In 1960, Leslie A. Fiedler published his most influential and controversial book “Love and Death in the American Novel”. Elaborating on a theory he had developed as early as 19481, Fiedler proclaimed his thesis of an “innocent interracial homosexuality”and the generally dysfunctional treatment of American authors of the love between man and woman.
In contrast to the New Criticism-school that had been prevailing until the 1940s, and saw the text alone as the sole basis for literary criticism, Fiedler tries to incorporate biographical information on the author and insights in his sociocultural environment into his analysis.
Surprisingly, his examination of Edgar Allan Poe's oeuvre turns out as curtly as it is simplifying. He stylizes Poe as the dark side of the American dream, a depressed and depressing madman, incarnating his fantasies into stories of dubious merit. Being an ardent opponent of the New Criticism-school, Fiedler cannot help but relate the choice of Poe's themes and characters solely to the author himself, stating that “in Poe the incest theme belongs to the private world of his own tortured psyche […].” For Fiedler, “The odd syndrome of child -love, necrophilia, and incest in Poe is too personal and pathological to shed much light on the general meaning of the latter theme in American literature and life.”4 Instead of treating Poe as a singularity worth further analysis, he dismisses the author's work as the questionable fancies of a mentally deranged.
But the indisputable recurrence of the above-mentioned themes in Poe's work begs the question: Is Leslie Fiedler right? Are Poe's pathological characters to be identified with the author and his own “tortured psyche”?
To answer that question, and possibly to rebut Fiedler's theory will be the aim of this paper.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. “Love and Death in the American Novel” - Fiedler's Poe
3. Poe's Narrators – or Narrating Poe?
4. Conclusion
5. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this paper is to critically examine and challenge Leslie Fiedler's psychoanalytical and biographical interpretation of Edgar Allan Poe's work. By investigating Fiedler's claims—specifically those concerning incest, necrophilia, and the identification of the author with his pathological narrators—the study seeks to determine whether such an approach is critically sound or if it misrepresents Poe's literary intentions.
- Critical reconstruction of Leslie Fiedler's theory on Poe's "tortured psyche."
- Evaluation of Fiedler's concepts of "archetype and signature" in literary criticism.
- Analysis of the reliability of biographical evidence in literary interpretation.
- Comparison with James W. Gargano’s conservative, intratextual approach to Poe.
- Exploration of the distinction between an author's persona and their fictional narrators.
Excerpt from the Book
2. “Love and Death in the American Novel” - Fiedler's Poe
Fiedler dedicates a whole chapter in “Love and Death in the American Novel” to Poe. Or so it seems, as he quickly turns back to Twain and Melville for comparison. What he discusses at some length is Poe's “The Narrative of A. Gordon Pym”, his single attempt at the genre of the novel.
Fiedler criticizes the novel for being “[...] an involved attempt on Poe's part to convince himself that his primary purpose in publishing the tale was to perpetrate a hoax on the reader. But this is an almost compulsive aspect of Poe's art in general, arising from a dark necessity, which dogged not only him among American writers, of remaining in ignorance about his own deepest aims and drives.”
Already in the form of his tale, Fiedler insinuates, Poe expresses certain repressed feelings and motives, and his need to repress those. It is important for Poe to be able to pretend that everything he writes is just a hoax, a joke, so as not to have to give away his true intentions, his true self.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the central research question regarding the validity of Leslie Fiedler's highly critical and biographical view of Edgar Allan Poe and his work.
2. “Love and Death in the American Novel” - Fiedler's Poe: This section provides a reconstruction and critique of Fiedler's analysis of Poe, focusing on his interpretation of "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym" and his psychoanalytical claims about the author.
3. Poe's Narrators – or Narrating Poe?: This chapter introduces the counter-perspective of James W. Gargano, which suggests that Poe's narrators should be treated as distinct characters rather than reflections of the author himself.
4. Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes the main arguments, reaffirming that Fiedler's biographical approach is limited by unreliable evidence and a misunderstanding of Poe's deliberate narrative techniques.
5. Bibliography: A list of the primary and secondary literary sources cited throughout the paper.
Keywords
Edgar Allan Poe, Leslie Fiedler, Love and Death in the American Novel, literary criticism, biographical analysis, archetype, signature, James W. Gargano, narrators, Gothic fiction, psychoanalysis, incest, American literature, authorship, narrative technique.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on critiquing Leslie Fiedler’s interpretation of Edgar Allan Poe, specifically challenging his assertion that Poe’s literary works are merely direct manifestations of the author’s own pathological psychological state.
What are the primary themes discussed in the text?
The central themes include the relationship between an author’s life and their work, the validity of psychoanalytical criticism, the role of the "archetype" in literature, and the distinction between a writer's persona and their fictional characters.
What is the main research question?
The primary research question asks whether Leslie Fiedler's theory—that Poe’s characters are identifiable as the author himself—can be successfully refuted through a more intratextual and conservative analytical approach.
Which scientific methodology does the author apply?
The author uses a comparative literary analysis, reconstructing Fiedler's argumentative structure and then testing it against counterarguments provided by James W. Gargano to highlight potential flaws in Fiedler's methodology.
What does the main body of the paper address?
The body of the paper examines Fiedler's reading of "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym," discusses the limitations of using biographical "facts" in literary studies, and contrasts Fiedler's approach with Gargano's focus on the ironic distance between Poe and his narrators.
Which key terms define the critical framework of this study?
Key terms include "archetype," "signature," "hoax," "New Criticism," "biographical fallacy," "Gothic fiction," and "intratextual analysis."
How does the author characterize Fiedler's view of Poe's "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym"?
The author explains that Fiedler views the novel as an "anti-Western" that reveals Poe's repressed feelings and inability to commit to the positive myths of the American dream, ultimately interpreting the text as a failure due to Poe's mocking attitude.
What role does James W. Gargano play in this analysis?
Gargano acts as a counter-witness; his 1963 essay is used by the author to support the argument that Poe’s narrators possess their own distinct consciousness, thereby distancing the author from the narrators' pathological tendencies.
Why does the author conclude that Fiedler's analysis is problematic?
The author concludes that Fiedler builds his analysis on unreliable biographical data and neglects Poe's stylistic techniques, falling into the "trap" of the author's own carefully crafted scandalous reputation.
- Quote paper
- Sebastian Langner (Author), 2011, Are Edgar Allan Poe's pathological characters to be identified with the authors own “tortured psyche”?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/281413
