Because of his emphasis on style and language, Poe proclaimed his writing a reaction to typical literature of the day, which he called “the heresy of the Didactic” for its tendency to preach. This philosophy of “art for art’s sake” later evolved into the literary movement of Aestheticism which eschewed the symbolic and preachy literature of the day-especially in England-in an attempt to overcome strict Victorian conventions. In place of a moral, Poe creates a mood-terror, in this case- through his use of language. Featuring supernatural theatrics, which critics have interpreted a number of ways, the story exhibits Poe’s concept of “art for art’s sake,” the idea that a story should be devoid of social, political, or moral teaching. “The Fall of the House of Usher,” written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1839, is regarded as an early and supreme example of the Gothic horror story, though Poe ascribed the term “arabesque” to this and other similar works, a term that he felt best described its flowery, ornate prose.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |