Poe

Edgar Allan Poe

Literary critism is extremely essential in the understanding of literature works. Critism on Edgar Allan Poe varies with poems, short stories, and other literary works. Harold Bloom has published two books maybe even more on the critism and interpretation of Edgar Allan Poe’s works. In both of these books there are other authors and critics, explaing and evaluating Poe’s works. Some critical view points are on his poems, others are on his short stories, and some are just on his style of writing. Since Edgar Allan Poe has published many poems and short stories over a period of time it is no wonder why there is so much critism on his works.

In Daniel Hoffman’s book “ Poe Poe Poe Poe” , he tells a story about a professor who is to lecture about Poe’s poetry. Before the professor begins to read one of Poe’s poems, he states “ No poet in the English tongue who is still read with reverence has committed such gaffes against the genius of our language, nor has written lines of comparable banality.” ( Hoffman, p. 20 ). This explains how other poets respect and admire the poems written by Edgar Allan Poe . There is not just admiration and respect for Poe’s poems, there is also negative critism. A critic named John Neal stated

If Edgar Allan Poe of Baltimore whose lines

About “ Heaven” , though he professes to r-

Egard them as all together superior to any thing in the whole range of American poetry,

Save two or three trifles referred to, are non- sense, rather exquisite nonsense- would but do himself justice (he) might make a beautiful and perhaps a magnificent poem. (Neal, p. 35).

This is not exactly negative critisim, but it is not recognizing Poe as a magnificent poet as most other people do. Shoshana Felman does not give her own opinion of Poe, but tells how the rest of society sees him. She states the Poe is both highly acclaimed, and violently disclaimed as a poet. She also says that he is the most controversial, and thoroughly misunderstood figure in the American literary scene.

Not only are Poe’s poems controversial and misunderstood, but so are his short stories or “ tales “. Not everybody finds them controversial though, some people admire them and find “ genius “ in them. D.H. Lawrence sees Poe more as a scientist than an artist. D.H.