Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque

Author	Edgar Allan Poe
Country	USA
Language	English
Genre(s)	Horror short stories and satire
Publisher	Lea & Blanchard
Released	1840
Media type	Print

Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque is a collection of previously-published short stories by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1840. Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American poet, short story writer, editor, critic and one of the leaders of the American Romantic Movement. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... This article is in need of attention. ... 1867 edition of the satirical magazine Punch, a British satirical magazine, ground-breaking on popular literature satire. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American poet, short story writer, editor, critic and one of the leaders of the American Romantic Movement. ... See also: 1839 in literature, other events of 1840, 1841 in literature, list of years in literature. ...

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.^[1]. This article is becoming very long. ... ANThology is the first major label album by Alien Ant Farm. ... The Fall of the House of Usher is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. ... Royalties, sometimes simply referred to as royalty, is typically the sum of money paid to the proprietor or Licensor of Intellectual Property (IP) Rights for the benefits derived, or sought to be derived, by the user (the Licensee) through the exercise of such rights. ... For other men with the same name, see: William Drayton (disambiguation). ... A Congressman or Congresswoman (generically, Congressperson) is a politician who is a member of a Congress. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... In economics, a subsidy is generally a monetary grant given by a government to lower the price faced by producers or consumers of a good, generally because it is considered to be in the public interest. ...

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." A preface (Med. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The soul, acording to many religious and philosophical traditions, is a self-aware ethereal substance particular to a unique living being. ...

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.^[2]. 1841 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

"Grotesque" and "Arabesque"

There has been some debate over the meaning of Poe's terms "Grotesque" and "Arabesque." Both terms refer to a type of Islamic art used to decorate walls, especially in mosques. These arts styles are known for their complex nature. Poe may have been using them as subdivisions of Gothic art or Gothic architecture in attempt to establish similar subdivisions in Gothic fiction. Mother Nature is surrounded by grottesche in this fresco detail from Villa dEste When commonly used in conversation, grotesque means strange, fantastic, ugly or bizarre, and thus is often used to describe weird shapes and distorted forms such as Halloween masks or gargoyles on churches. ... Arabesque pattern at the Alhambra An element of Islamic art usually found decorating the walls of mosques, the arabesque is an elaborate application of repeating geometric forms that often echo the forms of plants and animals. ... Islamic art is the art of Islamic people, cultures, and countries. ... The Masjid al-Haram in Mecca as it exists today A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... The Western (Royal) Portal at Chartres Cathedral ( 1145). ... Königsberg Cathedral Gothic architecture is a style of architecture, particularly associated with cathedrals and other churches, which flourished in Europe during the high and late medieval period. ... Strawberry Hill, an English villa in the Gothic revival style, built by seminal Gothic writer Horace Walpole Gothic fiction began in England with The Castle of Otranto (1764) by Horace Walpole. ...

It has been theorized the 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." ^[3] A common caricature of Charles Darwin focuses on his beard, eyebrows, and baldness, while often giving him the features of an ape or monkey. ... 1867 edition of the satirical magazine Punch, a British satirical magazine, ground-breaking on popular literature satire. ... Psychology is an academic and applied discipline involving the scientific study of mental processes, emotion, personality, behavior, and relationships. ... The Fall of the House of Usher is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. ...

Contents

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque

• "Morella"
• "Lionizing"
• "William Wilson"
• "The Man That Was Used Up — A Tale of the Late Bugaboo and Kickapoo Campaign"
• "The Fall of the House of Usher"
• "The Duc de L'Omelette"
• "MS. Found in a Bottle"
• "Bon-Bon"
• "Shadow — A Parable"
• "The Devil in the Belfry"
• "Ligeia"
• "King Pest — A Tale Containing an Allegory"
• "The Signora Zenobia"
• "The Scythe of Time"

Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Morella is a short story by 19th century American author and critic Edgar Allan Poe. ... William Wilson is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1839. ... The Fall of the House of Usher is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. ... MS. Found in a Bottle is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in the Baltimore Saturday Visiter in 1833. ... The Devil in the Belfry is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. ... Ligeia is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. ... A Predicament is a humorous short story by Edgar Allan Poe, usually combined with its companion piece How to Write a Blackwood Article. ... A Predicament is a humorous short story by Edgar Allan Poe, usually combined with its companion piece How to Write a Blackwood Article. ...

References

1. ^ Meyers, Jeffrey. Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy. Cooper Square Press, 1992. p. 113
2. ^ Meyers, Jeffrey. Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy. Cooper Square Press, 1992. p. 113-4
3. ^ Hoffman, Daniel. Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe. Louisiana State University Press, 1998. pp. 203-6