Edgar Allan Poe, Critical Theory: The Major Documents (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Edgar Allan Poe, Critical Theory: The Major Documents Lois Vines Edgar Allan Poe, Critical Theory: The Major Documents. Edited and annotated by Stuart Levine and Susan F. Levine. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. 2009. Poe's influence as a critic, especially in other countries, is impressive, considering the relatively few documents on which his reputation is based. Levine and Levine have brought together texts that reveal the major elements of Poe's literary theory. Among the eight included in this volume, some are better known to readers, such as "The Philosophy of Composition," The Poetic Principle," and "The Rationale of Verse." Others, including "Exordium" (a title the editors have provided) and "Prospectuses for 'The Penn' and 'The Stylus'," are less familiar but also interesting to examine as they relate to Poe's views on the theory of writing and the theory of criticism. The editors' research on the original documents is impressive. They explain the versions of Poe's texts presented in the book and indicate numerous variant readings. In his introduction to the book, Stuart Levine wisely points out that there are contradictions in Poe's statements about the goals of literary works and how they are created. Levine concludes that "Poe's 'critical position' cannot really be fixed with any degree of reliability, for it shifted with the context of each writing assignment he set for himself" (xii). In the introductions to the individual texts, the editors give examples of Poe's inconsistencies, the influence of other writers on his work, and his repetition of some quotations and references. For readers who are disconcerted by Poe's contradictions, the editors express the opinion that "acquiring a feel for his inconsistency is a good first step toward getting to know Poe's mind" (4). These introductions are well-written and very enlightening, even for those who are familiar with Poe's texts. For readers who have wondered who "B" is in the title "Letter to B------," three possibilities are given, but the mystery still remains (12-13). The editors place Poe's work in the context of the social, political and economic environment in which he lived. In addition to their own research, the Levines refer to insights from other scholars who have published on Poe's critical theory over the years, including Thomas Ollive Mabbott, Burton R. Pollin, and Eric Carlson, among others. This [End Page 170] collection of Poe's texts relating to critical theory was originally planned to be part of Burton Pollin's Collected Writings of Edgar Allan Poe. The extensive bibliography and well-organized index make this book accessible to students and Poe scholars alike. The Levines have made major contributions to Poe studies with this volume and numerous analytical studies that help readers appreciate the work of one of America's most famous writers. Lois Vines Ohio University Copyright © 2011 Mid-America American Studies Association