EdgarAllanPOE爱伦坡的写作艺术特

山西师范大学现代文理学院本科毕业论文 爱伦﹒坡恐怖小说的写作艺术特色姓 系 专 班 学名：别：业：级：号：指导老师：日期： 成绩： I 内容摘要： 爱伦坡的恐怖小说因深刻的颓废之美，怪异，忧郁而闻名。本文通过分析埃德加·爱伦·坡最具代表性的恐怖小说,可以探知作者的心灵式恐怖。埃德加·爱伦·坡的小说明显继承了传统哥特文学。随着对哥特式文学独创性的继承，创作出属于他的独一无二的恐怖小说。同时，在他恐怖小说中呈现出的写作特色包括象征手法，渲染手法，第一人称叙事角度。运用心理分析法分析神秘，隐晦的象征手法，理解其具体意义和它是如何激发读者的想象力，使读者在想象中体验恐惧的魅力。对色彩，环境的渲染使得恐怖故事具有阴暗，恐怖的画面感。第一人称的叙事角度，使得故事变得更加逼真，贴近读者，让读者直面血淋淋的场景。这些手法的应用，顺利解决了恐怖小说创作中推进情节和制造恐怖感的难题。对爱伦·坡恐怖小说写作特色的分析会帮助读者更好地理解他的书和思想。 关键词：爱伦坡恐怖小说写作艺术特色 II Abstract EdgarAllanPoe’shorriblefictionsarewell-knownforaprofoundbeautyofdecadence,grotesqueandgloom.Inthispaper,throughanalyzingthemostrepresentativeAmericanwriterEdgarAllanPoe’shorrorfictions,wecantouchthewriter’suncannyworld.EdgarAllanPoe’sfictionsobviouslyinheritfromthetraditionalGothicliterature.Poe,withhisingeniousinheritancefromGothicism,createdauniquestyleforhishorribletales.Atthesametime,hiswritingcharacteristicsincludingsymbolism,renderingtechniqueandthefirstpersonvisualangelarepresentedinmostofhishorriblestories.Usingthepsychologicalanalysistoanalyzethemysteriousandobscuresymbolism,tounderstanditsspecificmeaning,andhowtoarousethereaders'imagination,whichmakesreadersexperiencetheglamourofthefear.Renderingofthecolors,environmentmakesthehorrorstorieswithdark,terrorsenseofpictures.First-personnarrativepointofviewmakesthestorybecomemorerealisticandclosetothereaderconfrontedthebloodyscene.Applicationofthesetechniquessuccessfullysolvedtheproblemofadvancingtheplotandproducingterrorfeelingsinthecreationofhorrorfiction.AnalyzingPoe’swritingartisticfeatureswillcertainlyhelppeopletounderstandhisbookandthoughts. Keywords:EdgarAllanPoehorrorfictionswritingartisticcharacteristics III Content I.Introduction……………………………………………………………1II.GothicFeatures………………………………………………2 A.TheDefinitionoftheTerm“Gothic”………………………………..2a.Thecharacter’shorroractions……………………………………….3. b.Thescenesettings………………………………………………….....3 c.Thethemeofdeath…………………………………………………...3 B.TheCreationoftheGothicLiterature……………………………….5.III.Symbolism A.TheDefinitionofSymbolism…………………………………………..5a.Sceneimages………………………………………………………….6b.Colorimages………………………………………………………….6 c.Animalsimages………………………………………………………..7 B.AnalysisSymbolFromPsychology……………………………………..7a.FromSigmundFreud’sTheory………………………………………....7.b.FromAristotle’sTheory…………………………………………………9IV.RenderingTechnique A.TheSpecificApplicationofRenderingTechnique………………………9Ｖ．WritingFromFirstPerson Ａ.ThespecificApplicationofFirstPerson...................................................10 VI.Conclusion………………………………………………………..11Workcited IV TheWritingArtisticCharacteristicsInEdgarAllanPoe’sHorrorFictions I.Introduction. Notapassionismoredirecttouchthesoulofhumanthanfear.Wecandeeplyrealizethefrightenedsoul,andtotallyimmerseinterrortaleswhichcreatedbyPoe.Dangerousactuallydoesnotexist,butEdgarAllanPoeusedhisgiftedimaginationandnarrativeskillstoshowthemwithspecificsubtledetails.Withthedegreeofterrorupgrading,thepanicsmakereadersimmersive. EdgarAllanPoe(1809-1849)isoneofthemostoutstandingwritersinAmericanthreeprominentterrornovelists.HeistheAmerican19thcenturyauthoroffiction,poet,literarycritic,journalist,editor.Hispoetryandfictionshavebeenattractedextensiveattentionfromallovertheworld,especiallyhishorrorfictions,withitsmystery,terrorattractsmoreandmoreresearchers’interest.Inhistales,hecreatedanintegratedmysteriousandterribleatmosphere,andachievedthrillingeffect.Heisgoodatusingfantasytoexpresshisawakeandwise,andameditationoflife.AsthenotableEnglishwriterGeorgeBernardShawoncesaid,theUnitedStateshastwogreatwriters,EdgarAllanPoeandMarkTwain."Poe'sgreatnessliesinhiswasthefirstonetostartdigginghumanconsciousnessisthedeepestdarknessinthefieldofpeople."(常耀信ChangYaoxin) Oncetherearemanyconventionalpeoplefeelhardtoacceptthiskindofweirdprotagonistsfortheyareusedtoreadingthatencouragingstoriesthatfullofloveandhope.Hewasmisunderstoodbyhiscontemporariesandtheirfollowersforalongtime.MarkTwainthoughtPoe’sprosehardtobereadable.However,nowhisworksbothattractreaders,andletthereaderfeelthenarrator’ssometimeslucid,sometimesmaniacalabnormalmind.Hebelieved“artforart’ssake”.Histheoryofeffectsandunityandthetechniquesheusedinhistaleshaveinfluencedmostwriterafterhim,especiallythedetectivewriters.Theauthorsexploredtwoextremes,thepeople’sgoodorevil,reasonormania,andstrovetodepicttheintermediatezonebetweenthetwoextremes.Inhisworks,Poeconfusedboundariesbetweenreasonandmania,thedifferencebetweenwakingand 1 dream.Beautyandterror,fearandpleasurethatareaccompaniedwitheachother. II.GothicFeatures. A.TheDefinitionoftheTerm“Gothic”. Gothicliteratureisacollectionofterrorandromanticliterature.EdgarAllanPoe'shorrorfictionnotonlyinheritedthetraditionalGothicnovelwritingpattern,butalsodevelopauniqueGothicnovelwritingstyle.Theoriginofthe"Gothic"canbetracedbacktotheword"Goths",whichinitiallydescribedtheGermanictribesofthemostdeadly,savagebranch.Andthe"Gothicstyle"isusedtodescribeFrenchchurcharchitecturesofthe11thcentury,anditscharacteristicsarehightapersteeples,higharchwindows,coloredglassesandinternalgloomyenvironments.TheGothicnoveloriginatedinBritaininthelate18thcentury.TheCastleofOtranto(1764)writtenbyHoraceWalpoleestablishedthemodeloftheearlyclassicalGothicnovel.Sincethen,thiswritingstyleattractedmanypeopletoimitate,andextendedtothewholeEuropeandtheUnitedStates.EdgarAllanPoearethemostsignificantamongtherepresentativepersonagesintheearlyGothicnovel. TheGothicnovelhasstrongappealstoreaders,foritsprofoundpsychologicalandtheaestheticsources.ThepsychologyoftheGothicnovelisbasedonasenseoffearandcuriositybynature.WhenreadersarereadingGothicstories,theyusuallyhaveastrongexperienceoffear,ofbeingpersonallyonthesceneanddonotworrytheirownsafetyatthesametime.Readershaveaexperienceofimaginationthemselvesorreplacethecharacters,orasaparticipant,orasaspectator,andwiththedevelopmentofeventsintheworks,readerscompleteadventurestravelofmind.Thereisnoanycostofadventure.Modernpeopleandancestorsarebothkeentoancientmonsters,popularlegendsandappallingandscaryghoststories.Althoughpeoplewillbeafraidofthem,buttheystillwanttofindstimulation.Humancuriosity,thedemandoffearandsafety,andthedemandofcourageousheroareallmeetintheGothicnovels.Whensocietypeoplearefeelingdepressed,thiskindofworkispopularinthemarket. TheGothicnovel,fundamentallyspeaking,isthepastandpresentnegativereactionofcomfortable,safepoliticalstabilityandthecommercialprosperity.Themostimportantthingisthatitresistsrationalcontrol.Therefore,theheroisusuallyviolentandcruelinthe 2 Gothicnovel,whichplotsarebloodyandviolent,andoftenhappenedinthepast,especiallyinthemiddleages,andusedcastles,ruinsorwildernessasthebackground.Theplotisweirdandhorrific,andoftenwithamysterioussupernatural,givingpeoplethemoststrongfearsofthesoulandvisualstimulation. a.thecharacter’sterroraction TheGothicnovels’characterswasoppressedbysocialandsecularvisionforalong-time,sotheyusuallybecameinsaneandcrazy.SuchasHeathcliffintheWutheringheights.AndinEdgarAllanPoe’snovels,herousuallybecameviciousbrutalityinthatinexplicablefearinhisinnerworld. InaBucketofWhiteWine,hedeceivedFortunatotohishomecellarandkilledhim,whoonceinsultedhim. IntheBlackCat,theauthordescribestheactionsofkillingtheblackcatandhiswife.“SlowlyItookaknifefrommypocket,openedit,andthencarefullycutoutoneofPluto’seyesfromitssocket.”andwhentheherokilledhiswife,hethoughtthathecouldcutthebodyupintoverysmallpiecesandthenburntheminafire,andthathecouldputthebodyinaboxandthenasksomeonetocarrytheboxaway. Moreover,intheTell-TaleHeart,Poedepictedthiscruelpictures:“First,Icutitintopieces.Icutofftheheadandthearmsandthelegs.Ithentookupthereboardsfromthewoodenfloor,andhidthebodyunderneath.” b.thescenesettings UnderthetraditionalGothicnovel,thechoiceofthesceneisverycommon.Theywerelikelytoselectableakandisolatedplaces,suchascastles,cellars,cemetery,asthesceneofthestory.AndEdgarAllanPoealsohadanobsessionwiththethemeofdeath.Poewasgoodatusinghisuniqueimagination,withthehelpofagrimscenario,tostrengthentheresultoftheterror.Poeinsistedthatthisclosed,darkenvironmentcanexposehumannatureanddesireandshowhumanirrationalworld. c.thethemeofdeath BecausetheGothicnovelsitselfisfromtheeerie,darkandmysteriousarchitecturalstyle,itscontentsaregenerallyviolence,murder,fornication,etc.Thedeathofdeathis 3 theeternalthemeintheGothicnovels,ofcourse,whichisEdgarAllanPoe'smostbeloved.Whentheterribleincidentshappened,thereareoftenaccompaniedwithsomecharacters’sdeath.BeforePoe,theauthorLewiscreatedanovelMonasterywhoseplotscontainedkillingonewithmaltreatment,whichisthelandmarkworkintheGothicnovels.ThereforePoeinheritedthesekindsofplotfromtheformerwriter.EdgarAllanPoe’slifeissufferedformaseriesofblowsandgrief,sohecanmoredeeplyunderstandthethemeofdeath.ForPoe,deathisnotanaturalfact,butanaccidentwhichpeoplecouldnotcontrolwhenithappens.Deathmeansanewleaseoflifeandatranscending.Ithasasuperorganicmeaning.(Poe’sAestheticPerspectivesofBeautyinArt,LifeandDeath.潘蕾2006，April，26页) Abucketofwhitewineisthemostrepresentativeandtypicalrevengeofthethemeofdeath.AvengersMonterrosoknewalotabouthisenemyFortunatoashisprofoundhatredinhisheart.Heheldontoothersfatalweakness,whichishumancommonweakness,vanity,andheknewthatFortunato‘sbiggestweaknessisthatheconsideredhimselfasareviewerofgoodwines.Monterrosopretendedaworship,friendly,warmandaffectionateheartinsurface,butactuallyhiddendangersandsetatrap. IntheMasqueoftheRedDeath,deathseemstobedoomedandinvincible.Intheshadowofdeath,peoplearepanic,hysterical,anddespairhiddenunderthecarnival.As"theRedDeath"spreadinthewholecity,halfthepeopleofthiscountryhadalreadydiedfromit.Inordertoavoidtheplague,thefearlessprinceProsperoinviteathousandofhisbraveandstrongfriendstostaywithhiminacastle,faroutinthecountryside.Thecastlehadastronghighwallsandgreatgatesofheavymetal.TheyallthoughtthattheyfledtoasafetyplacefarawayfromtheRedDeath.Thatformsanobviouscontrast:outsidewallisreddeathworld,lifeitselfyetwasinsidethecastle.Thecontrastofdeathandlife,andtheclosedistanceofthemletapersonhavenowaytoretreatandmakepeoplecrazy.Partyheldinsevenrooms,buttheseventhroomwasthemostfrighteningforitswallswereblack,carpetwasalsoblack,butitswindowswereadeepblood-red.Noonecanenterintothisblackroomthatrepresentedthedomainofthedeathandmeantpeople’sdeepfear.Everytimeastheclockslowlyrangthetwelvelongchimesofmidnight,itreminded 4 revelersofthecomingofdeathandlettheirheartsexperiencedeath'spowerfulandoppressionateverymoment. B.TheCreationoftheGothicLiterature. EdgarAllanPoemadeaboldinnovationoftheGothicliterature,turnedthehorrorsoftheGothicnovelintomentalhorror,andrevealedthehumaninnerfear. PoeoncewrotehismentalterrorintheprefaceofTalesoftheGrotesqueandArabesque.Ifthethemeinmanyofhisstoryhasalwaysbeenaterror,heinsistedthattheterrorisnotGermantype,butatypeofmind.Hededucedsuchterrorjustfromreasonablesource,andsimplymadethetendencyofreasonableresults. IntheGothicnovels,Poemadeinnovationsinthestructureoftheform.Thecharacteristicsoftheprogressivetypestructureisobvious,clear,andeasytonarrate.Alongwiththeadvancementofthestory,thenarrativerhythmspeedingup,theplotisbecomingmoreandmoreexcitingtoachieveclimaxundertheatmosphereofterror.InPoe'shorrorfictions,hefurtherdevelopedtheprogressivestructure.Usingthefirstpersoninordertorecallthepastthingsaccordingtochronologicalorder.Narrationstratificationmakesthedevelopmentoftalesparticularattracted,andmysterious.InthenovelofWilliamWilson,usingthestructureoftheprogressivetypetellsthestoryof“I”inchronologicalorder.“I”gotoschoolmetastudentwhosenameandbirthdayisthesameasme.Andhewasalwaysopposingme.So"I"becamemoreandmorewild.Afterfightingagainandagain,“I”killed“anotherI”. Herevealedtheevilinhumannature.Inthesecondhalfofthe19thcenturyAmerica,thebeautifulartstilloccupiedthedominantposition.Untilthelastcentury,theprincipleofbeautyanduglinesswasintroducedtothemodernismart.Alargenumberofliteratureandartcreatorstriedtorevealthecontradictionsofsocietyandlifefromtheoppositeside.EdgarAllanPoe'sworksexistedalotofugliness,andalsobrokethroughthetraditionalaesthetics.Poe’saestheticinnovationexceededothercontemporarywriters. III.Symbolism. A.TheDefinitionofSymbolism Thesymbolismisanartistictechniquethatexpressessimilaremotionsandthoughts 5 withthespecificimagethateasilyassociated.So-calledobjectiveimageisthroughdifferentemotionalactivitiestocreateakindofartisticimage.Inotherwords,itisanobjectiveimagethatusedtoexpressobjectiveemotions.PoewasinfluencedbyBritishromanticismandGermanidealismaesthetic.SoPoeiskeenonsingularweirdthingsthatinhisviewarenotterrible,butabeautyofthebizarre.Poefullyutilizedhisgenius,tocreateonebyonesignificantandprofoundimages.Heusedsomeanimalsorthingstorepresenttheabstractconcept,whichcanbedividedintothefollowingcategory.a.Sceneimages. TheancientcastleintheMasqueoftheRedDeath,thedarkdampundergroundwinecellarinaBucketofWhiteWine,thebleakoldhouseintheFalloftheHouseofUsheraresceneimages.Airtight,isolatedandbleaksceneimageproducesadepressiveenvironment,andimpactstheprotagonist'spsychologicalfeelingsandspirit. AfterreadingtheFalloftheHouseofUsherIwasscaredforalongtime.Atfirstsight,itseemstobeanabnormalemotionalstory,buttheimagesettingnotstayedonthesurfacemeaning,butgaveitmorecomplexanddeepermeaning.Thehouseofushersymbolicmeaningisthatitgavebirthtotheoldfamily,butatthesametimecloseditself,alsocloseditsowner.AndtheHouseofUsherisonbehalfofboththecollapsedbuildingandthefamily.Intheend,thehouseanditsownerbothruined.Thecharacteristicsofthehousearesimilartothetemperamentofthehero.Toachievetheeffectoftheunifiedtheory,EdgarAllanPoeintegratedthesceneimagewithhero’stemperament.ThemelancholyHouseofUshershowstheprotagonist'smentalstatewithgreatpain. b.Colorimage ItisbadlycommontousecolorastheimageinPoe’shorrornovels.Redandblackwerealsohisfavoritecolorimages.Hechosethemforredisthecolorofbloodandblackisasymbolofdeath.IntheMasqueoftheRedDeath,theseventhroomwasblackanditswallswereblack,itsthick,heavycarpetwasalsoblack.Butitswindowswereadeepblood-red.Foreachfirewasoppositeawindow,sointheblackroomthefirelightthatshonethroughtheblood-redwindowchangedtheroomintosomethingtoohorribletodescribe.Andasthefiresburnedbrighter,thecolorsandshapesinthisroombecamemore 6 horriblethanever. InthefallofthehouseofUsher,theblacktapestry,thedarksilentlake,inthetell-taleheart,thedarklantern,theoldmanhadapale,blueeyesthatallbroughtpeoplegreatlyuneaseandpanic.WhetherblackcatorthedarkHouseofUsherarebothfilledwithsomuchcolorimagesthatproducedmorehorrificfeelings. c.Animalimage InthebookoftheBlackCat,thistitlelaidanominoustoneforthefullstory.Theblackcatisnotasimple"object",butaprominenthorror,whichmakestheheroinfearallthetime,alsogivesthereadersakindoffearofexcitementandpleasure.IntheWest,theominousblackcatistheembodimentofthewitchandasymbolofevil.Thenameoftheblackcat,Pluto,wasoriginallythenameofthehellandtheruleroftheunderworldintheancientGreekmythology.Plutooftenmadeasinistersound.EdgarAllanPoedesignedtheBlackCatastitleandPlutoasthenameofthecat,whichtheaimistocreateanterribleatmosphere.Asshownintheending,theblackcatledtoaend,“Ontopofherhead,withared,openmouthandoneburningeye,sattheblackcat-theanimalwhichhashadmademeamurderer,andwhichwouldnowsendmetodeath.” Whenthefirstcathangedinafewdayslater,thereappearedanotherblackcatthatlikePluto,butawhitemarkonitschest.Thewhitemarkofthechestshowedtheshapeofthegallows,whichmadetheherofrighten.Thewhitemarkremindedhiscrimes,arousedhisguilt,andbecamethesymbolofhiscrimes. Inshort,Poenotonlysimpleinheritedthedeathandgloomyaestheticorientation,violentplotsintheGothicliteraturebutalsoinnovatedtheGothicwritingtechniques,andmorestrovetoexplorepeople’sinnerworld. B.AnalysisSymbolFromPsychology a.FromSigmundFreud’sTheory. SigmundFreud'spsychoanalyticpersonalitytheoryfocusesonthestudyofhumanunconsciousmentalactivity.Freudiantheoryofhumanpsycheisakindof"understandingpeople'smotivation,personality,mentalactivityofscience."Ithasahugeinfluencesonmanyareasinmodernwesternsociety.Amongthem,thethree-levelpersonalitystructure 7 pointsoutthattheimbalanceofego,idortheself,superegowillleadtomentalillnessandpersonalitydisorder."Theself",orthesubconsciousmind,isthemostbasicpartofthepersonalitystructureandliesinthedeepestheart,representingthemostprimitive,instinctiveimpulseanddesire.Idfollowstheprinciplesofhappinessthatdonothaveanymoral,ethicalandvaluefactors.Itiseasilyimpulsive,butcanbecontrolledandregulated."Theego"isfrom“theid”andistheexecutorofthepersonality.Itisthemediumthatcontactwiththeoutsideworldaccordingtoactualconditiontoadjusttheidandthesuperegoanditdoesthingsaccordingtothemoralprinciples."Thesuperego"isamanagerinthepersonalitystructure,andisonbehalfofthesocialmoralstandards.Sincetherealwaysexiststheoppositebetweenthesuperegoandtheid,egoneedstocoordinatethecontradictionsbetweentheidandthesuperego.Onlytheid,egoandsuperegoarrivebalance,canaperson'sspiritualworldbenormal.Iftheydon'tbalance,theycancauseabnormalmentalityandpersonalitydistortion. Poeprobedthemostsecretunconsciousandsubconsciousmentalactivitiesthatshowedaperson’smentalityfromabnormaltobreakdown.Poe'spsychologicaldescriptionisvivid,naturalandfrank.Throughpsychologicalactivities,wecanseetheuglinessandevilofhumannature,andhaveaprofoundintrospectionandthepurificationofthesoul. InthebookoftheBlackCat,whenthehero’ssuperegoisunabletosuppressandpreventid’sviolentimpulse,violentnaturethathiddeninthedepthsoftheprotagonistsubconsciousbegantodoevilthings.Soonedaytheherocommittedunforgivablecrimesundertheuncontrolledevilthoughts.Later,protagonistandhissuperegowastormentedbycriminalfacts.Everytimeherememberthatdayhekilledthecat,hestillfeelsadnessandpain.Asaresultoftheneedtoselfhurtself,peopleoftenknowthatweshouldnotdobutstilldonesomethingstupidorevil.Inthisnovel,Poewentintothemostdeepplaceofthehumanconsciousnessthatshowedtheevilinstinctinaperson'sunconscious. Usherlivedinthehouseofusherwherefullofdespairforalongtime,andonlyhadasister.Theintolerabledarkness,anddesolate,terrible,bleakatmospheregraduallyerodedanddistortedUsher’sspirit.Andbecauseidoverindulgencemadehefornicatewithhissister,hefeltdeeplyregret,fear,anxietyandguilt.Becauseofidindulgence,superegowillseverelypunishid. Itisdifficulttoachievebalanceforthesethreepartswhicharealwayscontradictoryandnotharmoniousinthepersonalitystructure,soeveryonemoreorlesshavesome 8 mentalillnessthatsymptomsseverityorlighter.Theobjectiveenvironmentmakethereadersrealizethepsychologicaldevelopmentofhealthandpersonalitymoldingauxiliaryneedgoodenvironment,includingfamilyenvironments,schoolenvironments,socialenvironments,etc.Egoshouldcoordinatetherelationshipbetweentheidandthesuperego,andshouldemphasizetheguidanceandwarningroleofsuperegoandshouldmakedecisionsaccordingtothesocialethicsandcommonsense. b.Fromthetheoryofeffectsandunify In"thereviewofHawthorne’stwicetoldtales"(thereviewofHawthorne'stwicetoldtales.1840)heexplainedhiscreationprinciples.Hethoughtacleverwriternotputhisownthoughtsintohisplot,butplannedinadvanceandcreatedauniquedistinctiveeffect,andthenfabricatedsomeplotsandcontactedwiththeseplots.Allthesethingsareinordertorealizethetheoryofeffectandunify.Hebelievedthattheworkshouldbeaharmoniousunity.Frombeginningtoend,everydetail,everyplot,eachplace,eveneverysentence,everywordshouldachieveaunifiedeffect. Basedonhisfamouscreationprincipleoftheoryoftheeffectandunify.Throughhiselaborateconceptionandcleverarrangement,hecreatedtheuniqueaestheticeffects,andaestheticvalues. Inthenovels,nameisnotrandom,butcarefullychosenfortheultimatehorroreffects.ThepronunciationofFortunatoissimilarwithfortunate,andPlutoisthenameofthehellinancientGreekmythology. IV.RenderingTechnique A.TheSpecificApplicationofRenderingTechnique InPoe'shorrorfictions,boththedepictionofpsychology,environment,andallkindsofhorribledeathwayinthenovels,giveoneimpressionofterror.Inthefallofthehouseofusher,Poeportrayed“Ilookedupattheoldhousewithitshighstonewallsandnarrowwindows.Ilookedaroundatthethindrygrassandtheolddyingtrees,andsick,andcouldnotthinkofonehappythoughttochaseawaymygloom.”Thuswecansee,Hisworksthroughrenderingenvironment,suchasoldhouse,highstonewalls,narrowwindows,thindrygrass,olddyingtree,toemphasizethedeclineofthesurroundingenvironment,whichmakespeoplefeelthatlifeisfragileandpreparesforthenexthorribleplot. IntheFalloftheHouseofUsher,aboutsevenoreightdaysaftertheyhadputLady 9 Madeleine’scoffininthevault.Outside,therewasastormwhichwasgrowingwilder.“I”couldhearsomelowsoundsfromsomewhereinsidethehouse.AndthenPoedescribedtheviolentstormasthefollowthatmadepeoplefeelmuchtension. “Thewindfromtheviolentstormoutsidecrashedintotheroom,nearlyknockingustothefloor.Itwas,indeed,awild,butstrangelybeautifulnight.Thewindseemedtobegoingincirclesaroundthehouse,andhuge,heavyblackcloudschasedeachother,firstthisway,thenthatway.Wecouldseenomoonandnostars,butapaleghostlylightlayaroundthehouse.”Atthatmoment,“I”readawild,fantasticstorywhoseplotisEthelredbreakingtheoldman’sdoor,thecryofthedragon,andthefallingofthegates.Thisstorytheheroreadenhancedthetenseatmosphere.Andthentheplotarrivedtheclimax.Usher’sbodybegantoshake,andasicklysmilecameoverhislips.HesaidthathehadputMadeleinealiveintoacoffin.Attheendofthisstory,Poedepictedthispicture“Outside,thestormwasstillviolentandasIranpastthelake,asuddenwildlightshonearoundme......Therewasalongshoutingsound,likethevoiceofathousandwaters,andthedeepdarklakeclosedoverthebrokenpiecesoftheHouseofUsher.”whichmadeeverythingdisappearedandthestoryfullofthebreathofdespairing. Ｖ．WritingFromFirstPerson Ａ．ThespecificApplicationofFirstPerson It'snothardtofindthatthefirstpersoninnarrationinPoe'shorrorfictions.Fromtheperspectiveofthereader,applyingthefirstpersontogivereadersarealfeeling,tostimulatereadinginterest,andtobuildakindofobjectiverealeffect.Whilefromtheauthorhimself,usingthefirstpersoninnarratingtheexperienceofgruesomestorycanobjectivelypresentandtellthehero'sthoughtsandbehaviors.Thiswaycanletarticlewritefluentlyandbetteranalyzethenarratorownmentalcondition.Poeseemedtobeaprophetofgod,andknowthedevelopmentofallthings. InthenovelWilliamWilson,aseriesofeventsexperiencedbytheauthorwith"I"asthemaincontent,healsoletreadersfeelthathasreallyhappened,andleavethedeepimpression. InthebeginningoftheTell-TaleHeart,“Icouldhearallthings,thingsinthisworldandthingsinheaven.Iheardmanythingsinhell,too.SohowcanIbemad?”The"I"repeatedlystressedheisnotcrazy,normalmental,howpeoplehaveanormalmentaltokilltheoldmansufferedfromcataract?Whenthepoliceaskedwhathashappened,“I”heardthenoiseoftheoldman’snoiseofbeatingheartbecominglouderandclearer,andthen“I” 10 collapsed,toldthepolicethatthecorpsewasunderthefloor.If“I”didn'thearthatbeatingheart,Icanescapefromthepainofheart,andlegalsanctions,but“I”heardthishorriblenoisewasbiggerandbigger,“I”argued,“I”walkedupanddowntheroom,“I”feltthat“I”mustscreamordie.Finally,“I”cannotstanditandaccepttherealisticpunishment. “Wehumansseemtolikehurtingourselves.Haven’tweall,ahundredtimes,donesomethingstupidoreviljustbecauseweknowthatweshouldnotdoit?”Heborrowed"I"inTheBlackCattobrieflyanalyzepeople’scriminalmentality,andshowthatthedarkinnercorneroftheman. IV.Conclusion PoelivedinAmericawherethewholecountrywasfilledwithhopeoflifeinthesecondhalfofthe19thcentury,however,hefocusedonthedeath,andthedarkness.EdgarAllanPoe'sworksnotonlyimprovedthedepthandbreadthinliterature,andpromotedthedevelopmentoftheromanticism,butalsostudiedsocialconcernedpsychologicalproblemsnow.Poebymeansofdescribingtheterrortoexpresshisviewonthegoodandevil,toexposemeditationandinnerstruggleinthemodernwestern.AsasuccessorandinnovatoroftraditionalGothicliterature,hehasbecomeasignificantwriterinAmericanliterature.Heusedtechniquessuchassymbol,rendering,thefirstpersonvisualsingleinhistalestocreateastunningsuccess.EdgarAllanPoe'sstrovetoexplorethesecretsofthehumanmind,andexploredthelimitsofhumanpsychology.Heshowedthatbeautyisnotakindofnature,butmakethereadersfeelstrongsenseofpleasurefromhorrorandletreadersenjoythem. 11 Acknowledgements TheexcitementandgratitudeIhadwhenIfinishedthispaperisbeyondmyexpressions.MythankstomysupervisorZhouJuanling,forherinspiringenlightenmentandcarefullyreadingmymanuscripts.Withoutherpatience,advice,encouragement,thispaperwillbeimpossible.WhenIrunintodifficulties,shealwaystookgreatpainstoteachme.Shesuggestionsenabledmetomakeefficientadjustmentsandcheckitout.Itisverykindofyoutogivemethebenefitofyourownexperience.IamalsogratefultotheotherprofessorsoftheEnglishDepartmentofShanxiNormalUniversity,especially………..,whosesuggestionsgavemealothelpattheinitialpreparation.Myheartygratitudealsogivetomyroommatesandparentswhoalwaysgivemeceaselessencouragement,preciousloveandkindsupports.Atlast,Iwouldliketoextendmyheartfeltgratitudetothemagain. 12 13