James Nicoll <
jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
Sweet Revenge: Five Works Featuring Vendettas
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (1846)
Few fables revel in revenge more than Poe's THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO.
Besides scribing similar stories of revenge, a multi-layered nexus
exists between Dumas and Poe. It includes: the Franco-friendly Society
of the Cincinnati, Poe's character Dupin, the Frenchman featured in
fiction's first detective stories, and a contested letter Dumas wrote
with Poe as its subject [1].
Note.
[1] Edgar Allan Poe: The Lost Soul of America
The following letter, written by Alexander Dumas to an Italian
police official, proves not only that Poe visited France, but
also hints at the nature of Poe’s visit and proves conclusively
that Poe’s detective stories were, among other things,
autobiographical in nature:
It was about the year 1832. One day an American presented
himself at my house with an introduction from his fellow
American James Fenimore Cooper. Needless to say I wel-
comed him with open arms. His name was Edgar Poe.
From the outset I realized that I had to deal with a remark-
able man; Two or three remarks which he made upon my
furniture, the things I had about me, the way my articles of
everyday use were strewn about the room and on my moral
and intellectual characteristics impressed me with their
accuracy and truth.
On the very first day of our acquaintance I freely pro-
ferred him my friendship and asked for his. He must cer-
tainly have entertained for me a sympathy similar to that I
felt for him, for held out his hand to me and the under-
standing between us was instantaneous and complete.
At this time my mother’s ill health ... required
that she enjoy purer air than that afforded by the more
central parts of Paris. She was living in the Luxemburg
district, while I had a little house all to myself in the
Rue de L’Ouest. I offered to let Poe have two rooms in
this house for the duration of his stay in Paris.
Edgar Poe accepted my offer confessing that his
financial resources amounted to little more than 300
francs a month accruing to him on a credit from M. Lafite
... Only, he made his acceptance conditional on one
essential stipulation which was that in his mode of life
under my roof he should be free to do entirely as he
wished, and to comport himself as if the house were his
and not mine ... From the very first day of our
association I realized why he had laid down the
conditions to which I have referred.
Poe had one curious idiosyncracy. He liked the
night better than the day. Indeed, his love of darkness
amounted to a passion. But the Goddess of Night could
not always afford him her shade and remain with him
continually, so he contrived a substitute. As soon as
day began to break he hermetically sealed up the
windows in his room and lit a couple of candles.
In the midst of this pale illumination, he worked or
read or suffered his thoughts to wander in the
insubstantial regions of reveries, or else he fell
asleep not being always able to indulge in waking
dreams. But as soon as the clock told him darkness had
come, he would come in for me, and take me out with him
if I was there or go forth alone if I was not.
As a general rule I must confess I was ready waiting
for him, for these nocturnal expeditions in his company
were a source of veritable pleasure. In these rambles I
could not help remarking with wonder and admiration
(though his rich endowment of ideas should have prepared
me for it) on the extraordinary facility of analysis
exhibited by my friend. He seemed to delight in giving
it play and neglected no opportunity to indulge himself
in that pleasure. He made no secret of the enjoyment he
derived from it, and would remark with a smile of proud
satisfaction that for him every man had an open window
where his heart was. And as a rule he accompanied that
assertion with an immediate demonstration which having
me for its object could leave no doubt in my mind
concerning Edgar’s power of divination.
(excerpt)
https://archive.schillerinstitute.com/fidelio_archive/2006/fidv15n01-02-2006SpSu/fidv15n01-02-2006SpSu_059-edgar_allan_poe_the_lost_soul_of.pdf
Danke,
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