Edgar Allan Poe's Philosophy of Composition and 'The Raven'

Introduction

Generally, the essay introduces three of Poe's theories regarding literature. The author recounts this idealized process by which he says he wrote his most famous poem, 'The Raven' to illustrate the theory, which is in deliberate contrast to the 'spontaneous creation' explanation put forth, for example, by Coleridge as an explanation for his poem Kubla Khan. Poe's explanation of the process of writing is so rigidly logical, however, that some have suggested the essay was meant as a satire or hoax.

Poe's Philosophy of Composition

The three central elements of Poe's philosophy of composition are:

• Length: Poe believed that all literary works should be short. 'There is', he writes, 'a distinct limit... to all works of literary art - the limit of a single sitting.' He especially emphasized this 'rule' with regards to poetry, but also noted that the short story is superior to the novel for this reason.
• Method: Poe dismissed the notion of artistic intuition and argued that writing is methodical and analytical, not spontaneous. He writes that no other author has yet admitted this because most writers would 'positively shudder at letting the public take a peep behind the scenes... at the fully matured fancies discarded in despair... at the cautious selections and rejections'.
• 'Unity of Effect': The essay states Poe's conviction that a work of fiction should be written only after the author has decided how it is to end and which emotional response, or 'effect,' he wishes to create, commonly known as the 'unity of effect.' Once this effect has been determined, the writer should decide all other matters pertaining to the composition of the work, including tone, theme, setting, characters, conflict, and plot.

'The Raven'

In the essay, Poe traces the logical progression of his creation of 'The Raven' as an attempt to compose 'a poem that should suit at once the popular and the critical taste.' He claims that he considered every aspect of the poem. For example, he purposely set the poem on a tempestuous evening, causing the raven to seek shelter. He purposefully chose a pallid bust to contrast with the dark plume of the bird. The bust was of Pallas in order to evoke the notion of scholar, to match with the presumed student narrator poring over his 'volumen of forgotten lore.' No aspect of the poem was an accident, he claims, but is based on total control by the author. Even the term 'Nevermore,' he says, is based on logic following the 'unity of effect.' The sounds in the vowels in particular, he writes, have more meaning than the definition of the word itself. He had previously used words like 'Lenore' for the same effect. The raven itself, Poe says, is meant to symbolize Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance. This may imply an autobiographical significance to the poem, alluding to the many people in Poe's life who had died.