Evening star., 1926-04-15
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.
Once upon q midnight dresry. while pom
dered. weak and weary,
Over many O quaint and curious volume OF
forRnfian

Once upon q midnight dreary. while I pom
dered. weak and weary.
Over many o quaint and curious volume OF
Thus begins one of the most famous
poems in all the literature Of the wide
world. Since its publication in 1S4d
it has been q universal favorite, In the
true sense Of the term.
If there is any poem that wears the
aspects of genius, 1.-THE Raven" Is
certainly 1t. Perhaps no reader has
ever taken up Poe's masterpiece with
out feeling this intensely.
The IS stanzas Of this bit OF rhym'
Ing made such O "hit" that Poe. In
the year following their publication
found 1t necessary to explain to the
world just how he did 1t.
That explanation, termed by him
| 1.-THE Philosophy Of Composition" re.
mains today one Of the curiosities OF
literature, In 1t the poet set forth
what he declared was his method of
composing 1.-The Raven"
Sixteen steps he took according to
him) in the composition, following al.
most mathematical rules, Of this mas
terpiece of music, invention and sub
tie effect upon the reader.
From first to last, Poe says, he
knew exactly what he wanted to do
and did it--Just as easy as that! That
no one, either then or now, ever be.
lieved he composed THE Raven" in
any such analytical manner does not
at all detract from the interest one
takes in the explanation"
There is probably some germ of
truth in what Poe tells us, and many
hint to those who would write, or
try to write, poetry.
x = K x
Poe begins his treatise by an easy
reference to a note lying before him
from Charles Dickens-just as If we
were to tell you about a letter we had
just got from Kipling or II. G. Wells.
Dickens says, Poe tells us, that q
writer of a then-popular novel wrote
1t backward, first involving his hero
In q web Of difficulties, and then cast.
ing about him for some mode OF ac.
counting for what he had done.
II cannot think this the precise
mode Of procedure" commented Poe,
adding, however, that the author of
the novel in question was too good
an artist not to perceive the advan.
tage derivable from at least q some.
what similar process"
Poe then lays down his preliminary
generality:
Nothing is more clear than that
every plot, worth the name, must
be elaborated to its denouement be-
fore anything be attempted with
the pen"
The above was q new thought in
1S45, and was listened to by writers
throughout the world, as Poe had for
many years established a reputation
as teller of tales. "It is only with
the denouement constantly in view
that we can give q plot its indispensa-
bic air OF consequence, or causation.
making the incidents, and especially
the tone at all points, tend to the
development Of the intention" he
adds.
The proper way to begin story is
to begin with the consideration of an
effect. he declares, and continues by
saying that he had often thought
how interesting u paper might be
written by any author who would de.
tail. step by step. the process BY
which any one of his compositions at
tanned its ultimate point Of compile
tion. Most writer's, poets especially,
prefer having it understood that they
compose by a species Of fine frenzy,
the poet said.
Just to show how wrong this idea