I left out the following questions. Thank you.
1) What effect did Poe aim to achieve in moast of his short stories?
Which theory did Poe work out in his Philosophy of Composition and who was he inspired by?
2) What are the main feautures of Poe's tales?
What do we get to know about the narrator of Poe's The tell-tale-heart?
1. ... most ...
Is Philosophy of Composition a book or an article? If a book, put the title in italics. If an article, put the title in quotation marks.
... , and by whom was he inspired?
2. Short story titles go in quotation marks.
Sure! Here are the answers to your additional questions:
1) In most of his short stories, Edgar Allan Poe aimed to achieve a specific effect on the reader. This effect is typically a sense of fear, suspense, or unease that creates an intense emotional response. Poe believed in the power of literature to elicit strong emotions, and he used various techniques like Gothic settings, unreliable narrators, and psychological exploration to achieve this effect.
In his essay "The Philosophy of Composition," Poe outlined his theory of how to write a perfect poem or short story. He emphasized the importance of unity of effect, meaning that every element of the story should contribute to the overall desired emotional effect. Poe also stressed the significance of careful planning and calculation in the creative process. He was inspired by the works of German Romantic writer E.T.A. Hoffmann, particularly in terms of the use of terror and the exploration of the subconscious.
2) The main features of Edgar Allan Poe's tales include elements of Gothic literature, psychological exploration, and macabre themes. Poe's tales often revolve around characters who are haunted by their own thoughts, tormented by guilt, or plagued by irrational fears. He frequently uses atmospheric and eerie settings, such as decaying mansions or dark and stormy nights, to enhance the sense of suspense and terror.
Poe's tales also often feature unreliable narrators, who may be mentally unstable or plagued by obsessions. These narrators give the reader a distorted and unsettling perspective of the events, blurring the line between reality and the narrator's deranged perception.
3) In Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," the narrator remains unnamed throughout the story. However, we do learn several things about the narrator's character. The narrator is an insane individual consumed by an obsession with the old man's eye, which he describes as "vulture eye." The narrator's obsession reaches a breaking point, leading him to commit a gruesome murder.
Throughout the story, the narrator's erratic speech and actions reveal his extreme anxiety and paranoia. He is constantly on edge, hearing what he believes to be the beating of the old man's heart even after he has killed him. This obsession and guilt eventually drive the narrator to a mental breakdown, as he confesses his crime to imaginary voices in desperation.
I hope these explanations help you better understand Edgar Allan Poe's intentions and his work! Let me know if you have any more questions.