The Philosophy of Composition

by Edgar Allan Poe

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Summary

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Edgar Allan Poe, throughout his career as a poet, short-story writer, and critic, meticulously crafted a set of critical principles regarding literature's nature. He believed that while the simplest literary forms are those grounded in realism or designed to teach a moral lesson, true literary excellence lies in the aesthetic creation of beauty. Elements of this theory appeared sporadically in Poe’s early reviews and prefaces, but "The Philosophy of Composition" represents his most comprehensive and notable theoretical work.

Structure and Intent in Literary Creation

Poe opens his treatise by emphasizing the importance of beginning a literary piece with the conclusion or denouement, working backward to uncover the motivations or causes leading to this end. According to Poe, this approach ensures a cohesive narrative where each incident and tone contributes meaningfully to the overarching purpose. He states that his starting point is always an "effect," ideally one that is unique and striking, followed by determining the ideal mix of incidents and tone to bring this effect to life.

Illustration Through "The Raven"

To elucidate his method, Poe delves into "The Raven," his celebrated poem. A primary consideration in crafting the poem was its length and scope. Poe contended that the concept of a long poem is inherently flawed—a long poem, in essence, is a series of brief poems. His criterion for the length of any literary work was its ability to be consumed in one sitting, as lengthier works lose the critical impact derived from a unified impression. Consequently, Poe constrained his poem to nearly one hundred lines; "The Raven" consists of 108 lines.

Creating the Desired Effect

After determining the poem's length, Poe focused on the "impression" or "effect" he intended to convey. With the belief that beauty is the exclusive realm of poetry, he centered "The Raven" on this universally admired effect. This decision set the tone, which, he concluded, should evoke sadness and melancholy, as beauty often stirs tears in sensitive souls. With these foundational choices in place, Poe selected techniques to effectively realize these effects. The refrain emerged as his first methodological choice, valued for its universal appeal and reliance on repetition and a consistent sound. Despite the repetition, the underlying thought should shift continuously. Poe decided that a single word would serve best as a refrain and identified "nevermore" as the word that captured the sorrowful tone he sought.

Plot and Character as Pretexts

Once these fundamental decisions were finalized, Poe selected a "pretext" for employing "nevermore." Importantly, he did not begin with the plot, theme, or protagonist's personal struggles. Instead, these elements functioned merely as vehicles for the techniques designed to produce the desired effect. Understanding that the repetitive utterance of "nevermore" would be implausible from a reasoning character, Poe chose a raven—a bird symbolizing ill omen—to voice it.

Themes of Melancholy and Beauty

Next, Poe addressed the poem's subject. He acknowledged death as the most melancholy of subjects and famously declared that death linked with beauty is even more poignant: "the death, then, of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most poetical topic in the world." This combination of melancholy and beauty became the thematic backbone of "The Raven."

Critique of Poe's Method

Critics and readers have often challenged Poe's essay, arguing that it presents poetry creation as methodical and calculated, rather than as a product of spontaneous inspiration. Nevertheless, Poe maintained that poetry should be the deliberate crafting of beauty, aiming to delight the reader. He was a staunch formalist who believed that a poem's merit lies in its technique and structure, rather than in its supposed theme or human interest.

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