic nation, which formerly settled in the northern European. 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 conqu

31、ered by advanced civilization in the history, the Goths also rapidly was assimilated 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 souther

32、n European’s heart was not dying out. After one thousand years of the extinction of Western Roman Empire, the Italian Vassar finds out the word“Goth” to address the middle century’s architectural style. This kind of architectural style prevailed on Europe from 12th century to 16th century, which mai

33、nly used for building the church and the castle. The architecture usually has a high 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 architect

34、ure is the symbol of the Dark Ages of the old Roman’s glorious civilization. And then, in the renaissance thinker’s 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

35、 sets in old castles, ruins, and the wilds. The stories often happen in the past, especially 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,

36、 the atmosphere is gloomy, mysterious and horrible, and which filled with suspense. As 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 conf

37、lict between evil and good. The gothic novel has not only established its place in England 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 cons

38、idered to be Poe’s most important work. This kind of work almost describes mysterious death, super-natural horror, which is thrilling and monstrous with gothic legend in writer’s tone. The background is generally gothic, such as decadent castle and mansion church or family tomb that is filled with s

39、keleton and tomb-like new house. There are just one or two main characters, but they are educated, rich and elegant in noble family, while at the same time degenerated and declining. They often get the disease that can’t be cured and no one can escape the death. All the stories repeat the theme of g

40、rim insaneness and difficult position. Beauty makes reader veil in the gloomy horrible atmosphere while reading. Just as Poe emphasizes the“ridiculous heightened into the grotesque—the fearful colored into the horrible; the witty exaggerated into mockery—the singular wrought out the strange and myst

41、ical.”3 C. Feature of Detective Novels Allan Poe only wrote five detective novels, but he was 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 dete

42、ctive novels. Poe’s detective novels are constructed by four parts: mysterious and terrible atmosphere, 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 compac

43、ting logic and placing oneself in others’ position, then forcing the criminal to commit the crime in good order, and eventually the main hero prides him on explaining the whole accident. This is the pattern of Poe’s detective novel, which not only contain inference but also horror. IV. The Way to E

44、ntertain Using Horror A. The Relation between Entertainment and Horror People are not lacking of looking for excitement constitutionally, but horror can make someone excited for their psychology. Horror cannot hurt someone’s body, but seeking for pleasant sensation of psychology. Many horrible no

45、vels combined the super-natural power, unknown suspense charm with fearful psychology, which formed a strong 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 an

46、d irrational behavior, which is to expose another side of darkness of society and ugliness of human. To some extent, this way can balance someone’s gloomy mood. We can get entertainment and appreciation from reading horrible novels, which is a process of experiencing. With the development of technol

47、ogy and society, although people enjoy abundant resources, they still have some anxieties and fears sometimes. 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 Novel We know that Allan

48、 Poe’s life is hard and rough. He is very sensitive to everything. He is insane and indulges in writing and drinking 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 th

49、rilling phenomenon by using the factor of environment, psychology and detail. His language is skillful and the plot 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

50、, in his works, he usually produces the nervous and gloomy atmosphere and grotesque phenomenon by the environment around all things. Then he begins to write the character’s morbid psychology, horrible death, twists of heart-soul and revival from death to foil the atmosphere. Finally, the heroes’ spi

51、rits relieved from the death, by which he can break away from the misery. The misery is relation to the beauty of 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 a

52、nd fear. Poe’s inner heart is insane and crazy. So, in his novels, he does use these horrors to reflect himself to get balance and entertainment. 1. The Definition of Horrible Novel There are many kinds of sayings about horrible novel. One says that it is mysterious things suddenly breaking of the

53、 reality; the others point out that it is the abnormal substance suddenly appears before the normal items, the eruption 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 roman

54、ticism. Horrible novel often writes the action of revenge, conspiracy, unreasonable things, which exposed the society’s 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 non–realistic. Read

55、ing horrible novel doesn’t feel horrible but release from it, which fully manifests in Allan Poe’s works. 2. The Fall of the House of Usher The novel The Fall of the House of Usher is regarded as the world’s most famous short stories. The story described the twin brother and sister of a noble fami

56、ly named the Usher, who lived in their old gloomy house that made people feel stifling. The sister Madeline was long-continued ill, 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 buri

57、ed his sister before she was eventually died. The reason is that he has an unexplained psychology illness and seriously suffering. 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 tha

58、t moment, the friend“I” escaped from the house, the house of the Usher also collapsed in the rain. The effect that author expected apparently is“horror.” Poe’s language in the description of the setting and its characters create horrible and gloomy atmosphere in the story. Revolving around the narr

59、ator, in the beginning of this story, he describes his attempts to heal his friend,‘Roderick Ushers’, mental disease. The dark house 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

60、 certain darkness about the building. The theme of“Fear” is developed clearly and concisely, a heavy gray cloud, which carried with Roderick’s 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 whi

61、ch in itself is gothic. In fact, Roderick was ambivalent in psychology, because he has no choice but waiting for his sister’s death. Facing 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 wit

62、h“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 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

63、different from ever before. Here, Poe also used the psychological analytical ways to create the atmosphere. A threatening feeling, a fear 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

64、 description of the strange sounds which seemed from Madeline’s moan, and then she appeared bloodily before the Roderick Ushers with wearing 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

65、 of beauty from the horror. For example, we can get to know the Madeline’s gloomy and classic appearance when she was buried by his brother. 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

66、 his feeling of impending destiny. Metonymies of gloom and horror are used effectively to describe Madeline’s looming. Strong wind represented 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 the‘doom and gloom’ of G