1、Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849),Poes Theories on Poetry,His poetry express the same deep hopelessness and rejection of the world as his prose, but in a different way. Expressed in his works “The Philosophy of Composition”,写作的哲学 “The Poetic principle”诗歌原理 1. He avoids the intrusion of ugliness and trie
2、s to create a vision of beauty and a melodious sound. The chief aim is beauty.,2. The function of poetry is not to summarize and interpret earthly experience, but to create a mood in which the soul soars toward supernal beauty. The basic tone is melancholy. 3. He stresses rhythm, opposed to “the her
3、esy of the didactic” and called for “Pure poetry”, defined true poetry as “the rhythmical creation of beauty” . The artistry of poetry lies not in what is being said but in the way it is said. 4. The creation of work of art requires the utmost concentration and unity, as well as the most scrupulous
4、use of words.,The Fall of the House of Usher (1839)The Raven (1845) To Helen (1848)Annabel Lee (1849),Main Literary Works,To Helen 致海伦,海伦，你的美在我的眼里， 有如往日尼西亚的三桅船 船行在飘香的海上，悠悠地 把已倦于漂泊的困乏船员 送回他故乡的海岸。早已习惯于在怒海上飘荡， 你典雅的脸庞，你的鬈发，,你水神般的风姿带我返航， 返回那往时的希腊和罗马， 返回那往时的壮丽和辉煌。看哪！壁龛似的明亮窗户里， 我看见你站着，多像尊雕像， 一盏玛瑙的灯你拿在手上！ 塞
5、姬女神哪，神圣的土地,才是你家乡！,To Helen,Stanza 1 The poet first mentioned Helen, the most famous beauty in Great mythology. Then Poe compared himself to Odysseus, who wandered for ten years over the sea to get home. As Odysseus, Edgar Allan Poe was persistent in his chasing after fine arts with the sincere belie
6、f that art, or beauty and truth, is the ultimate aim, the home, for the wandering poet; while Helen, the embodiment of ancient beauty, is the guider to that dreamland.,Stanza 2,All the art and literature originated from one thing-beauty. Having taken Helen as the embodiment of beauty, the poet was c
7、onfident that once he saw Helen, he was sure to be led by Helen to the home of beauty-fine and pure literature. Poe insisted that Greece and Rome are the homes of beauty, the treasure houses of fine art and literature.,Stanza 3,The speaker sees Helen standing in the bright niche and holding in her h
8、and an agate lamp. She is quite similar to goddess Psyche from Greek Myth. Through his description of his passion to Helen, Poe expressed his pursuit and sincere devotion to beauty. In the poem, three beauties in ancient Greek mythologyHelen, Naiad and Psyche-are mentioned just to show that beauty i
9、s something that existed; it is very holy but it is hard to reach.,Questions on “To Helen“,1. Although the poem is about a real person, is lines written in passionate boyhood to the first purely and ideal woman in his soul, Poe addressed it to Helen, why might he have done this? 2In the final stanza
10、, Helen is addressed as Psyche the Greek word for “ breath” or “soul”. How do you reconcile this with the earlier references to Helen of Troy, whose legendary beauty led to the Trojan War? Beauty-to truth-to soul 3. Note that all three stanzas end with a reference to a place-native shore, Greece and
11、 Rome, and Holy land. How are these related to each other? To the meaning of the poem as a whole? Beauty is truth and leads to spiritual oneness and artistic integrity,The Raven,爱伦坡的长诗乌鸦发表于1845年。诗作发表之后引起轰动，有出版商请著名的插画家Gustave Dor为这首长诗创作了25幅插画。 爱伦坡(Edgar Allan Poe) ，生于1809年，他27岁时与自己14岁的表妹弗吉尼亚克莱姆结婚。他们婚
12、后的生活穷困潦倒。1847年，爱伦坡的妻子被病魔夺去了生命。两年后，他也死于饮酒过度。他的悲伤就如诗中失去至爱的主人公。他的灵魂，如诗中那团在地板上漂浮的阴暗被擢升，且永不复还！与译作比，我更喜欢英文版的诗。诗中的“Nevermore”是无法翻译的忧伤和绝望。,美国著名作家爱伦坡是世界文坛上最著名、最浪漫的天才之一。但爱伦坡的一生，历经了屈辱与苦难。他自小就是个孤儿，受尽了白眼与欺辱。在被一个富有的烟草商人收为养子后，由于不能博得养父的欢心，竟被骂为“白痴”，用棍棒打出家门。当他在西点军校求学时，有一次，应该持枪在操场练习时，他却躲在房子里写诗，结果被教官发现，送去军事法庭审判，而后在所有学员
13、的蔑视中被踢了出去。,把压力和不幸转化为奋进的力量 爱伦坡,在他26岁时，他与年仅13岁的表妹维琴妮亚不顾一切地热恋并结婚了，那是爱伦坡一生中最美好的时光，但也给他们夫妇带来了莫大的痛苦。许多人认为他疯了，劝他尽早结束这幕悲剧；更有许多人奉劝维琴妮亚离开这个穷光蛋，在他们眼里，爱伦坡根本不配拥有爱情和一切美好的东西。可是，世俗终归是世俗，市井小人永远不会领悟到伟大的爱情是如何产生的。爱伦坡夫妇用世间最牢固的爱情击垮了一切流言，他俩的婚姻是最美满幸福的.,维琴妮亚用温柔与爱启示爱伦坡写成了很多最优美的诗句，其中就有那篇不朽的名诗乌鸦。这首诗爱伦坡写了又写，改了又改，足足花费了十年的时间，可是仅卖
14、了十块钱。这件事立刻在当地传为最大的笑话，爱伦坡成为了公认的弱智与无能之辈。许多人都为自己能够识别出一个白痴而骄傲，感觉自己与相中良马的伯乐一样出色(但是他们犯了最大的错误，今天这首诗的原稿已售价数万美元)。,在纽约的郊外，有一处四周都种了苹果树的房子。在这所房子里，住着爱伦坡和他年轻的太太，他们以每月3美元的租金租借此房。可是，他大半时候穷得没有饭钱，更别提房租了。维琴妮亚病倒在床，可他竟没有分文替她买些食物和药物。有时候，他们整天饿着肚子，当院里车前草开花时，他们便煮它充饥。除了肉体的折磨，还有来自旁人的冷嘲热讽。但爱伦坡几尽疯狂地写诗，强烈的成功的欲望使他忘记了一切苦痛，在他的脑海中，只
15、有两个字：奋斗！ 体弱的维琴妮亚终究敌不过饥寒交迫，在一个寒冷的冬夜，带着令人感动的爱去了。失去了爱妻，爱伦坡几乎崩溃了，惟一支撑他的只有成功的信念了。在爱妻的坟墓旁，他强忍着泪水和思念，拿着笔，一刻也不放下，他用尽一切气力，投身于创作。从白天到夜晚，从夜晚到梦中，从梦中又到白天终于，使他写出了感人肺腑的爱的称颂。爱伦坡终于迎来了成功。,The Raven,The Raven,从前一个阴郁的子夜，我独自沉思，慵懒疲竭， 沉思许多古怪而离奇、早已被人遗忘的传闻 当我开始打盹，几乎入睡，突然传来一阵轻擂， 仿佛有人在轻轻叩击，轻轻叩击我的房门。 “有人来了，”我轻声嘟喃，“正在叩击我的房门 唯此而
16、已，别无他般。”,哦，我清楚地记得那是在萧瑟的十二月； 每一团奄奄一息的余烬都形成阴影伏在地板。 我当时真盼望翌日；因为我已经枉费心机 想用书来消除悲哀消除因失去丽诺尔的悲叹 因那被天使叫作丽诺尔的少女，她美丽娇艳 在这儿却默默无闻，直至永远。,那柔软、暗淡、飒飒飘动的每一块紫色窗布 使我心中充满前所未有的恐怖我毛骨悚然； 为平息我心儿停跳我站起身反复叨念 “这是有人想进屋，在叩我的房门。 更深夜半有人想进屋，在叩我的房门； 唯此而已，别无他般。”,很快我的心变得坚强；不再犹疑，不再彷徨， “先生，”我说，“或夫人，我求你多多包涵； 刚才我正睡意昏昏，而你来敲门又那么轻， 你来敲门又那么轻，轻
17、轻叩击我的房门， 我差点以为没听见你”说着我拉开门扇； 唯有黑夜，别无他般。,凝视着夜色幽幽，我站在门边惊惧良久， 疑惑中似乎梦见从前没人敢梦见的梦幻； 可那未被打破的寂静，没显示任何迹象。 “丽诺尔？”便是我嗫嚅念叨的唯一字眼， 我念叨“丽诺尔！”，回声把这名字轻轻送还， 唯此而已，别无他般。,我转身回到房中，我的整个心烧灼般疼痛， 很快我又听到叩击声，比刚才听起来明显。 “肯定，”我说，“肯定有什么在我的窗棂； 让我瞧瞧是什么在那里，去把那秘密发现 让我的心先镇静一会儿，去把那秘密发现； 那不过是风，别无他般！”,我猛然推开窗户，心儿扑扑直跳就像打鼓， 一只神圣往昔的健壮乌鸦慢慢走进我房间
18、； 它既没向我致意问候；也没有片刻的停留； 而以绅士淑女的风度，栖在我房门的上面 栖在我房门上方一尊帕拉斯半身雕像上面 栖坐在那儿，仅如此这般。,于是这只黑鸟把我悲伤的幻觉哄骗成微笑， 以它那老成持重一本正经温文尔雅的容颜， “虽然冠毛被剪除，”我说，“但你肯定不是懦夫， 你这幽灵般可怕的古鸦，漂泊来自夜的彼岸 请告诉我你尊姓大名，在黑沉沉的冥府阴间！” 乌鸦答日“永不复还。”,听见如此直率的回答，我惊叹这丑陋的乌鸦， 虽说它的回答不着边际与提问几乎无关； 因为我们不得不承认，从来没有活着的世人 曾如此有幸地看见一只鸟栖在他房门的面 鸟或兽栖在他房间门上方的半身雕像上面， 有这种名字“永不复还
19、。”,但那只独栖于肃穆的半身雕像上的乌鸦只说了 这一句话，仿佛它倾泻灵魂就用那一个字眼。 然后它便一声不吭也不把它的羽毛拍动 直到我几乎是喃喃自语“其他朋友早已消散 明晨它也将离我而去如同我的希望已消散。” 这时那鸟说“永不复还。”,惊异于那死寂漠漠被如此恰当的回话打破， “肯定，”我说，“这句话是它唯一的本钱， 从它不幸动主人那儿学未。一连串无情飞灾 曾接踵而至，直到它主人的歌中有了这字眼 直到他希望的挽歌中有了这个忧伤的字眼 永不复还，永不复还。”,但那只乌鸦仍然把我悲伤的幻觉哄骗成微笑， 我即刻拖了张软椅到门旁雕像下那只鸟跟前； 然后坐在天鹅绒椅垫上，我开始冥思苦想， 浮想连着浮想，猜度
20、这不祥的古鸟何出此言 这只狰狞丑陋可怕不吉不祥的古鸟何出此言， 为何聒噪永不复还。”,我坐着猜想那意见但没对那鸟说片语只言。 此时，它炯炯发光的眼睛已燃烧进我的心坎； 我依然坐在那儿猜度，把我的头靠得很舒服， 舒舒服服地靠在那被灯光凝视的天鹅绒衬垫， 但被灯光爱慕地凝视着的紫色的天鹅绒衬垫， 她将显出，啊，永不复还！,接着我想，空气变得稠密，被无形香炉熏香， 提香炉的撒拉弗的脚步声响在有簇饰的地板。 “可怜的人，”我呼叫，“是上帝派天使为你送药， 这忘忧药能中止你对失去的丽诺尔的思念； 喝吧如吧，忘掉对失去的丽诺尔的思念！” 乌鸦说“永不复还。”,“先知！”我说“凶兆！仍是先知，不管是鸟还是魔
21、！ 是不是魔鬼送你，或是暴风雨抛你来到此岸， 孤独但毫不气馁，在这片妖惑鬼崇的荒原 在这恐怖萦绕之家告诉我真话，求你可怜 基列有香膏吗？告诉我告诉我，求你可怜！” 乌鸦说“永不复还。”,“先知！”我说，“凶兆！仍是先知、不管是鸟是魔！ 凭我们头顶的苍天起誓凭我们都崇拜的上帝起誓 告诉这充满悲伤的灵魂。它能否在遥远的仙境 拥抱被天使叫作丽诺尔的少女，她纤尘不染 拥抱被天使叫作丽诺尔的少女，她美丽娇艳。” 乌鸦说“永不复还。”,“让这话做我们的道别之辞，鸟或魔！”我突然叫道 “回你的暴风雨中去吧，回你黑沉沉的冥府阴间！ 别留下黑色羽毛作为你的灵魂谎言的象征！ 留给我完整的孤独！快从我门上的雕像滚蛋
22、！ 从我心中带走你的嘴；从我房门带走你的外观！” 乌鸦说“永不复还。”,那乌鸦并没飞去，它仍然栖息，仍然栖息 在房门上方那苍白的帕拉斯半身雕像上面； 而它的眼光与正在做梦的魔鬼眼光一模一样， 照在它身上的灯光把它的阴影投射在地板； 而我的灵魂，会从那团在地板上漂浮的阴暗 被擢升而起永不复还！,注：插画作者是古斯塔夫多雷（Gustave Dor）(1832-1883)，德国著名的插画家。他为爱伦坡的这首诗配了25幅插画。我保留了其中比较漂亮的画。,The Raven,A sense of melancholy over the death of a beloved beautiful young
23、 lady pervades the poem. The portrayal of a young man grieving for his lost lover. His grief had been turned into madness under the steady one-word repetition of the talking bird. The changes of the poets mood with the development of the poem: sadnessjocularitydespairmadness,The Ravens symbolic mean
24、ing,A. it symbolizes disaster and misfortune. B. it may symbolize the soul of the radiant maiden, the “lost Lenore.” C. it may symbolize the sub-consciousness of the poet. D. it is the symbol of modern reality.,Annabel Lee,Stanza 1. The pretty young girl Annabel Lee used to live in a kingdom by the
25、seaside. Before her death, the only thing in her heart was to love or to be loved by me. Stanza 2. Our love was so strong and beautiful that angels in heaven, who are with wings and living in heaven and likely to be freer and abler than any human beings, envied us. Seldom did any angels envy anythin
26、g of the human world. If they did, there must be something spectacular in the object of their admiration.,Stanza 3.My Annabel Lee was taken away from me. The faithful lovers were mercilessly separated by a superpower. Poe was indicating that Annabel Lee might be an angel from heaven, because she was
27、 “brought back(and taken away”) to heaven and she had some “highborn kinsmen” up there. Stanza 4: The poet was quite clear about the reason of Annabel Lees being taken away from him. The evil wind came out by night and Annabel Lee was taken away by night, that indicates that somebody may appear as a
28、ngels in daytime, but as devils during night.,Stanza 5. Though the evil wind and the highborn kinsmen are very powerful to take my beautiful Annabel lee away from me, they are not so powerful as to take her soul away from me. Our love is more powerful than death. After the death of one, our souls ar
29、e still together. Stanza 6. My Annabel Lee had gone to heaven. She reminds me of her bright face by the moon, so that I can see her in my dream; hen I see the stars in the sky, I see her bright eyes, too. We are together and nothing can separate us;, neither the human power nor the God of death is p
30、ossible.,Poes Theories on Fiction,1. Brevity: it must be of such length as to be read at one sitting so as to ensure the totality of impression. 2. Compression: no word should be used that does not contribute to the “pre-established” design of the work. 3. The very first sentence ought to help bring
31、 out the single effect of the story. Fiction should stimulate readers and impress them deeply. It should have a consistent effect throughout the whole text. A good fiction should only tells one event, which can be finished once.,4. A tale should reveal some logical truth and the last sentence should
32、 leave a sense of finality to the reader. 5. He showed in his fiction the impulse to self-destruction, the fascination with horrible catastrophe, whimsical and abnormal psychology. He depicted the inner world or psychology of his characters.,The Fall of The House of Usher,Many of Poes tales are dist
33、inguished by the authors unique grotesque inventiveness in addition to his superb plot construction. In this short story, the penetrating gloominess of the atmosphere is accented equally with plot and characterization.,他是举世公认的推理小说的鼻祖。代表作毛格街血案、玛丽罗热疑案、窃信案和金甲虫。他在前三篇小说中塑造的业余侦探杜宾的形象，可以说是柯南道尔笔下的福尔摩斯的前辈。据研
34、究侦探小说的专家霍华德海克雷夫特认为，“这个杜宾也是坡的自我理想化身，因为他自幼聪颖异常，处处想表现自己的优越，所以就把杜宾写成具有超人智力、观察入微、料事如神的理想人物，为了衬托他的了不起，又借一个对他无限钦佩、相形见拙的朋友来叙述他的事迹，此外还写了一个头脑愚钝、动机虽好而屡犯错误的警探作为对比。,作案地点一般安排在锁得严严密密的暗室；埋藏赃物罪证则用明显得出人意外的方法；破案过程则用逻辑严谨、设身处地的推理（今称用心理分析学）；然后有条不紊的迫使罪犯就范归案；最终再由主人公洋洋自得、滔滔不绝的解释其全过程。这已成为坡写侦探小说的模式。”而这一模式在一百四十年来已为全世界各国侦探小说家竞相
35、师法，不少这类作品都是步他后尘，脱不了这个窠臼。,爱伦坡虽然是侦探小说的鼻祖，杜宾也是经典的文学形象，但个人觉得他最擅长的还是恐怖惊悚类型的小说，像厄舍古屋的倒塌、黑猫、跳蛙、泄密的心，红死魔的面具，写在羊皮纸上的遗嘱， 一桶白葡萄酒。 萧伯纳曾声称：“美国出了两个伟大的作家埃德加爱伦坡和马克吐温。”爱伦坡的短篇小说很不错，你可以去看他的怪异故事集。里面的故事都很精彩。,He is the father of psychoanalytic criticism. In deed, Poe places the subconscious condition of the mind under in
36、vestigation and probes beneath the surface of normal existence. What interests him most is the deep abyss of the unconscious and subconscious mental activity of the people, the subterranean recesses of the mind at work. He was the first author in American literature to make the neurotic the heroic f
37、igure, the protagonist, in his stories.,Evaluation,His masterpiece “Raven” reveals a central theme: the human mind would be healthy and alive if it were incapable of thought, but since it is a mind and does possess the power of introspection and self-knowledge, then that very power and knowledge spe
38、ll its death. In other words, thought is the constituent of the mind, but the act of thinking can be its undoing.,His theories for the short story and poetry are remarkable in their clarity even if they lack intellectual detachment and catholicity of taste. His tale The Murders in the Rue Morgue, an
39、 ingenious detective story, became the ancestor of the genre. As a short story writer, Poe was a fascinating man of imagination interested in deduction and induction. And half a dozen of his stories belong to （Ratiocinative）,His aesthetics and conscious craftsmanship, his attack on “the heresy of di
40、dactic” and his call for “the rhythmical creation of beauty” have influenced French symbolists and the devotes of “art for arts sake”. Poes style is traditional, it is too much rational to reflect the peculiarity of his theme. He failed to carry the newness of his idea to his style, but his choice of word and his syntax made him difficult to read.,
