LITR 4232: American Renaissance

University of Houston-Clear Lake, spring 2002

Student Presentation Summary

Reader: Liz Little

Recorder: Sheri O’Rourke

March 12th, 2002

Summary of the Classroom Reading of

Edgar Allan Poe’s Poems “Sonnet To Science," “Romance,” and “City In The Sea”

     Objective 2 (romanticism and the related sublime and gothic styles) was discussed in relation to Poe’s works.  In the poem “Sonnet to Science” on page 2457, Poe writes of “a poet’s heart”  being hunted by a “Vulture, whose wings are dull realities.”  Here Poe sets before us a problem of a man of imagination struggling with his intellect.  Rather than inspiring us to be moved and swept away by nature’s beauty, he personifies science as a vicious bird which man must escape or confront.  This theme is continued throughout as the character in the poem begins to question, “How should he love thee? Or deem thee wise, / Who wouldst not leave him in his wandering / To seek for treasure in the jeweled skies…” This image of the poor brave poet with his heart being preyed upon as he is simply trying to enjoy the beauty of the stars presents a victimized character to the reader.  This representation of the thwarted romantic pursuits of man in nature contrasts with that of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s romantic view of nature from page 1517, which almost speaks directly to Poe’s weary man.  Here Emerson consoles man’s need of renewal and transcendence from a progressing human world as he tells him that the stars were made to help him rise above his physical surroundings, and that they appear all the more great against a man made environment.

     The poem “Romance” on page 2458 relates the experience of man wanting to find delight in beauty and imagination, but he is separated from these because of maturity.  Poe is reminiscent of Thoreau who spoke of laws of a government that conflicted with his own freedom, while Poe points to laws of maturity and responsibility that govern his everyday life.  Poe merely paints a picture or tells a story rather than taking on the instructing voice of Thoreau.

      Gothic elements abound in the poem “City In The Sea” as this dark and dead city is bathed in light which “streams” up from the water.  Words like “shadows,” and “from a proud tower…Death looks gigantically down,” create a sublime image as the town that “seems pendulous in the air” drops into the reddening waves.  Here Poe has incorporated a new gothic landscape quite different from that of some of the other more traditional European writers who offer a castle setting, or that of the American gothic forest.  While these seem more realistic, Poe’s mysterious underwater setting offers more fantasy and otherworldliness.  Poe’s romanticism and gothic style become distinct when compared with those of other writers of the American Renaissance.     

   

Question:   

Considering that Edgar Allan Poe’s works are more traditionally “romantic” than other writers we have studied from the American Renaissance period, are we a good audience for these works today?

 

The following are paraphrased responses from our class discussion.

*   Student:  Definitely, we all seek the morbidity and fantasy that he offers.

*   Liz: “He is one of the most remembered writers.” A discussion then followed of how even among children Poe is usually a familiar name among American writers.

*   Student: Poe fulfilled the need for something creepy, as Stephen King does in our society today.  Dr. White pointed out that King’s writing though is not on the same level as Poe.

*   Rhonda:  “Poe presents us with a great escape from reality.”

*   Dr. White:  Douglass, Thoreau and Emerson are useful for understanding Poe.  They can be used easier as a teaching tool for romanticism than the more traditional European romantic writers.   

*   Student: Poe is like the European writer Keats, in that he creates art for art’s sake. A short discussion concerning the moral purpose of art compared with the value of art for art’s sake followed this comment.

*   Dr. White:  In America, art has to prove its worth by having a moral purpose.

 

Poe presents us with writing that is valued because of its ability to relate a story or to entertain the reader’s imagination; his work does not attempt to improve the lives of his readers.   Poe’s poetry for the sake of poetry and imaginative use of gothic and sublime still attract readers of today.