My previous post was dedicated to one of my favorite poems, Poe's "Sonnet-To Zante". As I mentioned, there are several Hellenic motifs to be found in this work; after all, Poe dedicates this poem to the beauty of Ζάκυνθος [Zacynthos]. As I read the poem again and again, I am surprised by its philhellenic tone. I thus decided to delve into relevant criticism in an attempt to explore scholarly affirmations that focus on those elements. It is true that several Poe scholars have acknowledged the presence of Greece in Poe; yet none of them explore the sources of Poe's inspiration as Burton R. Pollin did. In his 1968 essay, he carefully explores all the connections between the poem and Greece indicating the that the land of the Hellenes was Poe's "Holy Land," as the American author calls it in "To Helen". You may find Pollin's article here.
Works Cited
- Pollin, Burton R. "Poe's 'Sonnet-To Zante': Sources and Associations." Comparative Literature Studies 5.3 (1968): 303-15.
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