에드가 앨런 포우와 테드 휴즈의 까마귀

Abstract

We can read a kind of dark evilness in the poems of Edgar Allen Poe and Ted Hughes, and that is symbolized as a crow. They created crows as a poetic character which represents their tragic psychological situation. Poe seems to write his poem “The Raven” as a series with his dark novels and its poetic mood is sad and tragic. The poet yearns his dead woman to return, but instead of the woman, a big crow appears in front of him. It answers only “Never more” to the repeated asks of the sad poet. There is not any other accident or action in this poem but the monologue of the speaker without any answer from the crow, which makes the readers feel grotesque ambiguity. The crows of Ted Hughes are more mischievous than that of Poe. Even God cannot control this dirty and noisy crow. His crow is far more evil than Poe’s and it is also very well symbolized as an evil mentality. It is interesting to note this evilness is related with their failure of love and marriage life. Poe’s wife, Virginia Clemm died wretchedly in extreme poor financial condition. His poem “Annabel Lee” was written in the sadness after the death of his wife and “The Raven” is also related with it. Ted Hughes also experienced the suicides of two women whom he loved. Particularly the death of his wife, Sylvia Plath, was a big shock to him. But he silently stood all the reproach of the world for 35 years and published his last anthology Birthday Letters memorizing his last wife in his death year(1998). The death of women seems to cause these dark poems born and it can be another example for genius to create a good work of art in their deep depression.