Analysis of Styles and Themes in The Writings of Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was overlooked as a writer in his lifetime, much like most writers of the era. All his writings are still studied and analyzed by most anybody in literature related teachings. His themes differ throughout his writings, but all arise from the foundation style of Poe’s writings. Poe’s life experiences had an impact on his works and shined from his articulate thought processes. Each writing has an underlying dark tone to which adds suspense to the reading and grasps the curious reader’s attention with every descriptive, entangling word that is utilized in every line in the writings. Poe’s style is argued among most scholars, one central style that he is most well-known for, that is agreed upon by all, is gothic. Transcendentalism and romanticism styles are also seen in some elements within the writings. Poe stayed aligned moreover with the gothic style but the themes in his stories differed among themselves.

Most writers, such as Herman Melville, wrote about the sea in basically every piece he produced. It was also a common thing to have two titles per one literary worked which is not a usual occurrence in today’s writings. Poe kept it quite simple within his morose temperament and relayed his inner thoughts into each masterpiece he created. Each writer is different within their works and may write from the heart or the imagination, but some argue that Poe wrote his works from his past experiences and projected his inner thoughts and beliefs onto the paper before him. He was true to himself and wanted to portray that in his writings. Poe was a critic on other’s writings, so he was to be sure his works were without flaw. Poe was known to ignore the happenings of the times and lived among his own existence, “Edgar Allan Poe, that strange genius of a hack writer, lived in such a narcissistic cocoon of torment as to be all but blind to the booming American nation around him, and so, perversely, became a mythic presence in the American literary consciousness”.

Poe not only had the ability to create the scenery and mood for the writer but could manipulate one set style into others as well, “The gothic easily morphs into associated genres like horror, terror, the macabre, and mystery”. Reading a work from Poe is almost otherworldly, he was known to make the words come to life and put the reader within the events throughout the work. The themes he used in his pieces ranged from love, impermanence and uncertainty, nature, imagination, despair, hope and the subconscious self that was not known at the time before Freud trademarked the conscious, subconscious and the id. He was the origin of the new genres that arose from the original gothic style such as science fiction, stories of detective related cases, and other forms of Gothicism.

Poe is known mostly for his short stories that have proven to be so popular in classes abroad, but Poe initially began his career writing poetry. One poem of Poe’s, “’To Helen’ is a three stanza lyric that has been called one of the most beautiful love poems in the English language”. This poem was written by Poe about his first love from years passed. She was believed to be the initial influence on Poe’s poetic beginnings. Love being the theme of this short poem, describes the narrator’s feelings toward Helen. Every line is so descriptive in a way that the words become personified and it brings a sense of existence in every word. Helen was compared to a Greek God, “Like those Nicean barks of yore…”. Helen is compared to other Greek deities and described in a magnificent, loving way that truly shown the immense feelings toward this person.

The poem begins with Helen being compared to beautiful things and how her beauty can seemingly make a wanderer seem as if he is now arrived at his destination. The narrator speaks of rough seas and a meaningless journey until Helen becomes a part of it. Helen’s beauty is described as drawing, “Thy Niad airs have brought me home…”. Niads were mythical creatures infamous for drawing in seaman to their watery graves. Helen’s beauty is an attractant for the “weary, way-worn wanderer…” as Poe states in this piece. When Helen is spotted, it is like being home again as opposed to being aimlessly abroad. This poem gave insight to how much love was obtained for one person and the impact that love could have on a person.

A popular writing of Poe’s, “Two stories, ‘Ligeia’ and ‘The Fall of the House of Usher,’ both published in 1839, show clearly Poe's continual turning to classical values and themes”. Ligeia had an undertone theme of love even though it was not the central attention within the piece. Other themes Poe utilized which was prevalent in “The Fall of the House of Usher”, were madness, which was used often, fear, and the implementation of imagination. Poe seemed to try and make his writings a mystery that the reader is to solve whilst reading. Every sentence leaves suspense for the next, which makes for a more enticing read.

In “The Fall of the House of Usher” Poe paints the scene with words in the first sentence that sets the dreary tone for the story. As the narrator rides upon the House of Usher, he states:

“I looked upon the scene before me-upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain-upon the bleak walls-upon the vacant eye-like windows-upon a few rank sedges-and upon a few white trunks of decayed trees-with an utter depression of soul which I can compare to no earthly sensation more properly than to the after-dream of the reveler upon opium-the bitter lapse into every-day life-the hideous dropping off of the veil”.

Poe activates the imagination by describing this eccentric, dark residence for the reader to envision. He intertwines the activation of the imagination and mystery with fear as the narrator himself was weary of this sight. The narrator once knew the main Usher, Roderick, so he knew in his mind that there was no plausible explanation for his internal feelings of the estate. The narrator knew something was off kilter within the home. Perhaps, if the descriptive explanation of the place or residents does not expose the theme of fear, one aspect is evident that all typically fear, the unknown.

The narrator is informed by Roderick that Roderick’s sister has been ridden with an unknown illness that also strikes the mystery aspect within the situation. The narrator states that he has known Roderick for many years but knew very little about the man. Mystery is utilized throughout the entire story within the unknowingness of the narrator’s host. The reader can also sense the claustrophobic feel within the reading as it seems all are trapped within the ghastly walls, ignorant to what is to occur. The unavoidable proximity is used in two aspects: the actual confinement of the home, and metaphorically to describe the closeness of the family as it is discovered that the bloodline of the Ushers has been internalized with no outreaching branches on the family tree. The decrepit state of the withering establishment is also used simultaneously describe the crumbling foundation of the family, as only two Ushers remain. This information relays the mystery in the home and leaves the reader imagining why this would every happen or be normalized within a family as it is a strange occurrence.

As days pass, the sister dies and is buried below in the house amongst the other tombs. This sight instills more fear as the narrator descends to and describes the bowels of the eerie abode. The sister, that was previously thought as dead and was buried, arose from her false grave because she was in fact, not deceased. “MADMAN! I TELL YOU THAT SHE NOW STANDS WITHOUT THE DOOR!” (Poe 2485). Another occurrence of fear and the paranormal as the sister stands before them, alive, even though it was known that she was put within the underground tombs. Fear and horror fill the dwindling ending of the story and grabs the attention of the reader, “The evident and most prominent aim of Mr. Poe is originality, either of idea, or the combination of ideas” (Freeland). Poe was well capable of intensifying a simple theme so it could be physically grasping as well as mentally.

Poetry is a world that knows no bounds. Some poems rhyme, others do not. It is a style of freedom that can withhold any idea the writer may have. It is the only form of writing that can be free and have no restrictions to any idea or imagination that visits it. It is a beautiful form of writing that allows expressions of all. An easier read of Poe’s literature is “Sonnet-To Science”. It is a sonnet that differs from the other works. It lacks the exhibiting factors of love, fear, or any additional themes Poe used as his tools. Poetry is made for imagination and the use of anything the writer desires to use. Poe is stating that science inhibits that for the poet. Science takes away from the imagination and freedom of the writing as he states, “Science! true daughter of Old Time thou art! Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes” (Poe 2529). Science is ever evolving and Poe lived in a time of Revolution where science became more prevalent in discoveries abroad. The advancement of the times was ruining the creativity that was required for the writing of poetry. Poetry was a way for writers and readers alike to escape the inevitable corruption that the world foreshadowed through its cruel and unstoppable occurrences of war and the division of nations. Poe was resenting science in the sonnet as he thought it may ultimately strangulate the art as it was. This piece is another example of how Poe can master any theme he so wishes to implement in his works.

Even though short stories are the initial destination the mind goes to when it is reminded of Poe, poetry was also in the mix. Poe originated many ideas and styles throughout his years of writing and projected his prior experiences within his work. Poe wrote in such a way that every word was given personified existence. Some writings could make the heart race and others could make the heart break. Poe’s play on the senses set him apart from most and popularized his many stories and poems. Poe set the foundation for many ways of thinking today that ranges from the production of movies and writings alike. Writings of the time could become monotonous as the same theme overlapped within the story. Even though Poe is well-known for his dark, macabre work, his themes differed greatly throughout his arsenal. Love or darkness were undertones for most writings, the writings were all personalized and different from the next. Poe also used some of his works as allusions in his other writings, as where most utilize allusions from outside sources, Poe used his own, so every work built on each other. Although mostly unknown in his lifetime, Poe’s writings will live on until the end of time.

Works Cited

• Doctorow, E. L. “Our Edgar.” Virginia Quarterly Review, vol. 82, no. 4, Fall 2006, pp. 240 247. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=22896688&site=ehost-live.
• Freeland, Natalka. “`One of an Infinite Series of Mistakes’: Mystery, Influence, and Edgar Allan Poe.” ATQ, vol. 10, no. 2, June 1996, p. 123. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=9607293664&site=ehost live.
• Robertson, John W., et al. Edgar Allan Poe. 2019, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/edgar allan-poe. Accessed 11 Nov. 2019.
• The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Houghton Mifflin, 2006.
• Unrue, Darlene Harbour. “Edgar Allan Poe: The Romantic as Classicist.” International Journal of the Classical Tradition, vol. 1, no. 4, Spring 1995, pp. 112–119. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/BF02677053.
• White, Craig. “Edgar Allan Poe.” Poe Style Sheet, http://coursesite.uhcl.edu/HSH/Whitec/texts/AmClassics/poems/PoePoems/PoeStyle.htm.