Edgar Allen Poe vs Guy De Maupassant

[BAYLOR]

Edgar allen Poe wrote some of the greatest tales of suspense and terror of all time fall of the House of Usher, Pit and Pendulum, Mask of the Red Death, William Wilson , The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym ect.. Born 1809 died 1849

Guy De MauPassant wrote such stories of terror and The Horla, On the River, Who Knows , The Hand and many more. he was born about a year after Poe, he died in 1893 .

In what they wrote, How are they similar and how did they differ ? And do you think Poe who came before De Maupassant influenced him at all?

Of the two who do you think is the better and more accomplished writer?

 

[j d worthington]

Brief reply to one of the questions (did Poe influence Maupassant?): Undoubtedly. The French writer in fact makes repeated references to Poe, and was one (along with Baudelaire, who translated a lot of Poe) of the main supporters of his recognition as a great figure in literature.

On the latter question: Depends on the period. Poe's early writings were more likely to be exaggerated and melodramatic; as his career went on, much of this was toned down and he became more precise and nuanced. With this later work even Maupassant might have trouble surpassing him, but he had learned from Poe's excesses and later restraint, so one could argue that, with Poe's experiences to build on, Maupassant ended up being the better writer... but it's a questionable assertion.

 

[Randy M.]

Just to tweak your statement, Baylor: de Maupassant was born about a year after Poe died.

Of what I've read of 19th century short fiction, I think Poe wrote the great American short story of that century with "The Fall of the House of Usher" and equaled it with "William Wilson." That said, as a kid "The Horla" was a favorite because it scared the hell out of me. Last time I read it I was an adult and it still worked just fine, thank you.

Who was better? I don't know. Both of them helped establish the psychological as the underlying basis of the story of fear and dread (see also, J. Sheridan Le Fanu) which leads more or less directly to works from "The Beckoning Fair One" and Turn of the Screw to The Haunting of Hill House and Perfume. It's a thread that still produces effective fiction.


Randy M.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

de Maupassant didn't abuse my maiden name which automatically put him ahead. Poe is an amazing writer but he was the source of some bullying at school.

 

[BAYLOR]

Both of them died young.

 

[BAYLOR]

I liked the Vincent Price adaptation of The Horla.

 

[tegeus-Cromis]

This reads like an exam question!