The concept of beauty in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Philosophy of Composition

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2014 im Fachbereich Englisch - Literatur, Werke, Note: 2,0, Universitat zu Koeln (Englisches Seminar), Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: This paper provides research into the constituents of Edgar Allan Poe’s concept of beauty by taking into account a selection of his critical essays, among them The Philosophy of Composition and The Poetic Principle. The final goal is to filter out the essence of Poe’s idea of beauty. Furthermore, the author will argue that a coherent concept of beauty exists in the works of Poe. This paper will also consider the works of Poe’s critics who are concerned with his relations to the American press and his dependence on romantic philosophers. After the establishment of a coherent concept of beauty, the author applies it to Poe’s poem To Helen.