The Poetic Principle

The poetic principle ( The Poetic Principle ) is a posthumously published essay by Edgar Allan Poe. On 31 August 1850, he first appeared in American Home Journal. In addition to the essays The Rationale of Verse (1843 ) and the 1846 published The Philosophy of Composition ( The method of composition ) he represents Poe's last significant especially for poetry contribution to literary criticism

Content

The essay is based on the content of lectures from 1848 to 1849 held Poe until shortly before his death. Similar to Poe's other contributions to literary theory he developed here on the basis of many contemporary examples ( Byron, Willis, Bryant, Shelly, and others) a theory of "good poetry ". A " long poem " is a contradiction in itself and simply not exist, whereas a short poem to 'll only an epigram, which could not produce a lasting effect. Bad poetry drawing on the one hand through this " epic mania " ( "epic mania" ), but the second also by " heretical didacticism " ( " heresy of the didactic " ) from. Poe defined poetry as " rhythmical creation of beauty" ("The Rhythmical Creation of Beauty" ). In this sense, she should not moralize, but first and foremost provide aesthetics and beauty.

Effect and criticism

Special effect achieved E. A. Poe literary theory only in France. Charles Baudelaire, who translated Poe's work and very much appreciated, is to be regarded as the initiator of this development. Often been criticized Poe is partly polemical nature, as well as the prevailing theory in its dominance of the external form, which often can appear as insignificant the content. Chance to want Poe was also accused, the cause of the failure of his early poems long (Al Aaraaf and Tamerlane ) by his theory conceal.