Poe and Psychoanalysis

Poe was, beyond doubt, a troubled person. The horrid events that marked his life--the death of his biological mother, the death of his foster mother and of his wife, Virginia, among others-- inevitably led him to the depths of despair. It is, however, true that he caused many of his predicaments on his own in several occasions. Insubordination, alcoholism and insanity seem to be some of his sufferings. In fact, his behavior does hint a personality destined to constantly wish self-destruction and death.

Sadly, there is no written document enlightening us on Poe's mental state. The American author never left a diary detailing his feelings and emotions either, leaving contemporary Poe scholars with no option but to speculate. When one tries to pinpoint Poe's internal woes they are inevitably led to a research method that requires no proof, but only interpretations through an author's work: Psychoanalysis. 

Among the many scholars who attempted to fully understand Poe, princess Marie Bonaparte stands out. Her tremendously lengthy work delved the depths of Poe, ultimately reaching to conclusions that have been disputed widely over the past few years. Her work will not escape my attention. Yet I wish to focus on one study that has fascinated me; that of Mario Praz (1960). In his study, Praz carefully reconsiders theories on Poe's impotence, his Oedipal complex, and his problem of repetition while pointing out "how psychoanalysis can contribute to a study of the background of Poe's Tales" (1960: 377). You may find his study through the following link

Works Cited

Praz, Mario. "Poe and Psychoanalysis (1933)." The Swanee Review 68.3 (1960): 375-89.