Poe’s oeuvre contains three mesmeric stories: “A Tale of the Ragged Mountains,” “Mesmeric Revelation,” and “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar.” All of them were written between 1844 and 1845, indicating the depth of Poe’s intense interest in mesmerism during that period. Curiously, despite being written around the same time, each deals with mesmerism differently. By altering his treatment of mesmerism across these texts, and by creating one of his most gruesome scenes in the last mesmeric tale, what questions did Poe mean to ask? In this study, I focus on the relationship between “Valdemar” and Poe’s criticism on myopia in his tales. I argue that “Valdemar,” which is often considered as a hoax, not only critically delineates fears regarding the rapid growth of science and technology but also criticizes the deception of sentimentalism and the American sublime in Poe’s era.
死を見ることEdgar Allan Poe “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar”と視覚の欺瞞性
死を見ることEdgar Allan Poe “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar”と視覚の欺瞞性
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