5/7/12

Cront Ardead…RIP Edgar Allen Poe


Being that he died in 1849 it could be a bit late for a Eulogy, but then you know the saying, right?

I have great faith in fools; self-confidence my friends call it.”

I am a woman with a classical bent. Or just bent. Probably both (you can almost hear the snare drum during one of my posts, eh?). In the past, I’ve mentioned a few of my favorite classic literature titles and authors on my blog and will continue to do so in the future. Just try and stop me. Hah!

An old love of mine is getting some recent press due to the film The Raven, starring John Cusack. I fell in love with Mr. Poe at the ripe age of eleven. Yeah, I had weird taste at eleven. In case you haven’t noticed, my taste is even weirder now. While most eleven year old girls were swooning over Donny Osmond, I was devouring Mr. Poe. Gruesome, no?

Years later I became aware of a modern day Goth movement in both music and art…and make-up. People (myself included, for a brief period) who find an odd solace in donning a wardrobe of primarily black, along with heavy black eyeliner, lipstick, and fingernail polish…and I wondered if they knew the man who truly lived Goth (and to my knowledge without the heavy black eyeliner, lipstick, and fingernail polish).

“…All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.”

How beautiful is A Dream Within a Dream? Achingly so. And here I am not alone, this poem cleaves the heart (notice my use of nineteenth century phrasing?). His hero was Lord Byron and Poe’s earliest writings were indeed poetry. So, a romantic dreamer was Mr. Poe? Uh, well sort of…

Literary critic, Cryptologist, and Cosmologist, he also put his own unique spin on Gothic writing, leaving us with what flavors the genre today.  I think what makes his horror tales so absolutely horrific is that he did not write them as horror…but perhaps more as cautionary tales. Don’t let how someone else views the world upset your applecart to the point that you smoother him in his sleep, cut him up into pieces, and hide the parts under the floorboards. You’ll only end up hearing the incessant beating of your victim’s heart and it will drive you up the wall. If you’re abusive to a cat and then kill your wife, don’t bother to brick up her body in the basement. The cat will only tattle on you. In case you ever wondered what would happen if you do these things, Mr. Poe tells us.

Horror fan or not, regardless of which side of the fence you sit (and even if you didn’t know that there was a fence) you must admit Mr. Poe has an enviable style, as well as a flair for evoking strong reactions. Mundane he was not. Otherworldly? Most certainly, yes.

I think some (if not all) of the original intent of the horror genre has been lost in a sea of gore and oh-boy-look-what-we-can-do-with-make-up-and-special-effects. Mr. Poe knew what it was about. No matter how smart or rich or angry you are, perform evil deeds and you will never truly escape the consequences.

Since he wrote about madmen, alcoholics, and murderers, and made it all so creepily believable, it’s no wonder that most of us still think of Mr. Poe as some sort of coked-out, drunken, necrophiliac freak. And all of this is thanks to a bogus obituary written by a man who hated him.
Personally, I believe that Mr. Poe was simply comfortable on the darker side of life. The scars of one’s childhood run deep and quite often will shadow our entire lives. Poe experienced the heavy loss of loved ones at a very early age, compounded by further losses later in life. Grief changes us forever. For a rare few, loss leaves them with a willingness to explore the shadow that causes so many others to shudder and look the other way.

And certainly, as his tales attest, though he may have shuddered he did not look the other way. He chose instead to become a master of his craft, an artist true, squeezing out every drop of sadness, terror, beauty, darkness, and ugliness with each word he penned. I cannot help but tip my imaginary hat to him and give him a very real and hearty nod of appreciation.

“They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.”

Whatever dreams you may be dreaming in daylight, keep dreaming them with the certain knowledge that they are what sets you apart from the weak and weary and oh-so-dreary mundane.
   

Wondering about “Cront Ardead?” I’ll tell you, anyway. As far as I know, it means nothing. You know those prove-that-you’re-not-a-robot thingies? Yeah, everyone hates them and most of the time I too, find them unnecessarily annoying; however, sometimes I’ve discovered interesting inspiration and a bit of amusement from the not-words that the characters spell out. “Cront Ardead” seemed appropriate for a post about the late Mr. Poe.

36 comments:

  1. Ha! I would also prefer Edgar Allan Poe instead of Donny Osmond. I don't think I've read anything by him, but much of his stuff seems interesting.
    And thanks for adding my button! :)

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    1. I kind of figured that you would also prefer Mr. Poe over Mr. Osmond! When you have a chance, do check him out.

      Your blog button is gorgeous, Sinead! Thanks for stopping by! :)

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  2. Another great piece IK and I love your drawing of the raven.

    A quick confession: I've never read any Edgar Allen Poe! I know! Shocking isn't it? Oh, I've seen the film adaptations (mainly the Vincent Price/Roger Corman collaborations) but not read the original works!
    This I will rectify asap mainly thanks to your piece which has rekindled an interest in EAP.

    Thanks again for a great piece and for explaining the meaning (or non-meaning) of 'cront ardead'

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    1. Shocking? It's absolutely scandalous, Mr.GG. Simply scandalous! However, since you're British, we can brush it under the carpet this time. He actually only completed one novel and all his other writings are poems and short stories. Meaning that you can probably squeeze in some EAP in between all the other books on your list!

      Thanks for noticing "Cront Ardead." I knew you would! :)

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  3. In high school English class I tried to write a short story modeled after his writing..my teacher told me to stop trying!!

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    1. How ambitious, Annmarie! Go you! I say give it another go, you never know where it might lead. Of course we need to use our own voice, but it never hurts to experiment. Thanks so much for stopping by! :)

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  4. This is really interesting. I haven't read Poe for years. I wonder if I take him for granted. He's just always...there. Maybe I'll check him out again. Thanks for the tip, IK.

    Also, I heard Alice Eve's in the movie, so I'm there.

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    1. Glad you found it interesting, RA. I think we all take the classics for granted...because they are always there! Once in awhile I just love pulling that stuff off the back shelf of my bookcases (or my brain) and dusting it off. And yes, Alice Eve is in the movie. Hope you enjoy!

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  5. I grew up in Baltimore, which happens to be where Poe is buried. Did you know that for many years, on Poe's birthday, a mysterious visitor (or visitors) would sneak into the cemetery and leave red roses and a partial bottle of Cognac beside his grave? The practice only stopped a couple years ago.

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    1. I did hear rumors of red roses, but not the Cognac. How wonderfully mysterious and apropo (and generous!).

      Thanks for dropping by Susan! :)

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  6. I adore Poe. I really wonder how the movie version will turn out...

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    1. My hope is that it will do him justice, but often movies will disappoint in that area! Thanks for stopping by Wendy! :)

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  7. I wrote my undergrad capstone paper on one of poe's short stories. I love Poe! I'm not sure what the movie will be like, but I'm horrible about seeing movies. My husband and I haven't been to a movie in the theater in 8 years :) My kids however have seen a bunch of movies with their grandparents! I think my problem is that I am obsessed with older movies, I am horrible about seeing recent movies....

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    1. So glad to find another Poe fan! I'm a huge fan of older movies, as well. Besides, it's so expensive to get out to the movies! It is nice to get out for a treat once-in-awhile, though. Thanks, Frugal! :)

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  8. i just taught the cask of amontillado! and when i first saw the review for the raven, i was exctied as i like those kinds of movies... but it hasnt gotten the greatest reviews.... though i think im still going to go see it as cinema tickets are a whopping 150 pesos over here (about 3 bucks US!)

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    1. Wow. I'd go to movies all the time if it only cost 3 bucks!! Go for it! Maybe you could write a review on your blog? Would love to read it. Thanks for stopping by, Jeremy!

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  9. Now see I love Poe!(I don't think I've ever been Goth other than I use to wear black all the time but that was way before Goth!) I just think he makes alot of sense and says what everyone else wishes they could express!

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    1. I think "Goth" is a state of mind. You don't necessarily have to way the uniform.

      I totally agree with you! Poe made a lot of sense and he beautifully says what a heck a lot of people wish they had the nerve to say. Thanks for stopping by, Natalie and so glad you that appreciate Mr. Poe, too. x

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  10. Hey Intricate Knot! I was in the middle of writing you this looooong message on here last night and suddenly my internet connection went dead and I lost everything I had wrote! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

    I will try again. First, thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings the way you do. It's so refreshing to come on your blog. And it's really cool to see that you are a fan of Poe. I think Poe has always been a misunderstood figure in literature. Yes, he embraced the darker aspects of human nature and wasn't afraid of it like other people. I think when people can't understand something, they begin to fear it, and sometimes that fear turns into hate. It's really sad how closed minded people can be.

    The way some people reacted to Poe is kinda how people treated the late children's writer Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are. Sendak had a rough childhood, grew up during the Nazi era. Instead of writing literature that was fluffy, he wrote about children in more realistic, darker situations which outraged parents, critics, and librarians. Where the Wild Things Are, was actually banned from libraries until finally children started checking out the book and started to really identify with it.

    Anyway, sorry for the long rant! Thanks for being YOU!

    Mia at The Muses Circle

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    1. Hello to the Lovely Mia!

      OMG. That has happened to me on more than one occasion and it is very GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

      I'm so glad you're a fan of Mr. Poe, as well! You're right, he is a misunderstood man of literature. And sadly yes, fear often turns into hate. I believe closed minds are the biggest problem in the world. Because with open minds all other problems can be solved.

      I love that you brought up Maurice Sendak. And no apology is necessary! It didn't seem like a rant to me. It seemed like eloquent conversation. Thank you for being YOU, Mia. x

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    2. Hey Intricate Knot! I have the same apprehension about the new Dark Shadows! I love Tim Burton and am a huge Johnny Depp fan, but lately Tim Burton has been putting a lot of comedic spins to his movies when I feel some of his films would be better if taken more seriously!

      Definitely let me know what you think about Dark Shadows once you see it!

      xoxo Mia at The Muses Circle

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    3. Totally agree, Mia! I'll let you know what I think about Dark Shadows!

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  11. *softly snaps fingers to the beat of your snare*

    Edgar Allan Poe was the first poet I ever identified with as a young reader. I was entranced by his willingness to see the *beauty* in the macabre. It made sense to me, even then, that we all have a darker side, beating hideously beneath the floorboards. And we all experience the shame associated with it. His illumination of that fact, I thought, was brilliant. And how liberating! To know that *I* was imperfect, and that was okay. Better yet, to know that those who've harmed me in my life, are also imperfect beings, raised by more imperfect beings. It helped me make sense of my world.

    I've been accused for many years, mostly by my mother, of sporting a steady diet of browns, greens and grays in my wardrobe. I'm not one (never was) to purposely stand out in a crowd, wearing bright colors. I kind of have a hang up about wanting people to like me for who I am, not how fat, skinny, short, tall or BRIGHT I dress. I think it's a bit of a trust issue. *Just* tell me how GREAT I look, BECAUSE I've lost weight or bought a new blouse, and I promise you, I will secretly want to punch you in the nose. (Well, not YOU!) LOL

    I love this post, IK! And DITTO on your drawing of The Raven! Awesome! It makes me think of hearts a fire!

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    1. I love how you run with ideas, Scarlett. Frankly, I just love your ideas. And yes, yes, and yes, you're absodamnlutely correct, we all have a darker side.

      "Better yet, to know that those who've harmed me in my life, are also imperfect beings, raised by more imperfect beings." Awesome line and completely True.

      Not only do we have the same taste in poetry, we have the same taste in clothes. I'm big on earth colors, as well. Although I greatly appreciate those jewel tones, I just can't bring myself to wear them. *g* And I agree with you again, when someone tells you that you're beautiful no qualifications are necessary. You can just stop at beautiful, thanks.

      Glad you enjoyed the post and my doodle of The Raven, Scarlett. Love that it makes you think of hearts afire. xo

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  12. Well at age eleven for me I love Poe & Stephen King. So you are not the only weird one out there lol. Thanks for stopping by my blog. The bunnies give you an uppity ear salute.

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    1. Haha! Yes, we're an interesting lot, and actually I do believe there are more of "us" and less of "them" than "they" would like us to believe.

      Thanks for stopping by Bunnies and for the ear salute! :)

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  13. I was a mixed gruesome bag of tricks. Reading Poe and Gone with the Wind and having a deep love and appreciation for Tim Burton when I was very young. You're awesome. That is all.

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    1. I love it, a "mixed gruesome bag of tricks"! Fabulous line.

      Thanks, Amberr, that means a lot. x

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  14. I love that you love Poe also :) We have very similar tastes it seems! Great post!

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    1. We do have similar taste (and it's all good!). Thanks, Frugal! :)

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  15. Intricate Knot!!!!

    I need your expertise! I just noticed you have this wonderful thing on the right side of your blog: it shows off the blogs you like to visit. HOW did you do that? I was planning on making a "Nifty Blogs" section where I post people's buttons, but it's too much work and I think it will mess up how my side bar looks. But I like how you have yours set up! How do I do that? Thanks for any advice!

    Your favorite Muse :)
    Mia @ The Muses Circle

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    1. Mia!!!

      No problem, I sent you an e-mail! :)

      IK

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  16. IK, I adore your blog. Guess it helps that I'm a long-term Poe fan myself. Love me some gruesome goth! My mom says I'm a "mental cutter", in that I like things that make me *FEEL* intensely, even if it's painful, heart-wrenching, or deeply depressing. Maybe even more so than if it's cheerful & upbeat. You have such interesting depth. Thank you for shining a light into the dark. :)

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    1. Aww, thanks Andi-Roo! The feeling is mutual.

      I love me some "gruesome goth" too! I like your mom's theory on "metal cutter"...very interesting.

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    2. Great post......I love Edgar Allen Poe also. I appreciate his darkness. Weirdos unite!

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    3. I knew you would appreciate it! Thanks, Kranky!

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