Abstract

Death is one of the eternal themes of literary works. Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) has affinity to this subject. And the horror and death in the poetry of Poe give people a sense of beauty, between the lines permeated with his aesthetic tendencies and unique aesthetic. His poems also reflect the beauty with melancholy loneliness by describing the beauty of death. His work is characteristic of death, horror, mystery, illusion and fatalism. Through the analysis of Ellen Poe’s works, this paper discusses the content and significance of his death theme.

     Allan Poe’s passion for the theme of death is inseparable from his pursuit of innovation in art. His unique aesthetic orientation and creative principles decide his choice of the theme of death, and then he uses them to create beauty. He argues that writers must pay attention to the unity of the effect whether it is novel or poetry, and must always think of the intended outcome. Poe’s work is to use the theme of death to create a terrorist atmosphere, so it not only brings great shock to the readers’ mind, but also achieves the desired effect.

     The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between the theme of death and the pureness of literature’s pursuit by analyzing the main works and creation background of Allan Poe. First, this paper will find out the description of death theme, death plot, and fantasy statements of inner world by analyzing his works related to the theme of death. And then this paper will deeply analyze the relationship between death and beauty through the combination of theory and practice and how to reflect in the novel and poetry. Finally, this paper tries to summarize the relationship between beauty and death from personal experience, social background and literary theory. From the whole, it is helpful to readers to grasp the relationship between death and beauty of the works with death theme of Allan Poe.

Key words: Edgar Allan Poe; Literary Work; Death Theme; Aesthetic

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1  Introduction-1

1.1 The Research Background about Beauty of Death in Poe’s Works-1

1.2 The Research Meaning about Beauty of Death in Poe’s Works-2

2  The Factors that Influence the Theme about Beauty of Death-4

2.1 The Life Experiences of Poe-4

2.2 Influence of Traditional Tragedy Aesthetic-5

2.3 Influence of Social Environment and Historical Background-7

3  The Analysis of four Kinds of Relationships between Beauty and Death in the Works of Poe-9

3.1 Sorrowful and Melancholy Beauty Caused by the Losing of Lover-9

3.2 Mystical and Terrifying Beauty Caused by Murder and Bloodiness-10

3.3 Desirous and Extraordinary Beauty is Elaborated in Philosophy-11

3.4 Romantic and Dream Beauty is Elaborated in Writing Techniques-11

4  Embodiment of the Relationships in Poe’s Creation Theory-13

4.1 Beauty and Death In the Pure Poetic Theory-13

4.2 Beauty and Death in Unity of Effect-14

4.3 Beauty and Death In the Death of Beauty Theory-15

5 Conclusion-16

Bibliography-17

Acknowledgements-18