A Review of the Hellenic Allusions in "To Helen"

Poe's "To Helen" has drawn scholars' attention in diachronic fashion. Even though the poem is merely a few lines long, the Bostonian writer skillfully manages to incorporate an abundance of allusions in his quest for the Ideal Beauty. Seminal studies such as those of Kenneth Silverman (1992) and Scott Peeples (1998) have not omited to stress Poe's indebtedness to foreign literatures. Yet, Poe here appears to search for the Ideal which he personifies by remembering Helen of Troy; another fine sample of Poe's poetry that hints philhellenism. My recent publication in Littera Aperta (University of Cordoba) is an attempt to delve into this poem from a Hellenic point of view. Of course, any attempt to fully comprehend Poe's allusions in a few pages is futile, and I need to mention that this study is a prolegomenon to a more systematic review. For further insight, please visit my published essay here. 

                                        

Works Cited 

• Peeples, Scott. Edgar Allan Poe Revisited. New York: Twayne, 1998. Print.
• Silverman, Kenneth. Edgar A. Poe. A Biography. Mournful and Never- Ending Remembrance. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1992. Print.
• Tsokanos, Dimitrios. "'To the glory that was Greece': Hellenic Patterns in Poe's Poetry." Littera Aperta 3.1 (2015): 23-36.