"The Oval Portrait" By Edgar Allan Poe - Analysis

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The wife died, either by her life being somehow literally transferred to the painting and killing her, or by lack of joy and attention, and sadness. The painting became more real to the painter than the subject he was describing.

This is neo-platonic in a sense because the text praises art; the artist "turned his eyes from the canvass rarely, even to regard the countenance of his wife", as though he was drawing from the idea of his wife rather than the live person (Plato spoke of the world of ideas).

This is a remark about art- its inherent evilness, its effect on the audience and the artist, and its immortality in contrast with the mortality of the subject.

The text is metafictional, referencing art and books within it- the entire story is built upon a painting, visual art-within-literature, and a book about the art within the story- again art within art. The story creates a frame of reference and deeply adheres to it, so that there are no events really in the story and all the action that takes place is centered on stationary art, the painting and the book. The history of the characters is touched upon briefly (the narrator was wounded) and dismissed, hinting at the lack of importance of people, and the narrative instead focuses on art. Poe creates a story consisting only of art and the reaction thereto, thus demonstrating the power and importance of art.

Allusion within the story: the frame story reflects the internal story. Just as the wife's life diminishes and the portrait grows powerful, the narrator is unimportant but his reaction to art is.

Edgar Allan Poe

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 9, 2018 at 6:43 AM

    If you were to argue the following: madness and gender are very much connected. What three texts would you use to prove your argument and why?

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 1, 2018 at 6:51 PM

    What makes the painter's remark at the end of the "The Oval Portrait" ironic?

    ReplyDelete

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