What features are disturbing or reassuring in your selection of 19th
century texts?
The nineteenth century produced many of the very best authors of all
time in all genres such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Dickens and
H.G. Wells. Although they made fame in their originality, many factors
coincided in their writing and formed the base for characters and
storylines. It was these influences which in a way made their stories
and novels more interesting to delve into as they opposed disturbing
and reassuring features to create points of discussion.
During the 19th century, many controversial changes took place. In
terms of science, there was a significant rise in interest and
development especially after the outbreak of many diseases, none more
so than the deadly bacteria of cholera. Cholera was an infectious
epidemic and had many types though all of which were infectious and
many of which were most disturbingly fatal. Cholera caused slowing of
the blood circulation and was not caused by any form of consumption
but was essentially spread from immigrants who had caught the disease
in filthy, overcrowded ships. We see this particular aspect heavily
dominant in ‘The Stolen Bacillus’ by H.G. Wells overlapping with other
prevailing issues such as personality disorders and the inevitable
destabilisation of society through anarchism and the will to oppose
moral rights.
Other factors which affected the content of our other two chosen texts
- ‘The Adventure of the Speckled Band’ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and
‘Hop frog’ by Edgar Allan Poe – were also very prominent in the 19th
century. Doyle’s short story was subjected to the simultaneous aspects
of the British Empire and India, the concern of power by reason of
gender, the sure decline of British aristocracy and once again the
topic of personality disorders inspiring murder. Poe’s story binds
personality disorders inspiring murder and power relationships.
All three of our studied texts provided many disturbing aspects from
start to finish and I felt that these overpowered the reassuring
facets in many patches of the three stories. We saw intensified
atmospheres simply through the settings and characters as the authors
manipulated these features to generate greater interest. For example,
‘The Adventure of the Speckled Band’ is mainly set in Stoke Moran, a
‘200 year old house’, ‘grey, lichen-blotched stone, with a high
central and two curving wings, like the claws of a crab, thrown out on
each side. In one of these wings the windows were broken and blocked
with wooden boards while the roof was partly caved in, a picture of
ruin.’ This mansion I feel provides a very disturbing setting
especially one in which a murder has taken place as it provides no
Reading Edgar Allen Poe’s works such as “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Tell-Tale Heart” are both written around 1840’s and written in the gothic style. Poe displays his horror short stories, in which the reader can differentiate his signature style. Although many of Poe’s significant works may have a similar theme, the reader can distinguish the themes through the characters in “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Tell-Tale Heart.”
Most contemporary authors lack the creativity, or simply the desire to construct a story that focuses on the evil and sinful ways of humans. But during the Dark Romantics period, several writers openly embraced this new style of writing. Edgar Allan Poe was one such writer. His view on man’s inherent evilness is evident in his stories, “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Masque of the Red Death.” Although the characters in each of the stories are in different settings, their prevalent trait represents the hedonistic, obsessive, and deranged beings humans are.
At the beginning of the 20th century a New York editorialist wrote that the 20th century began in the United States with "a sense of euphoria and self-satisfaction, a sure feeling that America is the envy of the world"(World History Timeline "1900-1901"). The president was Teddy Roosevelt, who enjoyed enormous popularity due to the general happiness of the American people. A thriving industry created many jobs for immigrants and others. A monumental event took place in 1901 when the New York Stock Exchange exceeded 2 million shares for the first time ever (World History Timeline "1900-1901"). The tycoon J.P. Morgan created the U.S. Steel Co. in 1901, which became the first billion-dollar corporation in the world (Historical Daily Almanac). The Ford Motor Co. was established in 1903, and Henry Ford developed the first Model T automobile that sold for $850. All of this led to an extremely low unemployment rate of 4%(Historical Daily Almanac "1904").
Poe continues to develop his point that no one escapes death through the setting. Not only does he use the exterior and how it was constructed to tell what precautions P...
Edgar Allan Poe is one of America’s most celebrated classical authors, known for his unique dealings within the horror genre. Poe was a master at utilizing literary devices such as point of view and setting to enhance the mood and plot of his stories leading to his widespread appeal that remains intact to this day. His mastery of aforementioned devices is evident in two of his shorter works “The Black Cat” and “The Cask of Amontillado”.
Edgar Allan Poe has a style that is dark and morbid. His tone is very gloomy and obscure. The tone of “The Cask of Amontillado” is almost tame compared to the tone of “The Black Cat”, his other work we covered. The tone of that work is almost maddening. “The Cask of Amontillado” tone is very sinister and methodic. Whereas “The Black Cat”, has a pulse to a cadence and rhythm though no clear pattern is established. Poe’s style of writing seems so personal, as a reader I had to remind myself this was fiction. His first-person style of writing is so detailed and intricate it is very easy to become invested in the world he creates. “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Black Cat” both have themes of revenge where the supposed victim is untimely
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” With that first line I am captured, thrown back into a world two hundred years old. The scene around me melts into a Regency-style ball room, elegant young ladies in long, ornate gowns waltzing on the arms of dashing gentlemen, sleek black chaises pulling up the cobblestone drive, portly musicians puffing at their instruments in the corner. And I am in the middle of it all, experiencing the lives of my ancestors with the turn of each page. This is my guilty pleasure, the Regency. However, the only way I have been able to learn about this grand era has been through novels and the internet- mediums that, while very depictive and revelatory, cannot provide me with all the information I seek. I want to know about more than just the dances and the social lives of the early nineteenth century aristocracy. I want to know about the lives and cultures of all the people: the peasants, the workers, the farmers, the merchants, the gentry, and the royalty. What did they eat? What were their laws, written and unwritten? How many were religious? What did they learn in school? How did they spend their money? What were their political views? There is only one way I could possibly learn all of this and more- by being taught, in a class.
In both of Edgar Allan Poe’s writings, “The Murders at the Rue Morgue” and “The Tell Tale Heart” as the reader I am able to identify possible roles of crime and comfort in each piece. As we discussed in lecture, crime can be breaking the law, an act against another that is hurtful and against human morals, punishable by law, victimizing and much more. In each reading we find our self deeply immersed in the story this gives me the reader a clearer understanding into each tragedy by having the opportunity to clearly define the role of crime and comfort in each reading.
Twain, Mark. The adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: W. W. Norton & Company inc. 1990.
Magazines are publications that cover a particular field of interest. The fields can range from modeling, pop culture, lifestyle, and fashion. These magazines represent what the society believes and celebrates.
Edgar Allen Poe was an American Writer who wrote within the genre of horror and science fiction. He was famous for writing psychologically thrilling tales examining the depths of the human psyche. This is true of the Tell-Tale Heart, where Poe presents a character that appears to be mad because of his obsession to an old mans, ‘vulture eye’. Poe had a tragic life from a young age when his parents died. This is often reflected in his stories, showing characters with a mad state of mind, and in the Tell Tale Heart where the narrator plans and executes a murder.
In this essay Bynum notes how Poe 's short story would have appealed to the audience of the time period it was written in. The essay gives examples of many court cases involving moral insanity. The mental disease was highly controversial during the nineteenth century. Hence, the audience during the 1840’s would be able to understand that the narrator of the story
Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” is a frightening and entertaining short story about the severe consequences that result from persistent mockery and an unforgiving heart. Poe’s excellent use of Gothicism within the story sets the perfect tone for a dark and sinister plot of murder to unfold. “The Cask of Amontillado” simply overflows with various themes and other literary elements that result from Poe’s Gothic style of writing. Of these various themes, one that tends to dominant the story as a whole is the theme of revenge, which Poe supports with his sophisticated use of direct and indirect factors, irony, and symbolism.
Edgar Allan Poe has a unique writing style that uses several different elements of literary structure. He uses intrigue vocabulary, repetition, and imagery to better capture the reader’s attention and place them in the story. Edgar Allan Poe’s style is dark, and his is mysterious style of writing appeals to emotion and drama. What might be Poe’s greatest fictitious stories are gothic tend to have the same recurring theme of either death, lost love, or both. His choice of word draws the reader in to engage them to understand the author’s message more clearly. Authors who have a vague short lexicon tend to not engage the reader as much.
The English Renaissance period began in the late 15th century and ended in the 17th century. During the Renaissance period, the England experienced many changes. These changes were brought by the new discoveries and inventions. Many characteristics were introduced to the country during the Renaissance period. The Renaissance study revolves around five important issues. These issues are essential continuities from previous events, certain important political changes that took place during that time, ideas brought with the characteristic of humanism, significant ideas related to the creation of literary works, and finally, the religious movement known as the Protestant Reformation which influenced daily life and literature. Notable changes were in fields related to art, architecture, literature, science, and philosophy. This period have brought a great economic growth to the country than another preceded periods. Moreover, that period have experienced an increase in literature and specifically drama. The drama of this period encounters several shiftings in different aspects. The two m...