The Philosophy of Composition

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The Philosophy of Composition is an 1846 essay by Edgar Allan Poe in which he methodically explains his step-by-step process for crafting the poem "The Raven" and articulates his views on poetic creation.

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Statements (43)

Predicate Object
instanceOf essay
literary criticism work
analyzes choice of a raven as central image
choice of the word "Nevermore"
meter in The Raven
narrative voice in The Raven
repetition in The Raven
rhyme scheme of The Raven
structure of The Raven
author Edgar Allan Poe NERFINISHED
claims poems should be written with deliberate calculation
poetic effects are not products of accident or inspiration alone
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
describesWork The Raven NERFINISHED
discusses aesthetic theory
composition method
poetic creation
unity of effect
explains step-by-step process of writing The Raven
firstPublishedInPeriodical Graham's Magazine NERFINISHED
genre literary theory
poetics
hasForm prose essay
hasNotableTheme rational design in art
reader’s emotional response
tension between inspiration and calculation
influenced later theories of composition
modern literary criticism
poetic theory
language English
mainSubject The Raven NERFINISHED
poetic composition
partOf Edgar Allan Poe's body of critical work
proposesConcept beauty as the sole legitimate province of the poem
brevity as essential to poetry
calculated literary effect
melancholy as the most legitimate poetic tone
originality within strict design
refrain as structural device
writing from effect to cause
publicationDecade 1840s
publicationYear 1846
workExampleOf Poe's critical writings

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Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Edgar Allan Poe bibliography hasNotableWork The Philosophy of Composition