Edgar Allan Poe is generally regarded as one of the most important and famous American
authors. He wrote many short stories, poems and reviews. This term paper has not the aim to
concentrate on his whole work but to examine a certain story.
The writer is especially famous for his “ tales of ratiocination” (Carlson 319). One of these
stories, “ The Murders in the Rue Morgue” , shall be the central subject of this paper. Poe
himself commented on this story to be “ something in a new key” (Silverman 173). What I
want to prove throughout this work is why “ Rue Morgue” nowadays signifies not only
VRPHWKLQJ that was new, but the prototype of the modern detective story (a thesis we find in
most of the literary encyclopaedias).
For reaching a satisfactory final result, it is necessary to have, at first, a look at the
definition of the “ short prose narrative” (Ahrends 19), which was given by Poe himself. This
term is closely connected to the “ tales of ratiocination” in which the usage of Poe’s primary
principles reaches nearly perfection. This “ perfection” is above all to be found in the story
“ Rue Morgue” , one of the best examples of Poe’s writing skills and the beginning of the
creation of a new establishing literary genre. The analysis of the “ Rue Morgue” will try to
justify this thesis. Therefore, a further look at the main characters, the structure of the story,
the reader’s expected reaction and more is required.
Finally, this working process shall lead me to my actual aim: The justification of the
prototypical character of the “ Rue Morgue” for (modern) detective fiction by summarizing the
important features and elements of this literary genre. [...]
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Poe's Theoretical Approach to the Short Story
- "The Murders in the Rue Morgue"
- Background
- Structural Examination
- The Main Characters
- C. Auguste Dupin
- The Narrator
- Reader and Effect
- Theme?
- Conclusion - The Prototypical Character
Objectives and Key Themes
This term paper focuses on examining Edgar Allan Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" and its significance as the prototype of the modern detective story. The paper aims to analyze the story's structure, characters, and reader impact, all within the framework of Poe's own theoretical approach to short stories.
- Poe's theory of the short story and its focus on creating a unified effect
- The analytical power of the human mind as demonstrated in the story
- The structural elements of "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" as a detective story prototype
- The role of the detective, the narrator, and the reader in shaping the story's impact
- The influence of Poe's literary work on the development of the detective genre
Chapter Summaries
The introduction establishes the context for the term paper, highlighting Poe's prominence as an author and his contributions to the "tales of ratiocination." It outlines the main objective of the paper, which is to demonstrate why "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" represents the prototype of the modern detective story.
Chapter 2 delves into Poe's theoretical approach to the short story, emphasizing its significance as a literary form. Poe argued that a short story should strive for a unified impression, carefully constructed to elicit a specific effect on the reader. This approach involves conscious construction and a focus on unity of form and content.
Chapter 3 analyzes "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," examining its background and structural characteristics. The story's structure is dissected, revealing how it adheres to Poe's principles of unity and effect. The chapter highlights the importance of the story's motto, its scientific essay, and the systematic approach used to solve the crime. It also explores the role of the detective, the narrator, and the reader in shaping the story's impact.
Keywords
This paper focuses on Edgar Allan Poe, "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," detective story, short story theory, unity of effect, analytical power, character analysis, narrative structure, reader response, literary genre, prototypical character.
- Quote paper
- Julia Schubert (Author), 2002, Edgar Allan Poe - The Murders in the Rue Morgue - A Tale of Ratiocination and the Prototype for Detective Stories, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/7291
