Student Question
Was Edgar Allan Poe a naturalist or realist?
Quick answer:
Edgar Allan Poe is best categorized as a Romantic writer, known for his Gothic and fantastical elements rather than realism or naturalism. While some of his detective stories touch on naturalistic themes like logical reasoning, his overall style is more aligned with Romanticism. His works often explore dark psychological themes, and although some stories show elements of realism, they are primarily focused on Gothic and supernatural aspects.
I agree with number 4. If you look in most major American literature anthologies, Poe is categorized with the Romantics, mainly because of his Gothic tendencies.
While some of Poe's detective stories are closer to parts of Naturalist philosophy (logical reasoning, fatalism, etc.), they still significantly rely on Romantic elements.
Neither. Poe was a classic example of a Romantic, even more European than the English Romantics. His works contained substantial strains of the Gothic and the fantastic, which takes them away from the point of realism on the continuum. His emphasis on the visceral could be called naturalistic, but his works were too far removed from naturalism to fit into that genre.
Poe liked to explore the darker sides of the human psyche. He was not afraid of delving into the more morbid thoughts and fantasies of man. As mentioned above, he also wrote many love poems. He loved several women in his life and found little joy with any of these women. For the reasons above I would say Poe was more a realist. Realist lovers may not agree but there are several stories that fit the genre.
"Edgar Allan Poe's mystery and science fiction are underacknowledged by realist literary critics. Poe was a pioneer in both genres, and together they constitute, in bulk, half of his short tales. However, the favorite Poe works among realists include 'Ligeia', 'The Fall of the House of Usher', and 'William Wilson'. These are the Poe works that are closest to conventional realistic fiction: there is an emphasis in these works on psychological portraiture, and the study of human relationships. This is quite common, to emphasize those works in an author's canon that correspond to the conventions of conventional literary thought, and ignore the rest. There is no mystery in these works, and the fantasy, where it exists, is strictly supernatural, with no scientific overtones."
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.