Poe's Indebtedness to French Literature

American Association of Teachers of French is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The French Review.

http://www.jstor.org

American Association of Teachers of French

Poe's Indebtedness to French Literature Author(s): John Matthew Source: The French Review, Vol. 9, No. 3 (Feb., 1936), pp. 217-223Published by: American Association of Teachers of FrenchStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/379786Accessed: 14-10-2015 23:37 UTC

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

This content downloaded from 150.134.245.19 on Wed, 14 Oct 2015 23:37:36 UTCAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

http://www.jstor.org

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=french

http://www.jstor.org/stable/379786

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp



POE'S INDEBTEDNESS TO FRENCH LITTERATURE

POE'S INDEBTEDNESS TO FRENCH LITERATURE

By JOHN MATTHEW

That many French writers have been interested in Poe, we are well aware. But that Poe, on the other hand, was influenced by French Literature is another outstanding feature to explain perhaps, his genius and, in a certain measure, his success. Perhaps, we shall see that Poe, whom we thought to be an original American writer of the first magnitude, because of this French influence, is a gallicized American. So, at least, M. Messac has qualified him in his long study, "Influences franqaises dans l'ceuvre d'Edgar Poe." If this is in the main true, we will readily see the reason for the enthusiasm on the part of French writers for Poe and his works.

The influence which Poe had upon France was manifold. Not only did he find sympathetic translators, critics, both in his favor and against him, but several whole schools were affected by him as each in turn owes him some quality which it possessed as a school. Furthermore, his influence did not stop here; he gave a new impetus to the novelists and story writers of France in showing them how to utilize in their works the wonders of the modern industrial world.' One critic even suggests that he had also influenced the dramatists in this same spirit of the miraculous, of the wonderful, and of the weirdly fantastic,2 which grew out of the new science.

As for the critics of France, there are many both for and against him. In his favor we come across such men as Baudelaire, Gau- tier, Lemaitre, Joseph PJladan, Charles Morice, Camille Mau'clair.3 An equally long list is among those who are against him: Barbey d'Aurevilly, Louis Etienne, Arthur Arnould, Rene Tarselin, Ma- dame Vincens (Arvede Barine), and Emile Lauvriere.4 Such a list cannot but attest the widespread imrpression his works have

1 Edgar Poe et les Po tes franfais. L. Lemonnier, Paris 1932. P. 10. 2 Ibid., p. 11. 3 French Critics of Poe. George D. Morris, So. Atl. Quart., 1915. 4 French Cr~tics of Poe. George D. Morris, So. Atl. Quart. 1915.

217



THE FRENCH REVIEW

made in that country. Of all these critics, Baudelaire is the most

important. For, in addition to translating several of Poe's short stories, he wrote two long articles about him.5 All his life long he was greatly interested in this American poet. But no less than Baudelaire is Gautier who has used three whole volumes out of seven6 for the translations from Poe done by Baudelaire. At the head of these seven volumes, he has written a long treatise in which he weaves the fame of Poe and Baudelaire somewhat to-

gether, so that Baudelaire becomes, in a sense, half Baudelaire, half Poe. But the Poe-Baudelaire story is well enough known to leave it here. Another outstanding Poe enthousiast was Stephane Mallarmi, who translated some of Poe's poems into French prose. Though Mallarm6 was a professor of English all his life, he said that he learned the English language simply to be able to read Poe.7 which statement is the keynote to his enduring hommage. Others have translated Poe, both in prose and in verse, but they have not reached the same distinction that has been granted Bau- delaire and Mallarmn, both of ,whom admired this American poet immensely. It is said of Baudelaire that he would even stop his friends in the street to enquire about Poe, so avid was he of every bit of infiormation he could gather in respect to this poet whom he idolized.

Of all the material which deals directly with Poe and his rela- tion to France, there are two long studies, both recent, showing Poe's influence on France, and the influence of France on Poe, by MM. Lemonnier and Messac, respectively.8 The work of M. Leon Lemonnier is an epitomized form of his articles on Poe, being a collection of what he has done at odd moments put under one heading, which contains some new material on some of the lesser figures among the French poets of the last century. Just as he shows the influence of Poe on Baudelaire and Mallarm6 to be me- rely a strengthening of their own powers, so he does the same thing

5 Cf. Introductions to Histoires Extraordinaires, and Nouvelles His- toires Extraordinaires, by Charles Baudelaire.

6 (Euvres Completes de Baudelaire. Edition C. Levy, Paris 1878-82. 7 Influences d'Edgar Poe sur Mallarmi. Leon Lemonnier. Revue Mon-

diale, Paris 1929. 8 Edgar Poe et les Poetes franrais. Leon Lemonnier, Paris 1932. Influ-

ences fran-aises dans l'Neuvre d'Edgar Poe. Regis Messac, Paris 1929.

218




with the other poets. "Poe helped to make Baudelaire what he

really was, a pure artist."' To Mallarm6 he opened the way to a newer world in offering him the "gofit de l'absolu" with all the

mystery it may entail.10 In chronological order, he lists the various schools who derive from Poe certain influences and offers his con- clusions. Literary groups, such as the "symbolistes," the "d&ca- dents," the "symbolistes du vers libre," and the "symbolistes intel-

lectuels," all have in some way been affected by the work of Poe, for to quote M. Lemonnier, "Poe was an initiator for all these groups;" he had shown the young writers of these schools how to make use of their art, and he had contributed to make them artists as he had done in the case of Baudelaire, whether he was to revivify their prose and drama by a new selection of themes, or whether he was to create new images by the suggestive choice of words, as found in his own work.

The second work, that of M. Messac, is .of greater importance to us, since it reveals the author's refusal to accept Poe as an

original genius," one of the first to acclaim him such being a poet contemporlary with Poe, James Russell Lowell. He wants also to establish that the alcoholisan in Poe was not an aid in inspiring him, but rather an obstacle to his success. His third aim is to ascertain the French isource for much of Poe's work. To attempt so much as this would mean, or ought to mean, a devaluation of all that has heretofore been considered of value in Poe. However, it fails to do this, for Poe was too great an iartist to allow any of these things to count against him. Discrediting him of all that he does, M. Messac still places Poe on a high pinnacle in the realm of literature, and this makes his study of especial interest.

In his opening chapter, M. Messac traces the interest that Poe had in the French language and in French literature. As early as his school days at Dr. Bransby's ,in England, he began the study of French and, while yet a student, knew how to seize and to enjoy the "finesses" of the language of Voltaire; he was always a brilliant pupil. But when he considers that Poe professed to

9 Edgar IPoe et les Pohtes franpais, p. 44. to Ibid., p. 106. 11 Ibid., p. 10.

219



THE FRENCH REVIEW

know German, French, Italian, Sipanish, Latin, and Greek, as well as English, he realizes that Poe

,could not have known any one of

these very well. His knowledge of French, however, and it must be granted greater than M. Mestsac is willing to admit, was suf-

ficierlt for him to read and to draw from French literature what he could use in his own work. Such he seems to have done, for

many ideas which Poe found in his divers readings he has de-

veloped in his work, especially in his stories dealing wit'h the world of mystery.

From Balzac, he seems to have found the initial impetus f or the formation of a number of the characters in the stories, especially from such minor works of Balzac as Louis Lambert, and Seriphita (these come under the category of Etudes Philosophiques in the works of Balzac). Many of Poe's heroes are adaptations or modi- fications .of Louis Lambert. M. Messac says that when Poe ap- pears to seek an inspiration in Balzac, it is above all himself that he seeks, for he finds only qualities which are already his own.1" Again, in the metaphysical systems of the two, there are certain similarities; their material being drawn from the same realm of

mystery, it is naturial to find within their works an analogous leaning.13 But, in the manner of applying whatever rules or theo- ries each had involved, Poe stands out as the superior of the two. To quote M. Messac again, "Balzac, Hugo, and many others of less scope failed when they attempted artifices in whose use Poe was past master."14 Poe is, also, the better reasoner .of the two, for he has a greater concern for order, for clearness, and for coherence, in -other words, "it is Poe who is more of the French-

man."S' It is, indeed, these latter qualities of order, dlearness, and coherence, which made Poe the more readily accessible to the French reader, than any of the dther qualities that he may have possessed. That Poe knew and read Balzac, there is no doubt, but that ,he deliberately borrowed from him is another matter. The mere fact that Poe finds "qualities already his own" when he goes to Balzac, asserts quite definitely that, especially in such mat-

12 Influences franfaises dans l'wuvre d'Edgar Poe, p. 51. 13 Ibid., p. 52. 14 Ibid., p. 57. 15 Ibid., p. 59.

220




ters as those where both are concerned, Poe is quite in his own

right. Aside from all the French writers from whom Poe drew quo-

tations such as, Blranger, Crbill'on, Chateaubriand, and a host of others, there is a second great French influence wvhich M. Messac

brings to light, that of S6bastien Mercier. Poe, himself, alludes to him in his "Marginalia," in speaking of two types of books, one in which we occupy ourselves with the thoughts of the author, and the other, exclusively with our own. To the second group, Poe consigns, "l'an deux mille quatre cent quarante" of Mercier. In the same note he says that this book is negatively suggestive, in that it suggest what it might and should have said. Perhaps what should have been said Poe takes up in the stories that bear resemblances to the work of Mercier. Mercier, as we learn from M. Messac, was ?something of the Wells of his times, who besides bringing into vogue the doctrine of metempsychosiis, related the story of the "journey from the arctic to the antarctic poles through the center of the earth." Herein, the stronger emphasis is given to the exotic and the strange. Several of Poe's stories seem to be analogous to certain parts in Mercier: The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, MM. found in a Bottle, and a Descent into the Maelstrom.16

Certain less prominent affinities may be seen between the Eldo- rado of Poe, and Candide, especially in the consideration of that inaccessible country whose "mountains of the moon" refer to those, perhaps, which Voltaire had created with an altitude of many thousand feet.17 Between the "Voyage die la Lune" of Cyrano de Bergerac,18 and Hansl,Phaal of Poe, -other resemblances may be seen. The American includes the ideas of Cyrano but has also his own, as well as those of his times.19

In another sense, M. Messac affirms that Poe was influenced by the style of French writers, and especially that of Froissart.20 He claims the style of Poe in certain passages to be almost similar

20 Ibid., pp. 111-116. 16 Influences franCaises dans l'wuvre d'Edgar Poe, p. 84. 17 Ibid., p. 97. 18 French author of the seventeenth century. 19 Influences fra naises dans l'meuvre d'Edgar Poe, pp. 102-103.

221



THE POST-WAR THEATRE OF FRANCE

to that of Froissart, whom to know and to read was no very easy task. But M. Messac goes on to say that Froissart was a good chronicler who as an author lacked the skill of artistically telling a story. He told in an ieasy manner what he knew as a recorder. Poe, he continues, must have ,said to himself, "Ah! but this can be done better." Many of Poe's stories, according to this critic, lead back to Froissart as a first source. Quite likely, Poe found ideas there, but he developed them in his own way. Many a writer, even the great Shakespeare, has drawn from history the facts which have enabled him to create great works -of art. And Poe, like many other, has taken his facts from history, for Froissart, being a chronicler, has but recorded the historical deeds of his times. Poe, then, is no poacher in reference to Froissart, though the resemblances, suah as they are, be of outstanding importance. Again to read Froissart was no very easy task, fbr it presupposes a knowledge of old French as well as modern.

Possible likenesses in style are pointed out between Poe and Moli~re,21 between Poe and La Fontaine,22 and even between Poe and Boileau.23 To quote M. Messac here, we find that "if Poe had not read Boileau, we could say that he played,--for ungrateful people, to be sure,--the role of an American Boileau"24 in his

poetic principle, since in that and in his critical studies, certain rules and formulae are similar to those decreed by Boileau. In

pointing out the French influences, M. Messac makes no attempt to list all the French writers whom Poe mentioned or quoted throughout his work. There is a long list of them. On the other hand, very ,small menti'on is made by Poe of those whom we have cited here as having given him anything in

.the matter of ideas or

style. M. Messac's business is to show the resemblances between Poe and those writers of France who were ultimately to influence him as a writer. Hence the difference in the matter of writers whom Poe knew, as is seen by the notes in his "Marginalia," and those who directly affected him.

21 Ibid., p. 119. 22 Ibid., p. 119. 23 Ibid. 24 Ibid.

222




In concluding, M. Messac notes that Poe took from all this mass in which he was steeped in French, not what is the most odd, or the most strange, but that which is the most susceptible to the test of analysis. The sureness with which Poe chooses, and his cleverness, are never in the wrong, and phat is why he is a

great artist. It is, also, the reason which makes him a superior writer, and the very reas'on that gave him such an interested and ardent French public. His treatment of romantic subjects, and of those subjects so-called "a la mode," in an entirely classical manner drew hi into French readers. He made bold attempts in every direction in life to put logic where there was disorder, to ratio- nalize the impossible, and to limit the illimitable.25 And so, Poe, because of his manner of writing, because of the choice of his material, and its treatment, was, according to M. Messac, more of a Frenchman than an American.

M. Messac, in his study, has joined the name of Poe very clo- sely to that of France, and instead of decreasing the glory of Poe he has increased it an hundredfold. If Poe received from France the greater part of that influence which made him the man he was, he has, in turn, recompensed her in a truly noble measure. For, at a time when Science was presenting herself as the only God, Poe sent acrosis the seas the newer and younger message of his art. It is this kind of interchange of material and ideas, as suggested by Poe and his French influence, constantly repeating itself, which makes of the field of literature a profoundly delightful source and an eternal creation.

College of the City .of New York.

25 Influences franpaises dans l'ceuvre d'Edgar Poe, p. 130.

223



Poe's Indebtedness to French Literature

Documents

Transcript of Poe's Indebtedness to French Literature