I am doing a paper on Poe's use of setting in his Gothic fictions but I have difficulties finding critiques concerned. Can anybody help me?

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2001

Answers

Poe's Gothic settings are usually distant in time and place, mainly Europe. There lighting and shape is usually psychological landscape, dreamlike exaggeration. It might be easier to find references then in looking to broader issues, the psychology and symbolism in his stories, the Gothic tradition going back to the German romantics. Poe's own biography will give hints as to places(his knowledge of American landscape, his homes, sea voyage, his school in England, his reading sources).

From there you can make observations on his use of colors(nighttime dark, lurid red), light, sound, medieval settings, Italian, French or English settings, sea stories, etc.

-- Anonymous, November 24, 2001