| Tales Of The Grotesque And Arabesque |
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''Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque'' is a collection of previously-published Short Stories by Edgar Allan Poe , first published in 1840 . PUBLICATION It was published by the Philadelphia firm Lea & Blanchard and released in two volumes. The publisher was willing to print the Anthology based on the recent success of Poe's story " The Fall Of The House Of Usher ." Even so, Lea & Blanchard would not pay Poe any Royalties ; he was given 20 free copies. It was dedicated to William Drayton , a former Member Of Congress turned Judge who may have Subsidized the book's publication.Meyers, Jeffrey. ''Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy''. Cooper Square Press, 1992. p. 113. In his Preface , Poe wrote the now-famous quote defending himself from the criticism that his tales were part of "Germanism." He wrote, "If in many of my productions Terror has been the thesis, I maintain that terror is not of Germany but of the Soul ." CRITICAL RESPONSE Contemporary reviews were mixed. The anonymous critic in the ''Boston Notion'' suggested that Poe's work was better suited for readers of the future; people of the time should consider it "below the average of newspaper trash... wild, unmeaning, pointless, aimless... without anything of elevated fancy or fine humor." ''Alexander's Weekly Messenger'', on the other hand, remarked that the stories were the "playful effusion of a remarkable and powerful intellect." Likewise, the ''New York Mirror'' complimented the author's intellectual capacity, his vivid descriptions, and his opulent imagination. Even with those positive reviews, the edition did not sell well. When Poe requested a second release in 1841 with eight additional tales included, the publisher declined.Meyers, Jeffrey. ''Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy''. Cooper Square Press, 1992. p. 113-4. "GROTESQUE" AND "ARABESQUE" There has been some debate over the meaning of Poe's terms " used to decorate walls, especially in Mosque s. These arts styles are known for their complex nature. Poe had used the term "arabesque" correctly in his essay " The Philosophy Of Furniture ."Levin, Harry. "Notes from Underground" as collected in ''Twentieth Century Interpretations of Poe's Tales'', William L. Howarth, editor. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc, 1971. p. 24 Poe may have been using these terms as subdivisions of Gothic Art or Gothic Architecture in an attempt to establish similar subdivisions in Gothic Fiction . For example, the "grotesque" stories are those where the character becomes a Caricature or Satire , as in " The Man That Was Used Up ." The "arabesque" stories focus on a single aspect of a character, often Psychological , such as " The Fall Of The House Of Usher ." Hoffman, Daniel. ''Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe''. Louisiana State University Press, 1998. pp. 203-6 Even so, accurately defining Poe's intentions for the terms is difficult and subdividing his tales into one category or another is even more difficult.Levin, Harry. "Notes from Underground" as collected in ''Twentieth Century Interpretations of Poe's Tales'', William L. Howarth, editor. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc, 1971. p. 25 CONTENTS
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