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Shakespeare And Edgar Allan Poe Research Paper

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Arguably the two greatest story tellers, William Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe, one British and one American, share many elements in their works of Tragedies and Gothics. Where exactly the shift from Tragedy to Gothic took place is difficult to tell, but it is know that Shakespeare came first and thus he influences and Poe is influenced. Goth originated from the Germanic tribe that destroyed Rome, becoming a barbaric term. Then it continued to be used for the Middle Ages’ architecture to describe its unappealing and non-classical style. Later, the style became a popular outlet of creativity, inspiring Horace Walpole to write The Castle of Otranto (1764) and effectively creating the Gothic genre. Even though elements are shared between Tragedy …show more content…

For example, both genres, Tragedy and Gothic, are similar in that the main “protagonist” has a downfall led by his or her imperfections. Such a demise is common within Shakespeare’s Tragedies, “the main character is an admirable hero, but he has one fatal flaw that will destroy him.” (Comedy). Yet it also makes an appearance in Poe’s Gothic works, with the exception of “admirable hero.” As for plot, “tragedies often deal with revenge, murder, war, doomed love, and political conspiracies” (Comedy). With the deficiency of political conspiracies and war; revenge, murder and doomed love, as well as guilt and madness, are staples to the Gothic genre (Phillips). For tragedies, “The audience feels powerless because the tragedy is usually avoidable” (Comedy). For gothics, “These writings create feelings of gloom, mystery, terror, suspense and fear.” (Phillips). In both Tragedies and Gothics there is “otherworldly creatures like witches and ghosts” and “omens or curses and magic or supernatural manifestations” (Comedy) (Phillips) respectively. For settings of Tragedies, the high society buildings and castles are less scene setting as the weather, “killer storms and creepy mists are a clue that something bad is happening” (Comedy). While ominous weather is present in Poe’s works, elements create more vivid …show more content…

Banquo is wise for his caution around the witches instead of falling for their prophecy, listening but remaining skeptical with the witches; “[…] you greet with present grace and great prediction of noble having and of royal hope, that he seems rapt withal. To me you speak not […] and say which grain will grow and which will not, Speak, then, to me, who neither beg nor fear your favors nor your hate.” (The Tragedy of Macbeth); whereas, Macbeth becomes blinded with the idea of power and the crown. According to the Narrator, Pluto is wise and loyal to the point of being “sagacious to an astonishing degree … It was even with difficulty that I could prevent him from following me through the streets.” (Poe). Also typical of supporting characters is their friendly and trustworthy relationship to the protagonists in order to be betrayed. In the case of Macbeth and The Black Cat, Banquo is related to Macbeth and is similarly a general of the Scottish Army and Pluto is The Narrator’s favorite pet and friend. After the Banquo and Pluto’s betrayal, they each return as a supernatural figure to force guilt on their killer: Macbeth and The Narrator. In Macbeth, Banquo returns as a ghost only to visit Macbeth and creates an immediate panic “The fit is momentary; upon a thought He will again be well. If much you

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