This week, analyzing the readings; I could
realize that the 18th and 19th centuries are about a
great period also called the “Romantic Period”. In this period, I have
discovered many familiar books such as Moby Dick, the Scarlet Letter, and so
many great stories that Edgar allan poe, who is a very famous author, has
written. I do love Edgar alla poe’s work, I have enjoyed reading stories like:
the black cat, the golden bug, william Wilson, the premature burial, among
others. However, even though I might know about some authors and writings from
this romantic period, there are several new things that I did not know, and
that are very interesting, things that I will state in the next paragraphs.
I did not know that the romantic period was not
actually about love, but about “special techniques to communicate complex and
subtle meanings” VanSpanckeren, Kathryn. 2001. Outline of American Literature.
US Department of State, page 36. These techniques to communicate are the
different genres that may come in horror tales, fiction detective, and fiction
heroes, (who almost all of them die at the end of the stories). All these
genres try to explain something, the reading calls it “subtle meanings” but
what are these subtle meanings?. These subtle meanings are the feelings and
thoughts that all these authors had in a time where their society was not
steady. The US was full of immigrants, people from the entire world, speaking
so many languages, and living a multicultural life. Thus, this country was just
trying to arise as the new world that had just been discovered, and without and
specific identity, people, and especially the great authors of this period felt
alone in such a big diversity. All these conditions stirred up the romantic
period.
Now I know that Edgar Allan Poe’s life was full
of misfortunes what could have been the inspiration for all his weird works. Everybody
knows that Edgar Allan Poe is an eccentric writer whose poems and books are
full of mysteries and death; however, few people know about his misadventure
life which could have led him to write such horror tales and poems that are so
appealing and interesting for the readers.
First, his father deserted his wife and disappeared. After this sad
situation, Poe’s mother dies eighteen months after the dissertation of her
husband, so Poe becomes an orphan. Thus, Poe is adopted by his uncle John
Allan. Poe and John’s relationship was never good, and this triggers a lot of
problems for Poe who later marries his own cousin Virginia Clemm. Nevertheless,
not even married Poe could get a kindly life due to his wife dies of
tuberculosis, so all these misfortunes together
with poverty increased Poe’s eccentricities. Now, it is comprehensible for me
how Edgar Allan could write so many bizarre readings without being out his
mind. His entire calamity together with alcohol granted him a great creativity
that sadly even finished with his own life.
Finally, I would like to know why these two
authors Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne had financial problems and
lived most of their lifetimes in poverty, being so skillful and great writers,
and even when their writings became famous by the time they were still alive. I
think that they could have been more successful if they had lived in this
period.
Hi Gisselt!! I like how you have described what you have learned through out these readings, and let me tell you that you are right when you said that Edgar Allan Poe's works are very weird due to they are based on mysteries and deaths. I remember that in high school I used to read some writings, but I never read about Poe's works. However, I can still remember some of them that I just heard from my classmates and, in fact, they were very very strange and they were also kind of dificult to understand because of their mysteries. And well, now that we are reading about romanrticism and about him, I can understand some probably reasons why his works are like that. It may be, as you said, because of his misfortune and misadventure life due to all his life he suffered a lot due to because of the absence of his parents, his life was hard, and he could never find happiness nor when he got married because of his wife early death.
ResponderEliminarHi there. Gisselt, I think, you have done a great job to have briefly described all the the job that was done by these talented writers. I do agree with you when you said that the Romantic Period was a great period, I guess at that time everything was about love and peace and people wanted to get rid of slavery. Besides, I'm sure all these characters took a great role to change other people's points of views. As we already know, this period also helped women to have an important role in society, they began to actively participate on society's events. I think all these writers have written their books based on their experiences like Edgar Poe, who was an excellent writer and wrote many intersting books about mystery and horror, I think, Edgar might have been emerged in depression or might have been felt really sad at the time of writing his books. In general, I can say this period was full of fdantasy and love as well as fiction and horror and writers could communicate with others throughout their writings.
ResponderEliminarHi Guys. I agree with most things you have said in this blog. Hence, I agree with you when you say that this period was great especially for writers. They were allowed to write whatever they wanted, but we must remember that before people were not allowed to write about politician issues, socials and some others because of that I think that they had to write either related to their lives or fiction issues that why must of writers like Allan Poe and Nathaniel wrote novels and short stories related to their lives. In some cases, they had to creat fictional personalities to do their writings. Furtheremore, must of these writers were inspired by very important writers from England like: John Milton, William Shakespeare, and some others.
ResponderEliminarResponding Gisselt's question, Why those writers were poor, or why they lived in poverty. In the redings, it was mentioned that these writers did not sell any work because people talking different language and different culture so it was difficult for writers to sell their works. However, they sold some works but they were not as paid as they costed so they may few money. It is mentioned in the reading, one o these writers sold a book in 50 dolars so it was not enough money. I agree when you say that these writers were very famous nowadays, and they may a lot of money, but we must remember that there are very famous and important writer all over the world so it was kind of difficult for them to make money.
Hi! Giselt
ResponderEliminarDuring this centuries that basically described the Romantic period, there are two writer that are like the most remarkable to can mention such Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne; moreover, the promotion of the Women´s rights is really important to mention because this event marked the history and had a big influence in the rest of the word.So, it.s true that the science fiction was problably invented by Poe but we can´t avoid the women´s role that until now is taking more and more importance in all the countries.
Hi Gisselt.!!!
ResponderEliminarI'm totally agree with your post. I imagine that it was so hard for Edgar Allan Poe to fight against life without his family, that's why now we know why his writings are so bizarre and for many people are so strange and rare, maybe there are people who just criticize without knowing the reality of the writer, that specially happened with me, I didn't know all that information about Poe. And also, we imagine that writers have a wonderful live, but now with these readings I realize that they lived in poverty, but that was not a barrier for them, they continue doing despite the difficulty that they had at that moment in that century...