Lesson 4 Edgar Allen Poe 美国文学

EdgarAllanPoeEdgarAllanPoe(1809-1849)•I.LiteraryStatus•埃德加.爱伦坡的文学地位•PioneerofAmericanHorrorTales•美国恐怖小说的先驱•PioneerofAmericanDetectiveTales美国侦探小说先驱•PioneerofAmericanPsycho-Analyticfiction美国心理分析小说先驱•Editor,PoetandProfessionalliterarycritic编辑，诗人，文学评论家II.LifeandCareer•Borninanactorandactress’family–hisparentsdiedwhenhewasverysmall–adoptedbyaVirginiarichbusinessmanJohnAllan–enteredtheVirginiaUniversityat17–WestPointwherehebegantowritepoetry–thentales–editorofmagazinessuchasTheSouthernLiteraryMessenger,Graham’smagazine,etc.•Poe生在一个演员家庭，当Poe很小的时候他的父母就过世了，由弗吉尼亚的商人JohnAllan收养。Poe17岁进入弗吉尼亚大学学习。他在西点军校任职期间开始写诗歌，神话，做过杂志的编辑如《南方文学信使》，《格雷厄姆杂志》等。•At27hemarriedhis13-year-oldcousinVirginiawhodiedveryyoungin1847.Poe27岁时和他13岁的表妹结婚，他的表妹太太很年轻就离开了人世，1847.III.EdgarAllanPoe’sWorks•TalesoftheGrotesqueandtheArabesque《奇异怪诞故事集》•MS.FoundinaBottle《瓶子里发现的手稿》•TheMurdersintheRueMorgue《毛格街杀人案》•TheFalloftheHouseofUsher《厄舍古屋的倒塌》•TheMasqueoftheRedDeath《红色死亡的化妆舞会》•TheCaskofAmontillado《一桶酒的故事》•TheRaven《乌鸦》•Israfel《伊斯拉菲尔》•AnnabelLee《安娜贝尔•李》•ToHelen《致海伦》•ThePoeticPrinciple《诗歌原理》•ThePhilosophyofComposition《创作哲学》•IV.ControversialCommentsonPoe•ProbablythemostcontroversialandmostmisunderstoodliteraryfigureinAmericanliteraryhistory•Poe也许是美国文学历史上最备受争议的人物。•Reasons:•HiscriticismsagainstHenryWadsworthLongfellow他曾发表过对朗费罗的负面评论。•NegativecommentsEmerson–“jingleman”爱默生评论他是一个叮当诗人—顺口溜MarkTwain–Poe’sunreadable不值得一读HenryJames–“enthusiasmforPoeisthemarkofadecidedlyprimitivestateofdevelopment”V.Poeasaliterarycritic(hisaesthetics)Poe作为文学评论家（他的美学观）•1.Aestheticwritings:“ThePhilosophyofComposition”“ThePoeticPrinciple”•2.Aestheticideas:A.Brevity:thepoemshouldbeshort,readableatonesitting诗歌必须简洁B.Beauty:thechiefaimisbeauty,namelytoproduceafeelingofbeautyinthemindsofthereader美，给读者创造一种美。Themelancholyisthemostlegitimateofallpoetictones;thedeathofabeautifulwomanisthemostpoetictopicintheworld.忧郁是所有诗歌调子里面最真实的一种情感；美丽姑娘的死去也是一个最诗意的主题。•C.Purity:Poeisopposedtotheheresyofthedidacticandcalledforpurepoetry.Whatheseemstobesayingisthatartliesnotsomuchinwhatisbeingsaidasinthewayitsaysit.•纯正：Poe被认为是主流诗歌之外的一个异类，他认为艺术并不在于它被说成该是艺术的样子。•Besides,hestressesrhythm,definestruepoetryas“therhythmicalcreationofbeauty”anddeclaresthat“musicistheperfectionofthesoul,orideas,ofpoetry.”Poe强调诗歌的韵律，他认为诗歌是音律创造的美，并称音乐使得灵魂，思想，诗歌更完美。•Hecitedhisownpoem“TheRaven”of108linestoshowhisaesthetics:asenseofmelancholyoverthedeathofabelovedbeautifulyoungwomanpervadesthewholepoem.•他以自己的108行诗《乌鸦》为例子，该诗歌整个气氛就是哀伤–作者喜欢的美丽姑娘死去，这一悲伤充满了整首诗歌。VI.Poe’sWritingFeatures写作特点•1.Poewasafascinatingmanofimagination.富有想象力•2.Intheme,Poeanticipated20thcenturyliteratureinhistreatmentofthedisintegrationoftheselfinaworldofnothingness.主题：虚无•3.Poewassensitiveenoughtofeelthepressureofaworldwherescienceandreasonreignsupreme,where“thereisneitherjoy,norlove,norlight,norcertitude,norpeace,norhelpfrompain.”•Poe敏感地感受到一个被科技和理性统治的世界，没有喜悦，没有爱，没有光，没有确信，没有和平，没有缓解痛苦的帮助。•4.BaudelairefirsttooknoteofthepsychologicalcontentofPoe’stalesandregardedPoeas“awriterofnerves”,andErichHellersawPoe’scontributiontothe“discoveryandcolonizationofthemind”;whatinterestsPoemostisthedeepabyssoftheunconsciousandsubconsciousmentalactivityofthepeople.Poe在精神分析小说做出了贡献，他对非意识和潜意识的精神活动的分析非常感兴趣。•5.Poe’sassumptionseemstobethateverymindishalfmadorcapableofslippingintoinsanity.Asaresultofthis,hisfictionalcharactersaremostlyneurotics.Poe认为每个人都有神经质的一面，所以他的小说主人公大多是神经病患者。•6.Poe’sheroesaremostly“isolatoes”,withnosenseofidentity,nonameseven,alienationfromsociety.他的小说主人公大多没有确切的身份，没有名字，远离社会。•7.Poewasalsoafullrationalhumanbeingwithanintuitivefaculty;hewasimmenselyinterestedindeductionandinduction.Hewrotehalfadozendetectivestories.•Poe同时也是一个直觉超强的理性主义者；他对推理和归纳很感兴趣，写了不少推理小说ToHelen•Background致海伦的背景•EdgarAllanPoewrote“ToHelen”asareflectiononthebeautyofMrs.JaneStithStanard,ofRichmond,Va.,whodiedin1824.ShewasthemotherofoneofPoe’sschoolclassmates,RobertStanard.WhenRobertinvitedEdgar,then14,tohishome(at19thandEastGraceStreetsinRichmond)in1823,Poewasgreatlytakenwiththe27-year-oldwoman,whoissaidtohaveurgedhimtowritepoetry.Hewaslatertowritethatshewashisfirstreallove.致海伦这首诗是爱伦坡纪念JaneStithStandard夫人，1824年过世。Standard夫人是爱伦坡同学的妈妈，爱伦坡第一次见到她是在同学家里，里士满东格莱士街19号，1823年，当时爱伦坡只有14岁，惊叹于Standard夫人的美貌。Standard夫人待人友善并鼓励爱伦坡写诗，后来爱伦坡写道Standard夫人是他的firstlove.AboutHelen--海伦•海伦是宙斯和勒达的女儿,她是那个时代最漂亮的女子.还在当姑娘的时候,她被忒修斯劫持抢走.后来由两位兄长重新把她夺回来.她跟随继父斯巴达国王廷达瑞俄斯长大.•之后，她嫁给了墨涅拉俄斯（亚各斯人的国王）。海伦给他生下一个女儿。后来，墨涅拉俄斯外出。海伦一个人在宫殿里很孤寂。一次外出中，她在阿尔忒弥斯神庙遇见帕拉斯王子。两人相爱了。于是，王子就把海伦“劫持”到了自己的国家。也就是这件事，引发了著名的特洛伊战争。Thebackgroundinformationofthepoem•PoewroteToHelenasareflectiononthebeautyofMrs.JaneStithStanardwhodiedin1824.ShewasthemotherofoneofPoe’sschoolclassmates,whoissaidtohaveurgedhimtowritepoetry,andshewasPoe’sfirstreallove.在中学时代，爱伦.坡曾经热切地眷恋过一位同学的母亲，一个温柔娴静、知书达理的女人，而这个女人在三十一岁死于脑瘤，无疑给爱伦·坡幼小的心灵刻上了终生难愈的创伤。ToHelen-致海伦Helen,thybeautyistomeLikethoseNiceanbarksofyore往昔，Thatgently,o'eraperfumedsea,Theweary,way-wornwandererboreTohisownnativeshore.Ondesperateseaslongwonttoroam游荡,Thyhyacinth风信子hair,thyclassicface,ThyNaiad水仙女airshavebroughtmehomeTotheglorythatwasGreece,AndthegrandeurthatwasR