Some critics have maintained that Poe is our only original genius in
American Literature. Lowell wrote in his _Fable for Critics_:—
"There comes Poe with his raven, like Barnaby Rudge, Three-fifths of
him genius, and two-fifths sheer fudge."
Whatever judgments the various critics may give of Poe and his
writings, they must all agree that he is original. He is a clever
writer in a limited field. His writings have a glow and burnish that
have their origin in his fondness for sensations, color, and vividness
of details. He loves mystery and terror,—not the fancies and fears of a
child, but overwrought nerves. His material is unreal, and remote from
ordinary life. His characters are abnormal, and the world they live in
is exceptional. He is inventive, original in arranging his material,
and shallow but keen in his thinking.
He believed that art and life have little in common, and in his
writings seemed to be unmoved by friendship, loyalty, patriotism,
courage, self-sacrifice or any of the great positive attributes of life
that make living worth while. His writings lack the human touch,
tenderness, and the buoyancy of sympathy. He is an artist who does his
work with a clear-cut, hard finish. His choice of words, vivid
pictures, and clearly evolved plots make his writings excellent studies
for any one who wishes to develop literary appreciation and to learn to
write.