爱伦·坡作为短篇小说创作家和评论家的生涯综述

A Review of Allan Poe's Career as a Short Story Writer and Critic

短篇小说艺术在爱伦·坡这里得到了较成熟的表达。坡创作出版的小说约70篇,这些小说是坡精心实践其创作理论的结果。1837至1840年是坡短篇小说创作多产的第一阶段,这一时期,大约有14篇短篇小说问世;1841年至1847年是坡多产的第二阶段,其间4篇精湛的侦探小说以及坡另外几篇较著名的恐怖小说相继出版。坡有4篇评论文章系统、完整地阐述了其关于文学创作的观点,即作品应该遵循新颖性、完整性、简洁性、统一效果这四个原则。没有必要对坡的70篇小说做出绝对的分类,也无法做出绝对的分类。坡用丰富的短篇小说创作成果证明了其创作理论的可行性。系统梳理坡作为短篇小说作家和评论家的生涯,有助于人们从全局上更好地把握坡的短篇小说创作艺术,认识了解爱伦·坡。

The art of short stories finds mature expression in Allan Poe＇s stories and theories. Poe＇s 70 published stories are the fruits of his deliberate practice of his artistic theory. The years between 1837 and 1840 were Poe＇s first productive period and he got 14 short stories published; from 1841 to 1847, another prolific period, Poe published four refined detective stories and, of course, other well-known horror tales. In his four critical articles he systematically advocates four principles for literary creation： Originality, Totali- ty, Brevity and Single Effect. It＇s neither necessary nor possible to draw definite lines among so-called Poe＇s four categories of short stories. Poe＇s abundant fruits of short stories give great credit to the workableness of his writing theories. A review of Poe＇s career as a short story writer and critic contributes to better appreciation of Poe＇s art of short stories and better regard for Poe.