Edgar Allen Poe Test Terms & Biography

Epigraph

a short quotation or saying at the beginning of a book or chapter intended to suggest its theme

Atmosphere

type of feelings that readers get from a narrative, based on details such as settings, background, objects, and foreshadowing; etc. Atmosphere exists at a certain location

Mood

is simply about internal feelings; how you feel at a particular moment when reading a piece of literature. Atmosphere exists at a particular spot, but mood builds through a narrative

Synecdoche

a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole or it may use a whole to represent a part. Ex. Using the phrase “gray beard” to refer to an old man

Double entendre (pun)

a word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risqué or indecent

Sentience

the ability to feel, perceive, or experience subjectively

1811

Elizabeth, Poe’s mother, died (tuberculosis) when Edgar was just three. His biological father had abandoned his family two years prior.

1826

Poe went off to Virginia University where he only studied for one term.

1827

Edgar gambled and got into debt and when he asked for money from John (his foster father), Allan refused. The two got into a quarrel and at the end Allan kicked Poe out with nowhere to live and no money. Poe then went to serve in the United Stated Army on May 26th, 1827.

1836

Poe marries his cousin, Virginia Eliza Clemm in Richmond.

1847

Virginia Clemm dies of tuberculosis; this caused Poe to rely more on alcohol, which made his behavior erratic.

1849

Found unconscious outside of a voting booth and died on October 7th. Poe is buried in the Old Westminster Burying Ground in Baltimore.

The Sublime

-Closely associated with Romanticism
-The “realm of experience beyond the measurable.”
-The realm of the “sublime” is one of transcendence and unaltered beauty, often triggered by the terrors and awe-inspiring qualities of natural phenomenon. So, for instance, if you were to stand on the edge of a rock edifice overlooking the Grand Canyon, your heart might seem to stop; all the petty cares and concerns of daily life might evaporate as you take in such wonder. It’s terrifying in some respects—imagine if you fell! —but it’s also gratifying and life-fulfilling. That’s the sublime.

The American Gothic Tradition

-Came into vogue in Germany during the late 18th century and reached mass popularity in subsequent decades throughout Europe. It later made its way to America where it became quite popular during the first half of the nineteenth century.
-Falls in the realm of the “Romantic” movement of literature, which emphasizes a faith in the senses, feelings, and imagination. These works tend to highlight an intimate, sacred, and often terror-inducing relationship with Nature.
-Characterized by extreme emotions, not dry rationality.
-Often set in old, rundown structures (especially castles or country manors).
-Buildings usually feature hidden passages, trap doors, dungeons or secret rooms. And has suffered a decline from its former greatness.
-Often highlights the decayed morals and grotesque corruption of a shut-away and ever-isolated nobility
-The environment reflects a bleak and foreboding atmosphere.
-Gothic literature often features dark forests, imposing mountains, and harsh storms.

Byronic Hero

-A variant of the Romantic hero as a type of character, named after the English poet Lord Byron
-High level intelligence and perception
-Self-critical and introspective (very much in his head, tends to brood)
-Mysterious, magnetic and charismatic
-Emotional conflicts, bipolar tendencies, or moodiness
-A distaste for social institution and norms
-Being an exile, an outcast, or an outlaw
-"Dark" attributes not normally associated with a hero
-A troubled past