Literary Criticism of Edgar Allan Poe vintage book circa 1884 advocating for autonomy of poetry Antique collectible green decor with gold

Edgar Allan Poe believed poetry “intensely excites, by elevating, the soul,” and since intense excitement must by nature be brief, a long poem “is, in fact, merely a succession of brief ones – that is to say, of brief poetical effects”. A poem such as Paradise Lost, Poe argues, is at least one half composed of prose, with which the poetic passages are interspersed. Hence the first poetic requirement, unity of impression, cannot be satisfied in a long poem. Edgar Allan Poe was the first major American writer explicitly to advocate the autonomy of poetry, the freeing of poetry from moral or educational or intellectual imperatives. His fundamental strategy for perceiving such autonomy was to view poetry not as an object but as a series of effects. Hence, while his views are broadly Romantic like Emerson’s, they differ deeply from Emerson’s in that they present an affective and expressionist view of poetry. While he is usually considered a Romantic, Poe’s concern with technique and construction exhibit a formalist disposition and anticipate some of the more modern formalistic theories.

CONDITION: VG-

ABOUT: Literary Criticism of Edgar Allan Poe in one volume
Dana Estes
1884
Please see all pictures and noted condition. Grading scale:
- Fine: Unused, like new, without any flaws.
- VG+ (Very Good +): May have been opened & read, but no defects to the book, jacket or pages. Shows some small signs of wear but no tears on binding or paper. ⭐️
- VG (Very Good): More obvious signs of use with no significant creasing or defects.
- VG- (Very Good): Worn. Defects are noted.
- Poor / Fair / Former Library Book: Worn book that has complete text pages (including those with maps or plates) but may lack endpapers, have loose binding.

To preserve the condition of your book, place your book upright on a shelf with the spine facing outward. Books should be firmly pressed together but not wedged in tightly, which causes stress on the bindings. Shelves should not be exposed to direct sunlight and should be in a dry, insect-free location.