Poe

           Before we get to him though, you must, must jump over to Miss Jack's blog. Even if you don't bother to come back and read about Poe. Go read it. If you're an author or a reader, you'll love it. It's hilarious. :)


           So I've finally read The Purloined Letter by Edgar Allen Poe. I didn't realize it was a short story. But that's good because I've very little time with college and work.

          It was really rather clever. And if I did not remember the end of the Wishbone version I'm sure I would have liked it even better. Dupin is a very interesting character. He's a bit skeptical and grim, and some what tangential at times. I was a little disappointed that it was mostly dialogue and we didn't actually get to see Dupin and his antics with the minister person. Or even leave Dupin's house at all. But it was a short story. Poe does seem to be rather ambiguous sometimes and that makes his writing a little more drawn out than necessary. Now in the beginning I understood, because the Prefect was purposely trying to be ambiguous. But Dupin is always ambiguous, and sometimes even the narrator. Maybe it's because Dupin is a big thinker and he believes he ought to keep things on a broad scale; I don't know. And Dupin does kind of wander when he's talking. Though that is realistic; everyone gets onto bunny trails and digresses a bit. So maybe Poe just wanted it to be more real (or maybe he just doesn't like mathematicians). All the same, the mystery part was nice and clever, and it was good of Dupin to explain the whole psychological process behind it all. There are so many things our brain does voluntarily that Poe actually looks at with a conscious mind.

           I read "The Raven" also. I've heard a theatrical reading of it, and it's meaning escaped it me. I've read it myself and still got nothing. But someone had written the interruption in between the lines. Normally, I would be like: They wrote in a library book! Woe and doom! But this actually helped me understand "The Raven" better, and so I'll excuse them. :) Now that I know the meaning though, I really like the cadence of the poem. It really helps set the dark and lonely mood.

           And A Tell-Tale Heart, that was creepy. I think the main character was schizophrenic or something. And just insisting with such vehemence that he wasn't insane convinced me he was insane. Poe, I'm sure, planned it that way. It works nicely. Must tuck that trick away for later. It could come in handy.

          I also read the shortest poem I've ever seen.


        "Deep in Earth"

Deep in earth my love is lying
       And I must weep alone.

   -Edgar Allen Poe


      To think, a two lined poem! I didn't know those existed. But of course, why not? It's very sad too. The brevity adds to the bitter grimness. And it feels like a complete story- beginning, middle, and end. The character's love has died. A darkness now grows inside him. And he has resolved to remain like this.