The document summarizes William Evans' analysis of Molly K. Robbey's argument about the religious and political meanings in Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher". Evans disagrees with Robbey's claim that the story prophesies the fall of Islam and rise of Judaism. Instead, through analyses by scholars Moffitt, Montgomery, Berman, Hess and Yothers, Evans argues the arabesque in Poe's works represents achieving a sublime, paradisiacal state through imagination. The decay of the House of Usher represents turning away from imagination towards reason and logic.
Borges, averroes, aristotle, by daniel balderstonMariane Farias
This review discusses Borges's story "La busca de Averroes" and how it depicts Averroes's difficulties in explaining Aristotle's Poetics. The story shows Averroes grappling with Aristotle's theory of poetry in 12th century Islamic Spain. Ultimately, the story serves as a parable about the impossibility of theory and the need to consider the particular rather than make grand universalizing claims. Borges's works in general undermine strict distinctions between theory and criticism by embedding theoretical arguments in fictional plots and essays.
This document provides an introduction to analyzing Neil Gaiman's graphic novel The Sandman using principles from Horace's Ars Poetica as a framework. It summarizes the key topics covered in the Ars Poetica that will be used for analysis. These include the use of language and technique, artistic handling of literary material, dramatic and visual presentation, and the role of the poet. The document argues that while comics were once seen as trivial, The Sandman demonstrates their ability for serious literary discourse, and the Ars Poetica continues to provide relevant aesthetic principles despite its age.
This essay is a rhetorical analysis/literary critique. Use direct evidence from the novel The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, outside sources are optional (I recommend against it, unless it’s used to define the literary features or to explain how it’s used), must be MLA format, 5 pages long, and focus on the HOW rather than the what.
Prompt: Look at a literary feature, or several literary features of the novel your group is reading. This could mean, for example: metaphor, tone, imagery, symbol, diction (word choice), sentence style, structure, character, dialogue, use of repetition, use of questions, etc. Discuss the way the literary features…. (it’s up to you to choose the effect/purpose/etc that these literary features have on the audience/text)
Prince Hamlet is unmasked and shown to be a sun figure. This academic paper will be published in the March 2014 issue of the Area Studies Journal of Tsukuba University.
Please help support my research into solar energy themes in Shakespeare's other plays by buying my e-novel "Juliet is the Sun" (about $8 on Amazon). (Thank you very much!)
This document provides definitions and examples of different literary subgenres including satire, allegory, parody, pastoral, Gothic, and Gothic literature. Satire uses humor to critique foolishness and criticize societal issues. Allegory uses symbolic characters and events to represent abstract ideas. Parody imitates another work to poke fun at its features. Pastoral depicts the simplicity of rural life. Gothic originally referred to medieval architecture but now describes gloomy or frightening works. Gothic literature aims to thrill readers with mysteries, murders, and supernatural elements.
The Scarlet Letter is set in 17th century Puritan Boston. Hester Prynne commits adultery and gives birth to Pearl. She is forced to wear a scarlet "A" and is shunned by her community. Her missing husband Roger Chillingworth takes the name and seeks revenge on Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester's secret lover. Over seven years, Dimmesdale's guilt over the sin eats away at him until he makes a public confession and dies in Hester's arms. The novel examines themes of sin, identity, and the conflict between public conformity and private passion through its symbolic characters and motifs.
This document discusses the symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter. It identifies several symbols used in the novel, including the scaffold, night, the characters of Hester and Dimmesdale, nature, Hester's bosom, the scarlet letter itself, the sun, the forest, light/dark, color, and exposure vs. concealment. The symbols represent ideas like guilt, sin, and the rigid Puritan society in contrast to the forgiving nature.
Borges, averroes, aristotle, by daniel balderstonMariane Farias
This review discusses Borges's story "La busca de Averroes" and how it depicts Averroes's difficulties in explaining Aristotle's Poetics. The story shows Averroes grappling with Aristotle's theory of poetry in 12th century Islamic Spain. Ultimately, the story serves as a parable about the impossibility of theory and the need to consider the particular rather than make grand universalizing claims. Borges's works in general undermine strict distinctions between theory and criticism by embedding theoretical arguments in fictional plots and essays.
This document provides an introduction to analyzing Neil Gaiman's graphic novel The Sandman using principles from Horace's Ars Poetica as a framework. It summarizes the key topics covered in the Ars Poetica that will be used for analysis. These include the use of language and technique, artistic handling of literary material, dramatic and visual presentation, and the role of the poet. The document argues that while comics were once seen as trivial, The Sandman demonstrates their ability for serious literary discourse, and the Ars Poetica continues to provide relevant aesthetic principles despite its age.
This essay is a rhetorical analysis/literary critique. Use direct evidence from the novel The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, outside sources are optional (I recommend against it, unless it’s used to define the literary features or to explain how it’s used), must be MLA format, 5 pages long, and focus on the HOW rather than the what.
Prompt: Look at a literary feature, or several literary features of the novel your group is reading. This could mean, for example: metaphor, tone, imagery, symbol, diction (word choice), sentence style, structure, character, dialogue, use of repetition, use of questions, etc. Discuss the way the literary features…. (it’s up to you to choose the effect/purpose/etc that these literary features have on the audience/text)
Prince Hamlet is unmasked and shown to be a sun figure. This academic paper will be published in the March 2014 issue of the Area Studies Journal of Tsukuba University.
Please help support my research into solar energy themes in Shakespeare's other plays by buying my e-novel "Juliet is the Sun" (about $8 on Amazon). (Thank you very much!)
This document provides definitions and examples of different literary subgenres including satire, allegory, parody, pastoral, Gothic, and Gothic literature. Satire uses humor to critique foolishness and criticize societal issues. Allegory uses symbolic characters and events to represent abstract ideas. Parody imitates another work to poke fun at its features. Pastoral depicts the simplicity of rural life. Gothic originally referred to medieval architecture but now describes gloomy or frightening works. Gothic literature aims to thrill readers with mysteries, murders, and supernatural elements.
The Scarlet Letter is set in 17th century Puritan Boston. Hester Prynne commits adultery and gives birth to Pearl. She is forced to wear a scarlet "A" and is shunned by her community. Her missing husband Roger Chillingworth takes the name and seeks revenge on Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester's secret lover. Over seven years, Dimmesdale's guilt over the sin eats away at him until he makes a public confession and dies in Hester's arms. The novel examines themes of sin, identity, and the conflict between public conformity and private passion through its symbolic characters and motifs.
This document discusses the symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter. It identifies several symbols used in the novel, including the scaffold, night, the characters of Hester and Dimmesdale, nature, Hester's bosom, the scarlet letter itself, the sun, the forest, light/dark, color, and exposure vs. concealment. The symbols represent ideas like guilt, sin, and the rigid Puritan society in contrast to the forgiving nature.
American Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development is indexed, refereed and peer-reviewed journal, which is designed to publish research articles.
This document discusses the authorship of the Book of Job and argues that Moses likely wrote it, making it the oldest extant literary drama. It presents background on the debate around the authorship of Job and dates it to around 1400 BC. The document then provides details about Moses' life and education in Egypt, establishing that he would have been knowledgeable in the Egyptian wisdom traditions, including drama. It describes an ancient Egyptian passion play from 2600 BC and argues Moses was familiar with this form through his education. The document further argues Moses knew Hebrew and Aramaic, the likely original languages of Job, and could have written it during his exile in Midian.
Some scholars in the field of literary criticism and linguistic analysis occasionally refer to 'verbal clues.' This is particularly notable in the field of Robert Browning studies as in the case of a reference to 'pottage' in 'The Pied Piper of Hamelin.' Let us widen the scope of this interpretaion of verbal clues much more wide.
According to Goethe's drama FAUST PART I Faust struggles with the issue as to how he should choose the most fitting word with which to render the sense of 'logos in the Greek New Testament. He decides on TAT (deed, act) instead of the more commonly accepted WORT (word, verbum). Much later leon Trotsky accused the Russian Formalists of siding with Saint John in lending words a religious aura while he sided with Faust in the assertion: in the beginning was the deed. Who was right?
n
In our secular age literary critics tend to deny that literary texts reveal 'truth' in a religious sense even though great authors like Milton and Robert Browning saw themselves as divine messengers. Even poets such as Shelley imbued their works with a spiritual quality in defiance of tendencies to regard poetry as outmoded and alien to progressive and rationalit thought. Perhaps it is time to rise to poetry's defence as Shelley did.
Apes Philosophicae Bees And The Divine Design In Barberini Thesis PrintsBrittany Brown
The document discusses two thesis prints commissioned by students defending philosophical theses dedicated to members of the Barberini family in early 17th century Rome.
The first print depicts Giovanni Lanfranco's illustration of Homer's description of the Cave of the Nymphs, with additions based on Porphyry's philosophical interpretation. It includes Barberini bees and references to the family, celebrating Cardinal Francesco Barberini. The second print has no single source, but is dense with classical allusions interpreted through close reading. It was commissioned by an English student at the Jesuit-run English College in Rome. Both prints exemplify the intricate rhetorical conceits and blending of philosophy, poetry, and praise characteristic of Jesuit education favored by
Your pen your ink coetzees foe robinson crusoe and the polGoswami Mahirpari
This document summarizes an academic journal article that analyzes J.M. Coetzee's novel Foe as a parody of Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. It argues that Coetzee uses parody to critique not just Defoe's novel, but the broader ideology of colonialism that Crusoe represents. By claiming Foe preceded Crusoe, Coetzee throws the realism of Crusoe into doubt and suggests Defoe manipulated the truth. Coetzee also artificially reconstructs silenced voices in Crusoe to show how Defoe promoted justifications for colonial power. The summary aims to uncover what these two "voices" say about colonialism and its justifications through a comparison of key
A certain prejudice sometimes alleges that allegories are outmoded metaphorical devices but as one literary scholar has note a traveller may be a symbol of a pilgrim or seeker of truth and a mountain may be a symbol of the soul's aspiration but once the traveller has set foot towards a mountain an allegory arises irrespective of the author's intentions as subconscious forces in the mind flow into the process of poetic creation.
Some see in Defoe;s famous work an early novel, others an adventure story. Could it also be an allegy, as Doefoe himself adopting viepoint of Crusoe himself suggests. If so, we should an allegoy to be something more than a stilted or artificial device.
Structuralism is based on the linguistic theories of Ferdinand de Saussure and was developed further by Roman Jakobson. It views phenomena like myths, rituals, or texts as systems of signs governed by underlying rules or structures. A structuralist analysis aims to uncover these deep structures by examining how the elements of a system relate to each other synchronically. The document provides an example of how a structuralist might analyze a simple story by reducing it to an abstract system of signifiers like "high", "low", and "middle" that follow predictable patterns.
This document discusses the identity of the Ha-Bi-ru, a group mentioned in ancient Near Eastern texts from the 2nd millennium BC. It explores the etymology of the term "Ha-Bi-ru" and its ideographic equivalent "SA-GAZ", noting debates around whether it refers to an ethnic group, socio-economic class, or something else. It also discusses the relationship between the Ha-Bi-ru and the Hebrews, noting that while their historical paths do not fully coincide, they converge in Canaan during the Amarna period, raising questions about the origins of Hebrew religion. The document aims to investigate the identity of the Ha-Bi-ru and their relation to the Hebrews.
Charles Darwin Essay. PPT - Final Stretch! Who was Charles Darwin? HW: Begin ...Jennifer Castro
Charles Darwin and the Theory of Evolution Free Essay Example. Humanities : Writings of Charles Darwin Essay Example | Topics and Well .... Charles darwin biography essay. PPT - Final Stretch! Who was Charles Darwin? HW: Begin Evolution Study .... A summary of Charles Darwin’s life and achievements, particularly .... Charles Darwin and Natural Selection Essay Example | Topics and Well .... Natural selection by charles darwin sample paper - essay. Charles Darwin - GCSE Science - Marked by Teachers.com. Darwin and his Critics. The Reception of Darwin's Theory of Evolution ....
For the last decade I have been writing on the subject of pioneering and travelling, as well as the psychological and the spiritual journey of life. I am not unaware of the significance of such writing as an expression of one's philosophy and religion, of one's sociology and ideology, indeed of the very apparatus of one's life. I have written literally hundreds of prose-poems and essays on the themes of travel interwoven with their variegated personal and societal significances.
My prose and poetry is, if nothing else, a definition of my identity, of the way I see my life, see life in general and the complex society in which I live. What follows in this essay is a collection of several pieces, several prose-poems, that I tie together somewhat tenuously for the sake of this exercise, this special posting on the subject of travel. I hope readers find some of the connections I make, often tangentially, on this subject of travel stimulating and provocative.
Sample Persuasive Essay Conclusions. Online assignment writing service.Stephanie Wilson
The document discusses the mechanism of gene expression and its functions. It begins by noting that an understanding of gene expression allows researchers to manipulate microorganisms to produce drugs or modify cell functions, which is important for medicine. It then discusses the key roles of proteins and RNA in regulating various processes in gene expression, including transcription, mRNA degradation, and translation. Transcription is described as the first stage of gene expression, where DNA is transcribed into RNA.
The Power of Afaan Oromo as a Device for Explaining Africa’s Prehistory vs. E...Dereje Birbirso
Early Egyptologists had to first study Afaan Oromo in order to understand Ancient Kemet hieroglyphics and texts. Similarly, early Assyriologists had to study Afaan Oromo in order to decipherer Babylonian cuneiform texts. Moreover, comparative theologians used Afaan Oromo and culture to understand the origin of major religions of the world. Early African travellers, too, were convinced that Afaan Oromo was not only the lingua franca of Africa up until 19th century CE, but was possibly the language of the Ancient Egyptian, Ancient Nile Valley or possibly even of Hittite from which was Indo-European languages emerged as offshoot. Adopting an Africology and evolutionary linguistics perspective, this study shall exploit classical and contemporary archives and explores the linguistic, epistemological, theological and relational power of Afaan Oromo in explaining Africa’s pre-history as well as classical, medieval and modern era Africa’s and Ethiopia’s history. Significant substantive and historical implications are highlighted for researchers who want to use Oromo language and institutional themes as a launching pad to study African prehistory.
This document discusses the significance of the Oromo language, Afaan Oromo, for understanding Africa's prehistory and interpreting ancient texts and epigraphy. It argues that Afaan Oromo has provided clues to deciphering Babylonian cuneiform, helping identify the original language as Ethiopian. It also notes that early Egyptologists like Rawlinson used Afaan Oromo to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics. Several scholars are cited saying words and elements of ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, and other languages resemble or are similar to Afaan Oromo words. The document concludes by noting how Oromo clans have provided insights into reconstructing models of prehistoric land
1) The document discusses the challenges of objectively analyzing literature and determining the meaning and context of words within poems.
2) It examines Robert Browning's use of religiously-charged words in some of his poems and argues this suggests an underlying mystical or religious dimension, contrary to how the poems may seem at face value.
3) The document also discusses debates around whether the context for analyzing a work should be just the work itself or if external contexts like the author's overall body of work or historical time period should also be considered.
This document discusses research on Sephardic magic traditions. It begins by defining Sephardic Jews and outlining criteria for identifying Sephardic magical phenomena. Sephardic magic was influenced by Jewish sources, Iberian culture, and cultures encountered after the Expulsion from Spain. Early research focused on dream interpretation and divination in Jewish texts. Two prominent Sephardic scholars, Almuli and Almosnino, wrote works on dream interpretation that provide insights into Sephardic magical beliefs and practices of their time. Almuli's work was more popular as it took a more traditional magical approach compared to Almosnino's more scientific analysis.
American Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development is indexed, refereed and peer-reviewed journal, which is designed to publish research articles.
This document discusses the authorship of the Book of Job and argues that Moses likely wrote it, making it the oldest extant literary drama. It presents background on the debate around the authorship of Job and dates it to around 1400 BC. The document then provides details about Moses' life and education in Egypt, establishing that he would have been knowledgeable in the Egyptian wisdom traditions, including drama. It describes an ancient Egyptian passion play from 2600 BC and argues Moses was familiar with this form through his education. The document further argues Moses knew Hebrew and Aramaic, the likely original languages of Job, and could have written it during his exile in Midian.
Some scholars in the field of literary criticism and linguistic analysis occasionally refer to 'verbal clues.' This is particularly notable in the field of Robert Browning studies as in the case of a reference to 'pottage' in 'The Pied Piper of Hamelin.' Let us widen the scope of this interpretaion of verbal clues much more wide.
According to Goethe's drama FAUST PART I Faust struggles with the issue as to how he should choose the most fitting word with which to render the sense of 'logos in the Greek New Testament. He decides on TAT (deed, act) instead of the more commonly accepted WORT (word, verbum). Much later leon Trotsky accused the Russian Formalists of siding with Saint John in lending words a religious aura while he sided with Faust in the assertion: in the beginning was the deed. Who was right?
n
In our secular age literary critics tend to deny that literary texts reveal 'truth' in a religious sense even though great authors like Milton and Robert Browning saw themselves as divine messengers. Even poets such as Shelley imbued their works with a spiritual quality in defiance of tendencies to regard poetry as outmoded and alien to progressive and rationalit thought. Perhaps it is time to rise to poetry's defence as Shelley did.
Apes Philosophicae Bees And The Divine Design In Barberini Thesis PrintsBrittany Brown
The document discusses two thesis prints commissioned by students defending philosophical theses dedicated to members of the Barberini family in early 17th century Rome.
The first print depicts Giovanni Lanfranco's illustration of Homer's description of the Cave of the Nymphs, with additions based on Porphyry's philosophical interpretation. It includes Barberini bees and references to the family, celebrating Cardinal Francesco Barberini. The second print has no single source, but is dense with classical allusions interpreted through close reading. It was commissioned by an English student at the Jesuit-run English College in Rome. Both prints exemplify the intricate rhetorical conceits and blending of philosophy, poetry, and praise characteristic of Jesuit education favored by
Your pen your ink coetzees foe robinson crusoe and the polGoswami Mahirpari
This document summarizes an academic journal article that analyzes J.M. Coetzee's novel Foe as a parody of Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. It argues that Coetzee uses parody to critique not just Defoe's novel, but the broader ideology of colonialism that Crusoe represents. By claiming Foe preceded Crusoe, Coetzee throws the realism of Crusoe into doubt and suggests Defoe manipulated the truth. Coetzee also artificially reconstructs silenced voices in Crusoe to show how Defoe promoted justifications for colonial power. The summary aims to uncover what these two "voices" say about colonialism and its justifications through a comparison of key
A certain prejudice sometimes alleges that allegories are outmoded metaphorical devices but as one literary scholar has note a traveller may be a symbol of a pilgrim or seeker of truth and a mountain may be a symbol of the soul's aspiration but once the traveller has set foot towards a mountain an allegory arises irrespective of the author's intentions as subconscious forces in the mind flow into the process of poetic creation.
Some see in Defoe;s famous work an early novel, others an adventure story. Could it also be an allegy, as Doefoe himself adopting viepoint of Crusoe himself suggests. If so, we should an allegoy to be something more than a stilted or artificial device.
Structuralism is based on the linguistic theories of Ferdinand de Saussure and was developed further by Roman Jakobson. It views phenomena like myths, rituals, or texts as systems of signs governed by underlying rules or structures. A structuralist analysis aims to uncover these deep structures by examining how the elements of a system relate to each other synchronically. The document provides an example of how a structuralist might analyze a simple story by reducing it to an abstract system of signifiers like "high", "low", and "middle" that follow predictable patterns.
This document discusses the identity of the Ha-Bi-ru, a group mentioned in ancient Near Eastern texts from the 2nd millennium BC. It explores the etymology of the term "Ha-Bi-ru" and its ideographic equivalent "SA-GAZ", noting debates around whether it refers to an ethnic group, socio-economic class, or something else. It also discusses the relationship between the Ha-Bi-ru and the Hebrews, noting that while their historical paths do not fully coincide, they converge in Canaan during the Amarna period, raising questions about the origins of Hebrew religion. The document aims to investigate the identity of the Ha-Bi-ru and their relation to the Hebrews.
Charles Darwin Essay. PPT - Final Stretch! Who was Charles Darwin? HW: Begin ...Jennifer Castro
Charles Darwin and the Theory of Evolution Free Essay Example. Humanities : Writings of Charles Darwin Essay Example | Topics and Well .... Charles darwin biography essay. PPT - Final Stretch! Who was Charles Darwin? HW: Begin Evolution Study .... A summary of Charles Darwin’s life and achievements, particularly .... Charles Darwin and Natural Selection Essay Example | Topics and Well .... Natural selection by charles darwin sample paper - essay. Charles Darwin - GCSE Science - Marked by Teachers.com. Darwin and his Critics. The Reception of Darwin's Theory of Evolution ....
For the last decade I have been writing on the subject of pioneering and travelling, as well as the psychological and the spiritual journey of life. I am not unaware of the significance of such writing as an expression of one's philosophy and religion, of one's sociology and ideology, indeed of the very apparatus of one's life. I have written literally hundreds of prose-poems and essays on the themes of travel interwoven with their variegated personal and societal significances.
My prose and poetry is, if nothing else, a definition of my identity, of the way I see my life, see life in general and the complex society in which I live. What follows in this essay is a collection of several pieces, several prose-poems, that I tie together somewhat tenuously for the sake of this exercise, this special posting on the subject of travel. I hope readers find some of the connections I make, often tangentially, on this subject of travel stimulating and provocative.
Sample Persuasive Essay Conclusions. Online assignment writing service.Stephanie Wilson
The document discusses the mechanism of gene expression and its functions. It begins by noting that an understanding of gene expression allows researchers to manipulate microorganisms to produce drugs or modify cell functions, which is important for medicine. It then discusses the key roles of proteins and RNA in regulating various processes in gene expression, including transcription, mRNA degradation, and translation. Transcription is described as the first stage of gene expression, where DNA is transcribed into RNA.
The Power of Afaan Oromo as a Device for Explaining Africa’s Prehistory vs. E...Dereje Birbirso
Early Egyptologists had to first study Afaan Oromo in order to understand Ancient Kemet hieroglyphics and texts. Similarly, early Assyriologists had to study Afaan Oromo in order to decipherer Babylonian cuneiform texts. Moreover, comparative theologians used Afaan Oromo and culture to understand the origin of major religions of the world. Early African travellers, too, were convinced that Afaan Oromo was not only the lingua franca of Africa up until 19th century CE, but was possibly the language of the Ancient Egyptian, Ancient Nile Valley or possibly even of Hittite from which was Indo-European languages emerged as offshoot. Adopting an Africology and evolutionary linguistics perspective, this study shall exploit classical and contemporary archives and explores the linguistic, epistemological, theological and relational power of Afaan Oromo in explaining Africa’s pre-history as well as classical, medieval and modern era Africa’s and Ethiopia’s history. Significant substantive and historical implications are highlighted for researchers who want to use Oromo language and institutional themes as a launching pad to study African prehistory.
This document discusses the significance of the Oromo language, Afaan Oromo, for understanding Africa's prehistory and interpreting ancient texts and epigraphy. It argues that Afaan Oromo has provided clues to deciphering Babylonian cuneiform, helping identify the original language as Ethiopian. It also notes that early Egyptologists like Rawlinson used Afaan Oromo to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics. Several scholars are cited saying words and elements of ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, and other languages resemble or are similar to Afaan Oromo words. The document concludes by noting how Oromo clans have provided insights into reconstructing models of prehistoric land
1) The document discusses the challenges of objectively analyzing literature and determining the meaning and context of words within poems.
2) It examines Robert Browning's use of religiously-charged words in some of his poems and argues this suggests an underlying mystical or religious dimension, contrary to how the poems may seem at face value.
3) The document also discusses debates around whether the context for analyzing a work should be just the work itself or if external contexts like the author's overall body of work or historical time period should also be considered.
This document discusses research on Sephardic magic traditions. It begins by defining Sephardic Jews and outlining criteria for identifying Sephardic magical phenomena. Sephardic magic was influenced by Jewish sources, Iberian culture, and cultures encountered after the Expulsion from Spain. Early research focused on dream interpretation and divination in Jewish texts. Two prominent Sephardic scholars, Almuli and Almosnino, wrote works on dream interpretation that provide insights into Sephardic magical beliefs and practices of their time. Almuli's work was more popular as it took a more traditional magical approach compared to Almosnino's more scientific analysis.
1. Evans 1
Poe and the Decomposing Eden
By William Evans
Presented at the Conference on Gothic Literature in San Diego, CA in 2012.
Molley K. Robbey arguesin her article “Poe and Prophecy: degeneration in
the Holy Land andthe House of Usher” that The Fall of the House of Usher is actually a
religious text, fulfilling a prophetic role in describing the fall of the hegemonic Islamic
world and the subsequentrise of Judaismin the Middle East. Besides noting
Roderick Usher’s prophetic abilities as proof of the religious overthrow,Robbey
arguesthat “Poe’s representationof decay . . . depends upon not only the word
‘Arabesque’but also the word ‘Hebrew’” (62). The distinction drawn between these
two words places Robbey at odds with scholarssuch as Travis Montgomery,and
Cecil Moffitt, who show that the arabesquein Poe’s writing refers to an Eden or
paradisiacal state of artistic possibilities achievable throughourimagination in the
dichotomy of imagination and reason. Jacob Rama Berman notes in his analysis of
Poe’s writings on interior decorating that“[b]y imaginatively incorporating
arabesqueinto American domestic space, Poe grantscontrolledaccess to the exotic
and thusa domesticated experience of the sublime” (Berman 136). One cannot deny
the connection Robbey sees In The Fall of the House of Usher between the arabesque
and decay, but I argue thatthe singularuse of the word “Hebrew” does not support
a reading of Usher as a prophetic text of Middle-east politics. Rather,the occurrence
of “Hebrew” shows Poe’s consistency in using the arabesqueto describe “the ideal
beauty” or paradise our imaginations can create (Hess 177).
2. Evans 2
Throughthe scholarshipof Moffitt andMontgomery I will explain the proper
parametersof arabesque, andshow thata distinction drawnbetween the word
“Hebrew” and the other arabesquedescriptions inappropriately divides the
category. I will then review the interpretationsof the arabesque by Berman and Hess
to show how an understandingofa mitigated sublime changes ourperception of the
arabesqueas a signifier of destructionto an evidence of a paradisiacal state achieved
throughimagination. From here I will show how Yothers’ applies a mitigated glimpse
of the sublime to other Poe stories. Lastly I will apply this hybrid theory—made up
from Moffitt, Montgomery,Berman, Hess and Yothers—toRobbey’s reading of The
Fall of the House of Usher and show Usher not as a political or religious text of
upheaval,but an interpretationof the consequences suffered when reasonis used to
limit ones imaginative or artistic side.
In Robbey’s reading of The Fallof the House of Usher the word “Hebrew” takes
an oppositional stance againstthe arabesqueand the descriptions included within
this category. For Robbey these terms are exclusive and describe two different
things,because the Jewish populationhas been at oddsboth politically andculturally
with the Arab, or Islamic world. Cecil Moffitt addressesthe scope of the arabesque.
She begins by looking at the dictionary entry for arabesquefrom the 1842
EncyclopediaBritannica. This entry notesthat it “is the etymological meaning . . . [for]
Arabian [and]Arabic” (Moffitt 57). It makes sense thatRobbey would pick up on this
aspect of the definition, because of the etymological similarities. However a “much
older” use of the word describes the word as “Arabianor Moorishin ornamental
3. Evans 3
design” (57). This ornamentaldesign includes non-symmetrical lines, curves, flowery
patterns,and shapesthat have an organic quality to them. Moffitt, like Robbey
recognizes andallows for the obviousconnection between arabesque andArabic,
but this does not prohibit the term from being more inclusive of a broader cultural
base. In fact the use of the word “Moorish” opens the doorsto let the arabesque
include more thenjust Arabs, and describes a culture,thoughIslamic by religion,
actually maintains a geographicalarea separate from Arabia butincluding; Northern
Africa, Spain andPortugal. If the 1842 definition of the word isn’t broad enoughto
allow for the inclusion of more thenone culture, Moffitt then explicates that “the
boundariesof Poe’s Arabia are even more extensive” then the countriespolitical
boarders. “From Libya . . . he circles the eastern end of the Mediterranean. . .
embracing Egypt, Arabia, Syria, Persia, Palestine, Turkey, andGreece. Among the
cities he names are . . . Jerusalem . . .andBabylon.” Geographically this region
encompasses almost every landtouching the MediterraneanSea. Furthermorethe
arabesqueis used to describe culturesfrom landsas far away as Japanand Mongolia
(58-59). Moffitt further shows thatPoe’s arabesque was a veritable cocktail of
cultures. The deities—alone—include Christian, Islamic, Greek and RomanPagan,
assortedmythological characters,and Hebrew figures. Throughthisdescription we
see thatthe term arabesque is supremely vast including almostanything thatwasn’t
Europe. The arabesqueis not a descriptive tool thatpits the Judeao-Christians
againstthe Islamic religions. More accurately it differentiates between the structure
4. Evans 4
and formality of the Europeanand Western culturesincludingFrance, Britain,
Germany, and America from the rest of the world.
Travis Montgomery lookedat Metzengerstein, The Visionary, and Bernice,and
like Moffitt noted the broadgeographicaland culturalrangeencompassed by the
term arabesque. In Montgomery’sanalysis of The Visionary he notes that the hero’s
dwelling was infused by the arabesque, including references to Egypt, as well as
“Tyre, an ancient Syrian city” (Montgomery15). From Moffitt and Montgomerywe
can see thatthe arabesque is an exceptionally broad term. The term is not to be
used to pit the Judeo-Christianworld against the Islamic world, as Robbey would
argue. From these two scholarswe can clearly see that Poe did not differentiate
between Hebrew and Arabwhen he used arabesque,because the Hebrews were
culturally,geographicallyand religiously included in the term; just as the pagans,the
Hindus the Buddhists andthe Muslimswere.
Poe’s use of the arabesquedid not just influence his talesof fiction, butwas
so complete thatit even influenced his writings of non-fiction. Poe wrote an article
for Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine in which he gives advice on interior decorating.
This is what Jacob Berman looksat when discussing Poe’s use of the arabesqueas it
pertains to domestic space. In Poe’s article he describes a chamber “with whose
decorations no fault can be found.” To which Berman notes,“Prominent among
these faultlessdecorations is the arabesque”(129). The furniturein one’s room is
meant to allow one to philosophize, and thusobtain or understandthesublime.
Berman notes that, “the arabesqueallows Poe to tease outthe latent terrorquotient
5. Evans 5
of the sublime image specifically throughanabstractedEastern figure” (Berman 131).
Berman further describes a sortof terrifying quality to the arabesque. The arabesque
was able to “integrate“outside elements” into its “formal world.” These outside
elements, in the Europeancontext, were “primitive” designs,and aspects of tribal
culture;masks, weapons, etc. This primitive aspect was considered grotesque, or
uncivilized in relationto the formality associated with European and American norms.
Berman explains that the arabesqueelements used in the home created a sanctuary
apartfrom world, “establishingthe psychic comfort of man’s ability to rationalize the
unfathomable. . . By imaginatively incorporating arabesquedesign into American
domestic space, Poe grantscontrolledaccess to the exotic and thusa domesticated
experience of the sublime” (136). In Berman’s analysisof the domestic space the
arabesqueelements are notjust a toolto understandaesthetic furniture, they are
also indicative of the presence of the sublime. Berman further explains that
incorporatingthe arabesque “is notwithout its consequences” (137). The
consequence comes because these tribal influences are closer to the earth. The
people and culturesfrom which they come are less removed from nature, or from
Eden then we are as civilized society. Because of the orderand formality associated
with the American domestic space; by incorporating arabesqueelements one is
creating a space in “proximity to the grotesque,primitive, and monstrous.” This
“destabilizes the sanctity of home with its degenerate potential” (137).
The arabesque—with allits accoutrements—signifies the sublime, and the
sublime in turnis meant to bring uscloser to the perfection we associate with
6. Evans 6
paradise or the Garden of Eden. It does that by presentingsomething we’re not
familiar with in our rigid, symmetrical, western thought. It presentssomething thatis
exotic, foreign, and primitive. This primitive aspect is so close to nature thatit
embodies the sublime, and allowsus to escape our structuredenvironment.
Jeffrey Hess addressesthe idea that the sublime is in naturein describing Poe
and his connection with the Garden of Eden. He explains thatthe Garden of Eden
representsthe perfect world. “Poe believed thatthe artist could achieve this vision
of ideal beauty only by means of his poetic and intuitive imagination” (Hess 177).
Hess continuesby noting thatthis ideal is often not reached by any of Poe’s
characters. Thoughdealing with a different set of stories, Montgomeryalso noticed
thatcharacters rarely achieve the ideal. Montgomerystates “For Poe, preserving the
sanctity of the imagination, figuratively associated with the Middle East, was
paramount,and ‘Metzengerstein’,“The Visionary”, and‘Bernice’, all of which employ
Gothic and Oriental devices, dramatize artistic failure, the betrayal of genius resulting
in imaginative decay or death” (5). Montgomery continues saying, “In sucha world
writers had to subordinatecreative preferences to marketconsiderations” (6). What
Poe dealt with, and what Hess and Montgomery noticed in his work was the problem
of being true to art, or being true to what the consumer wanted art to be. This
dichotomy between artistic integrity and commercialism was described in Poe’s
stories throughthearabesque, which representedthis Eden like paradise. Hess
arguesthat, “Poe always viewed artistic success as something necessarily
“provisional” and“relative,” largelybecause the artistcould never “fully
7. Evans 7
communicate the supernaltruthandbeauty of his intuitive vision”” (178). Artistic
success was provisional for several reasonsincluding the need to make money. If the
artist isn’t allowed to describe what is truly sublime because his art needs to sell,
then he is limited, and his ability to achieve that sublime stateis relative and
dependant on the consumer. As a further example of the provisionalnature of the
sublime Hess looksat Poe’s “The Domain of Arnheim” a story that involvesa journey
alonga river to Arnheim, which is a beautiful castle andgarden similar to Eden or
Heaven. The story is saturatedwith the non-regularlinesand intricate shapes and
designs thatepitomize the arabesque, andonce the view of Arnheim proper is
presented to the reader we are given the overt references associated with the
arabesqueincluding “the phantom handiwork”of all mannerof mythological beings.
Ellison, the creator of this supernal getaway is notlimited—like many artists—by the
restraintsof finances. Having inherited improbable amountsof money, he is able to
spend every penny required to create not only the castle and garden of Arnheim, but
also the meticulously manicured landscapefor miles around. While the narratoris
able to enter this modern Garden of Eden no description is given to the reader
beyond the passingglimpse viewed throughthe front gates.
Throughthis scholarshipwe see that the arabesquefigures prominently as a
sign of one’s proximity to the sublime. Whether it is in one’s furniture,décor, etc, or
the landscapesurrounding paradise,the arabesque represents nearnesswith
perfection. As one allowstheir imagination to flow freely the arabesque figures
more prominently in their life, andthis in turnsignifies their ability to reach the
8. Evans 8
perfect state. On the other hand, the more one gives in to reason and logic the
furtherone is distanced from perfection. Since perfection is portrayed as Arnheim,
or the Garden of Eden, then logic and reason wouldbe the antithesis and be
described by rampant decay anddestruction.
When Robbey argues thatthe “Hebrew” is a sign or portent of a political
overthrowin the Middle-East, she fails to recognize that “Hebrew” cannot be used
againstthe broaderarabesquebecause it would then standon both sides of the
juxtaposition. Throughscholars suchas Moffitt and Montgomery we are able to
understandjusthow many different culturescontributed to this device. The
scholarshipof Berman, Hess and Montgomeryallow us to look at the arabesqueand
understandhow this device differs from otherwestern motifs, namely thatit includes
aspects thatare primitive, closer to nature,and perhapseven wild in relation to the
clean lines and structureof reason. These scholarsalso help usto understandthat
when we recognize the arabesque we are seeing something thatis sublime and as
close to the perfection of Eden as we can get. This sublime will be touched by decay
and destructionbecause of the battle between our imagination andreason. This
allows usto see Robbey’s interpretation of The Fall of the House of Usher and ignore
the idea thatthis is a piece of literatureengaged in modern Middle-easternpolitics
because that wasn’tsomething that Poe cared about. Instead, we can look at The
Fall of the House of Usher and see the decay and destructionsurroundingtheUsher
family and their property, as a sign of their havingturned away from imagination.
While Roderick does posses some vestige of arabesque, namely a “Hebrew” nose,
9. Evans 9
these traits are found in a lessermeasure then they shouldbe. As a resultof
Roderick’s turningaway from his imagination the house and land literally implode,
swallowing himself and his sister. This leads us to wonder how the story might have
been different if Roderick and his family hadn’tturnedaway from their imaginations
whether the landscapewould have been in closer proximity and appearance to
Arnheim, or even the Gardenof Eden.
10. Evans 10
Works Cited
Hess, Jeffrey A. “Sources andAesthetics of Poe’s landscape Fiction.” American
Quarterly 22.2 (1970):177-189.Jstor.Web. 27 sept. 2011.
Moffitt, Cecil. “Poe’s “Arabesque”.” ComparativeLiterature 18.1(1966):55-70.JSTOR.
Web. 27 September 2011.
Montgomery, Travis. "Poe's Oriental Gothic: 'Metzengerstein' (1832), 'The Visionary'
(1834),'Berenice' (1835),the Imagination, andAuthorship'sPerils." Gothic
Studies 12.2 (2010):4-28. AcademicSearchPremier.EBSCO. Web. 19 Sept. 2011.
Poe, EdgarAllen. “The Philosophy of Furniture.” Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine May
1840:243-45.
-- -- --. The Fall of the House of Usher. Ebook.
Rama-Berman, Jacob. "Domestic Terror and Poe's Arabesque Interior." English
Studies in Canada 31.1 (2005):128-150. AcademicSearchPremier.EBSCO. Web.
27 Sept. 2011.
Robey, Molly K. "Poe and Prophecy: Degeneration in the Holy Land and the House of
Usher." Gothic Studies12.2 (2010): 61-69.AcademicSearchPremier.EBSCO.
Web. 19 Sept. 2011.