Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Purloined Letter:” Logic and Revenge
“The Purloined Letter” was originally published in The Gift, an annual magazine, in 1844 ("Overview: The Purloined Letter"). Even though this short story is a fiction, it has many inspirations from real life events surrounding Poe. Also, inspirations from other books are evident in this detective fiction. Poe adds mystery to fuel the detective fiction. He uses the appropriate setting for a detective fiction. He uses the themes such as logic, ratiocination, and revenge in this fiction.
Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 19, 1809. He was orphaned at the age of three and a merchant named John Allan adopted him. From his adolescence onwards, his life was worsened …show more content…
Poe used Paris as a setting because he was interested in the memoirs of Francois Eugene Vidocq. Again, Vidocq was from Paris, France. According to Dameron, in Poe’s era, the fictionist apparently regarded Paris as the most appropriate setting for crime solving; a journalist described Paris as the city “where Vice is robed in almost supernatural brilliancy” (Dameron). Poe uses many French dialogues and words to represent the setting. Also, Poe uses many other literary devices to tone up the setting. Poe included mystery to the setting to alert the audience it is indeed a detective fiction. According to Laura Behling, one crucial balance detective fiction must succeed is to modify ratiocination, which is the process of exact thinking and reasoning, with mystification (Behling; “Ratiocination”). Poe adds mystery by creating an atmosphere that distinguished by certain sensory qualities such as the pervading smell, the tick-tock sound of the clock, and the warmth of the candles surrounded by semi-darkness (Vines). “At Paris, just after dark one gusty evening in the autumn of 18--,” the opening lines of “The Purloined Letter” are showing that Paris is revolved around darkness even from the beginning of the story and throughout to strengthen mystery. Also, Poe created an unnamed narrator to make the protagonist more superior with intellect. Lois states the narrator relates to certain characteristics of the unusual mind he …show more content…
The revelation of Dupin’s revenge comes at the end of the story. Dupin wants the Minister to know he outwitted him, so he replaced the letter with his handwritings. Minister is well acquainted of his handwritings. Dupin’s revenge was based on the evil turn which the Minister did to him at Vienna once (Firmat). According to Charity Givens of Liberty University, “The Purloined Letter” is not just a story of Dupin’s revenge; it is also the revenge of Poe against plagiarism. One of most famous cases of plagiarism involves Poe accusing Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Poe compares a plagiarist as a thief, like the Minister who steals the letter (Givens). The Minister represents the plagiarists so; “The Purloined Letter” is like Poe having revenge on other authors who are plagiarizing his
“The Purloined Letter” was originally published in The Gift, an annual magazine, in 1844 ("Overview: The Purloined Letter"). Even though this short story is a fiction, it has many inspirations from real life events surrounding Poe. Also, inspirations from other books are evident in this detective fiction. Poe adds mystery to fuel the detective fiction. He uses the appropriate setting for a detective fiction. He uses the themes such as logic, ratiocination, and revenge in this fiction.
Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 19, 1809. He was orphaned at the age of three and a merchant named John Allan adopted him. From his adolescence onwards, his life was worsened …show more content…
Poe used Paris as a setting because he was interested in the memoirs of Francois Eugene Vidocq. Again, Vidocq was from Paris, France. According to Dameron, in Poe’s era, the fictionist apparently regarded Paris as the most appropriate setting for crime solving; a journalist described Paris as the city “where Vice is robed in almost supernatural brilliancy” (Dameron). Poe uses many French dialogues and words to represent the setting. Also, Poe uses many other literary devices to tone up the setting. Poe included mystery to the setting to alert the audience it is indeed a detective fiction. According to Laura Behling, one crucial balance detective fiction must succeed is to modify ratiocination, which is the process of exact thinking and reasoning, with mystification (Behling; “Ratiocination”). Poe adds mystery by creating an atmosphere that distinguished by certain sensory qualities such as the pervading smell, the tick-tock sound of the clock, and the warmth of the candles surrounded by semi-darkness (Vines). “At Paris, just after dark one gusty evening in the autumn of 18--,” the opening lines of “The Purloined Letter” are showing that Paris is revolved around darkness even from the beginning of the story and throughout to strengthen mystery. Also, Poe created an unnamed narrator to make the protagonist more superior with intellect. Lois states the narrator relates to certain characteristics of the unusual mind he …show more content…
The revelation of Dupin’s revenge comes at the end of the story. Dupin wants the Minister to know he outwitted him, so he replaced the letter with his handwritings. Minister is well acquainted of his handwritings. Dupin’s revenge was based on the evil turn which the Minister did to him at Vienna once (Firmat). According to Charity Givens of Liberty University, “The Purloined Letter” is not just a story of Dupin’s revenge; it is also the revenge of Poe against plagiarism. One of most famous cases of plagiarism involves Poe accusing Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Poe compares a plagiarist as a thief, like the Minister who steals the letter (Givens). The Minister represents the plagiarists so; “The Purloined Letter” is like Poe having revenge on other authors who are plagiarizing his