"
Whatever judgments the various critics may give of Poe and his
writings, they must all agree that he is original. He is a clever
writer in a limited field. His writings have a glow and burnish that
have their origin in his fondness for sensations, color, and vividness
of details. He loves mystery and terror,--not the fancies and fears of
a child, but overwrought nerves. His material is unreal, and remote
from ordinary life. His characters are abnormal, and the world they
live in is exceptional. He is inventive, original in arranging his
material, and shallow but keen in his thinking.
He believed that art and life have little in common, and in his
writings seemed to be unmoved by friendship, loyalty, patriotism,
courage, self-sacrifice or any of the great positive attributes of
life that make living worth while. His writings lack the human touch,
tenderness, and the buoyancy of sympathy. He is an artist who does his
work with a clear-cut, hard finish. His choice of words, vivid
pictures, and clearly evolved plots make his writings excellent
studies for any one who wishes to develop literary appreciation and to
learn to write.
GENERAL REFERENCES
_Studies and Appreciations_, L.E. Gates.
_American Prose Masters_, William Crary Brownwell.
_The Short Story in English_, Henry Seidel Canby.
_Edgar Poe_, R.H. Button.
_Inquiries and Opinions_, Brander Matthews.
Pages:
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134