Facts and Fictions: Women in Edgar Allan Poe’s Real Lifeand Major Tales

• Main Authors: Chi-ying Chen, 陳其英
• Other Authors: Pen-shui Liao
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/55493519908796732851

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語學系 === 94 === This thesis attempts to explore the influence of women on Edgar Allan Poe’s real life in his tales as well as in the creation of the heroine images. Since childhood, Poe had been suffering from abandonment, especially from women. Poe’s birth mother Elizabeth, foster mother Frances Allan, first love Mrs. Jane Stith Stanard, and wife Virginia Clemm all died in their young ages. All through Poe’s life, he had been searching for the comfort from women but failed. Women influence not only Poe’s life, but also his writing style and themes. The themes of many tales are related to women, especially the dying women. Chapter one will discuss Poe’s aesthetic theory and the effect on his creation of women images. Chapter two will discuss “Ligeia,” chapter three will discuss “The Fall of the House of Usher,” and chapter four will discuss “Eleonora.” The focus of the three tales will be on the real-life women and their influence on his creation of the heroines in the tales. Chapter five is conclusion which will be based on Poe’s attitude change towards women. In “Ligeia,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” the heroines die and live again for revenge on the heroes. However, in “Eleonora,” the heroine lives again to forgive. And the heroine change in the tales mirrors Poe’s attitude change towards women. Poe’s tales are full of imagination and terror which are rooted in his fated fear of losing beloved women. Hence, one could understand and appreciate his tales more after connecting the women in the tales to the women in his real life.