The Violence and Terror of Poe

Poe was raised in an atmosphere of death and alienation. His mother died when he was three-years-old, leaving him an orphan - his father having long since disappeared. He was raised by foster parents in an affluent setting. Though the Allans were affectionate, they never legally adopted him and they often reminded him of his "place." As Poe grew older, the distance between Mr. Allan and him steadily increased until an irreparable fission developed. Poe was further affected by the premature death of a friend's mother, who had made a deep impression on him, and later, the death of his wife at a very young age.

Many critics dismiss the personal motivation theory, arguing that Poe was merely capitalizing on a popular topic of his day. During the mid-nineteenth century, death was a prominent topic among many of the leading writers. Th

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. The antagonist's death, which is indirectly related to his quest for alcohol, may represent Poe's punishment of himself for his own dipsomania. Montresor gives his victim several attempts to leave the crypt. "Come, we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was." Fortunato refuses to take heed, however, and insists on continuing through the vaults in search of the wine. Poe's own drinking bouts brought him nothing but misery. Although he tried many a time to abstain from alcohol, his attempts proved futile. The sadistic killing of Fortunato thus symbolizes Poe's killing of his own conscience. The sadistic delight with which Poe tortured other poets and writers is akin to the spirit in which the protagonist of "The Black Cat" brutalizes his innocent victim. His bitterness, like that of Poe's is fueled by alcohol. "My original soul seemed, at once, to take its flight from my body; and a more than fiendish malevolence, gin-nurtured, thrilled every fibre of my frame." With this said, the protagonist then pulls out a pocket knife and deliberately cuts out the eye of his cat, a heretofore beloved pet. "The Black Cat" is pointedly addressed to the theme of
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Approximate Word count = 2467
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)