Edgar Allan Poe
 

Edgar Allan Poe

A forthcoming movie titled The Raven is advertised as a murder mystery and thriller based on the final days of Edgar Allan Poe. This got me thinking about Poe’s reputation as a poet and where he stands in the field of contemporary literary criticism.

During discussions on a variety of Eratosphere boards, readers often reference many past and present poets in their commentaries, ranging from the acknowledged masters to little known moderns. Within this continual flow of names, I rarely if ever recall seeing any mention of Poe.

Poe certainly holds a prominent place in American literature, and his contributions as an editor, critic, and story writer are generally acknowledged. But what of his poetry? How has his verse held up to the test of time? How do present-day poets look upon his work?

As with nearly all writers, Poe’s stature and significance have fluctuated with time, but his reputation seems to have taken a heavier thumping than that of other prominent writers. I wonder if any present-day critic places him in the first-rank of American poets. Early on the French embraced Poe as a genius, and his influence on French literature is significant. But how much importance should be placed on the French view? After all, the French also revere the American comedian and entertainer Jerry Lewis—an excessive admiration that has always puzzled many Americans.

Although the circumstances of Poe’s life, his prose writing, and his Romantic character may outweigh his contributions as a poet, among his small output of poetry I find flashes of brilliance.

One poem from the American canon that has been a longtime favorite of mine is Poe’s “Eldorado.” It’s a gem worth admiring.

Eldorado

xxGaily bedight,
xxA gallant knight,
In sunshine and in shadow,
xxHad journeyed long,
xxSinging a song,
In search of Eldorado.

xxBut he grew old—
xxThis knight so bold—
And o'er his heart a shadow
xxFell, as he found
xxNo spot of ground
That looked like Eldorado.

xxAnd, as his strength
xxFailed him at length
He met a pilgrim shadow—
xx"Shadow," said he,
xx"Where can it be—
This land of Eldorado?"

xx"Over the Mountains
xxOf the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
xxRide, boldly ride,"
xxThe shade replied—
"If you seek for Eldorado!"

This little verse exhibits all the skill, control, tightness, and craft found in his best short stories. I enjoy reciting this poem aloud for the sheer pleasure of the sounds. There’s not a wasted or unnecessary word in this compact and lyrical narrative. The literal and symbolic elements employed here merge together seamlessly, and the progression of story and emotion throughout the four stanzas is both deft and striking. The way Poe uses the word shadow is a masterful touch—placing it at the end of the third line of each stanza and subtly changing its meaning and emphasis. Similarly, the repetition of the word Eldorado in the varied final line of each stanza takes on a shifting music and meaning.

Although Poe desired to be remembered as a poet, his legacy largely rests on the Gothic horror tales he created. Nonetheless, his poem “Eldorado” continues to shine in my list of favorite American poems.

Richard

I think Poe is frowned upon by the poetry establishment because some of his work has a camp factor, a sing-song sort of gloom. It's not an opinion I share. And not so much camp as the courage to compose imaginative lyrics to silent songs.

If a poem is still talked about 200 years after its composition, even if I don't particularly like the poem, I have to give it some respect and others should as well. One should note that Poe is the rare poet with whom the average person, the kind of person who doesn't even read very much, is familiar. That says a lot.

Thomas Graves at Scarriet has many articles championing Poe. This is the first of three pages of blog posts where Poe features.

Duncan

Orwn is right. My Irish grandfather, a bricklayer who had to drop out of school when he was a kid, loved to recite, "Quoth the Raven, nevermore!" and more of that poem as well.

Duncan:

I took a look at the article link you provided. An interesting read. This passage leapt out at me:

Rejecting Poe has been a rite of passage for every American poet who has wanted to be taken seriously by his or her peers. The anti-Poe club is not just a large one—it is modern poetry.

That's a bold statement.

Richard

Indeed, Richard! Thomas Graves has huge respect for Poe and very little for the Modernists. One would expect his thesis to be over-stated, but I think he defends it admirably.

Duncan

One of the problems is just how easy it is parody Poe. I wanted to post a particularly efficacious parody I had come across of "The Bells" and went looking for it on the web: I could hardly believe the number of websites specifically devoted to promoting parodies of Poe - over 150 years after his death! A lot of very bad ones but some pretty good ones too. I couldn't find the one I was looking for (and can't remember the author either, which doesn't help). I suppose it's a tribute of a sort but it does make it difficult to take him entirely seriously (as a poet, that is).

Of course, it's possible Poe was already parodying himself and so he's having the last laugh. It would fit in well with his taste for practical jokes, I guess.

Anyone got a favourite parody?

Thanks for that poem Richard--will add it to our Poe repertoire. Three years ago our writers group teamed up with the local arts center and library and did a week of Poe poetry and prose in our small city -- the idea was to get the whole city involved in reading Poe -- via lectures from authors of Poe books, a poetry competition and arts competition for kids and adults, a week of Poe reading in the surrounding schools, a Poe bookclub offering, Poe art walk, and a poetry and music night my husband and I run at Tim Hortons. We normally have between 10-20 people out for poetry night and that night 45 showed up. People asked us to do it again so it has become a tradition with a woodwind quintet playing the Hitchcock themesong and some orignal poem inspired tunes and a few of us who have written our own Poe poems plus reciting Poe originals and telling about his life...I agree it is a good way to interest people in formal poetry --thanks Duncan for the Graves site. Though am thinking we might do Frost in 2012.

Sharon:

That's an interesting and ambitious Poe project you've conducted for your community. Continued good fortune with such endeavors.

Richard

I always thought Poe's reputation as a poet was hyped up by Mallarme and other Frenchmen who didn't understand English all that well. But EAP had many gifts, and I suspect he will be remembered primarily for his detective stories, as the man who gave us the phrase "hidden in plain sight."