Poe was not much of a seafaring man -- indeed, he made only two journeys by sea, and that was to (and back from) the boarding school his stepfather sent him to in England. And yet, by steeping himself in the lore of the sea, and filling up his head with nautical terminology, he managed to provide all the necessary atmosphere for many stirring sea-tales. First -- and some may say, foremost -- among these was his "
A Descent into the Maelstrom." Poe drew here from a number of maritime legends, among them the original
malstrøm, an infamous whirlpool off the coast of Norway -- but also on the idea of "Symmes's Hole" -- a crackpot theory of the time originated by
John Cleves Symmes. Symmes believed that the earth was hollow, with inhabitants within (which he humbly named Symzonia!), and could be reached via eiher of two holes near the poles of the earth. It sounds quite as crazy as it was, but since neither pole had been reached or explored, it held sway among some serious minds -- indeed, the very first voyage of exploration launched by the U.S. Government -- the
United States Exploring Expedition of 1838-1842 -- was initially sent to find one (their remit was later changed to more broadly explore the southern ocean). Poe had a direct connection with this scheme, as his friend
Jeremiah Reynolds was one of the strongest advocates for the undertaking. Indeed, legend has it that Poe's very last word -- uttered at the end of a night of delirium -- was "Reynolds!"
Poe was not finished with the theme -- he drew from it again in his "
MS Found in a Bottle," and, as we will soon see, a more extended version of the idea of a chasm in the southern ocean was the centerpiece -- or perhaps, one should say, the
endpiece -- of Poe's only novel,
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. And, remarkably enough, the idea of a hollow earth with a hole at either end
lives on, even though these regions have since been explored thoroughly. There is evidently something captivating about it.
As I was reading both of these short stories I quickly became engulfed in the plots and the action that was occurring on each page and absolutely loved it! I believe Dr. Potter’s background to the story helped me get so invested because if I did not get that history I probably would have been extremely confused. I want to use this strategy of frontloading background knowledge before reading as a Secondary Educator because hopefully it will have the same effect on my students that it had on me.
ReplyDeleteAfter finishing both stories, I began to see some similarities and difference to the whirling storm that occurred. The main similarity between the texts was how the storm progressed and the environment when the Maelstrom was appearing. The descriptions appeared to be similar. In A Descent into the Maelstrom the old man says he saw “…the whole horizon covered with a singular copper-colored cloud…” that suddenly appeared, and the man in M.S. in a Bottle also saw a “dusty-red appearance” of the moon and a singular cloud (Poe 230). The also both had a calm before the storm and then a rapid increase in wind and circular motions.
I also wanted to distinguish the difference between the two main characters in the stories because they both have different outlooks on the storm, and I wanted to see other people’s opinions as to why that might be. The old man was not scared of the storm after a while, and instead actually welcomed it as Gods magnificent creation and was curious about what was inside the whirl. He was willing to sacrifice himself to see the creation. The man in M.S. in a Bottle was clearly scared at the end and distraught with fear of what was to come. Perhaps the old man was not scared because he knew about this storm his whole life, while the other man seemed to not be aware of the Maelstrom storm stories. Why do you think the old man seemed to accept and welcome his fate, while the man in M.S. in a Bottle seemed to still be frightened of the inevitable?
- Megan K.
Megan, I too found the characters' different reactions to the storm to be interesting. To comment on your question, The old man's fear stems from having hope of survival. Once he enters the vortex, all hope is lost; he knows he will not make it, so there is no more fear of the unknown. A sense of calm seems to come over him, and he starts to observe his surroundings and finds the beauty in the phenomenon he is witnessing. His fear only emerges again when he observes the pattern of how certain objects are sucked into the whirlpool and realizes he still has a chance of survival.
DeleteSarah, Why do you think the man from M.S. in a bottle only has constant fear though, and never the acceptance of fate that the Old Man had?
DeleteWhile reading both stories I wasn’t really sure where the plot was going to go and not sure if I was really going to enjoy them but I ended up really liking both!
ReplyDeleteI have to say while reading the stories it was very overwhelming to read because both stories had amazing detail the way both authors explained the plot.
While reading the story it bought me back to a vacation I took with my family to Portugal. Portugal is somewhere both of my parents were born and grew up.
While we were visiting my parents took us to the Rocky/ocean location. It reminded me of the plots of both stories of the whirlpool because of the way this specific location in Portugal looked like.
There was a bunch of rocks around with the ocean right in the middle. The waves were out of control and definitely was not safe for anyone to get into!
Comes to find out my cousins who still lived in Portugal explained to us that many people go missing when they go into that exact ocean and never hear from them again!
Both of these stories made me think of this childhood memory I experienced in Portugal.
Sheila Torres
In Poe’s short story “A Descent into the Maelstrom” a sailor recounts an experience he had while sailing through the titular Maelstrom. Even those who survive the ordeal that the Maelstrom brings with it do not emerge unscathed, as the Old Man notes to the listener: “My hair which had been raven-black the day before, was as white as you see it now”. I enjoyed how Poe affixed a physical scar to the Old Man to symbolize the mental trauma that he had undergone, or, as expressed by the old man, “expression of my countenance had changed”. Something that I did notice that I was not very fond of was that at times it felt like I was reading a dramatized version of an encyclopedia. Poe even cites a small excerpt from an encyclopedia, having the narrator state “These are the words of the Encyclopædia Britannica”. From short history of Poe given above by Dr. Potter, Poe had only been on a ship twice in his life in a trip that saw him go “to (and back from) the boarding school his stepfather sent him to in England”. From this description, it sounds like Poe is a bit of a NEET or a shut-in, or even a “Poe-ser” if you will.
ReplyDeleteWow Tim! I really did not even think of the Old Man's hair symbolizing his trauma that he endured. It could also symbolize I suppose his maturity from the encounter, as he went from being in danger everyday while fishing to actually experiencing the dangerous environment that come with living in the real world.
DeleteIn reading “A Descent into the Maelstrom”, I couldn’t help myself in thinking about and making connections to the phenomena of The Bermuda triangle. While a mystery, it is believed that sudden changes in weather in the region that is notoriously known as The Bermuda Triangle have caused countless shipwrecks and plane crashes that have resulted in a multitude of disappearances and unexplainable occurrences. The Maelstrom ‘s horrific site with fast appearing whirlpools, deafening sounds, and almost certain cause of wreckage almost makes it seem as if this short story was actually written about The Bermuda Tringle itself. It is enjoyable, as well, for the mystery of The Bermuda Triangle is both unknown and, due to the survival rate, I do not believe there is anyone who can retell of a firsthand account or experience of what actually happens there. Reading “A Descent into the Maelstrom” allows us as readers to make the connection between the Maelstrom and The Bermuda Triangle, and possibly imagine and draw up mental images to the otherwise dark and unknown.
ReplyDeleteThe two stories that I read by Poe were very entertaining to read. In both stories we see sailors out at sea having to deal with terrible storms. In the story “A Descent into the Maelström” it goes into more detail of the horrors of the storm and how terrifying it can be to witness. I saw that someone had mentioned that the background Dr. Potter gave made it very helpful which I agree with. Another thing I liked was the reference to Pirates of The Caribbean. It helped me put an image in my mind that made reading the story all the more enjoyable. The details used in the story also helped with understanding how the speaker felt during the storm. I can only imagine how terrifying it must be. “Never shall I forget the sensations of awe, horror, and admiration with which I gazed about me” (Poe 235). I like the words chosen to describe the speaker’s feelings here, even though it is frightening it is still a crazy and wonderous sight to see.
ReplyDeleteI found both of these short stories by Poe to be very interesting and a good look at what sort of things interested Poe himself. I actually found the short story "MS In a Bottle" to be the more interesting one. I think that I enjoyed the main character more. It also seemed to be more of a story of adventure and mystery. We didn't know why the men on the ship were all old, and what they were possibly looking for. This added factor of mystery made the story more interesting, I was finding myself questioning everything along side our main protagonist. I think that you should read both of these stories together. When reading "Descent into the Maelstrom" we can figure out and put together some missing pieces in "MS in a Bottle". We find out that being in the maelstrom causes people to age rapidly and suddenly. That suggests that the old men on the ship have been through a maelstrom before, and they have survived one before. With some extra background knowledge we can come to the conclusion that these men are looking for Prymm's hole.
ReplyDeleteWhat struck me most about these two stories was the description of the ocean and the sky at the times of the storms. The colors in particular caught my attention. There was something unsettling about the description of the sky and ocean in “MS Found in a Bottle,” particularly, “My notice was soon afterwards attracted by the dusky-red appearance of the moon and the peculiar character of the sea. The latter was undergoing a rapid change, and the water seemed more than usually transparent” (MS). After this, the air is described as “intolerably hot,” and with these images, I began to get a hellish impression of the setting from the narrator, and I liked how Poe used these descriptions for the setting. With “A Descent into the Maelstrom,” the description of the ocean’s darkness felt almost tangible, and it is characterized as “a wide expanse of ocean, whose waters wore so ink a hue.” Juxtaposing this darkness with the unsettling red of the previous story gives me the impression of a hellishness to these stories and the experiences of the narrators. I really liked Poe’s descriptiveness that conjures images of darkness and danger, and considering that Poe didn’t have extensive sea-faring experience, it’s amazing that he was able to create this level of vivid description. The life of the setting was spectacular, and the setting had my attention for the duration of both stories.
ReplyDeleteSomething that really captivated me while reading Poe’s work was his meticulous attention to details and literary devices. It allows the story to be read literally, as well as symbolically and metaphorically in different aspects. In “A Descent into the Maelstrom,” readers grasp the fury and chaos of the ocean and water-- and can indulge in the details that amount to the brutality of the storm and old man’s experience. The storm was so powerful, that it aged the ‘old’ man, and turned his hair from raven-black to white. When I was first going through this story, I questioned ‘why does this old man want to return and take this other individual to this place that caused him so much hardship and struggle-- “No one will ever know what my feelings were at the moment… nothing could save us” (Poe 87-88). Possibly because of his awe of the overall experience, and due to the fact that nobody else would believe this story. He is the only survivor of this incident, and the only person who could voice this specific experience. On the first page, the old man did say that he took the other person there so that he may “have the best possible view” (83) of the aggressive storm that he once faced. We then can uncover-- what is Poe saying through this story? Here we have this man that falls victim to the chaos, unpredictability, and power of the uncontrollable, natural world. He faces a storm that is a force of nature, leaving residue in the form of foam (a medium between earth and water). The themes of fear and chaos remain prevalent.
ReplyDeleteThe use of metaphors painted a vivid image in "A Descent into the Maelstrom." I found it interesting that ships and objects that come into contact with the vortex are compared to feathers. Poe writes that a ship "could resist it as little as a feather the hurricane," and then later on in the story, the boat that the old man hangs to as he rides the vortex is described s as similar to a feather. He says, “Our boat was the lightest feather of a thing that ever sat upon water.” Does a feather tarnish in a hurricane, or does it just become lost?
ReplyDeleteSomething that I kept thinking about while reading "Descent into the Maelstrom" was the fact that Poe was able to tell such a short story -- a story that probably would only take five minutes to tell outloud -- and pack it with so much detail that it spanned almost twenty pages (in my copy). In all that space, however, it never got boring. Each detail was fresh, it never repeated.
ReplyDeleteI also thought it was interesting that in each of the stories, the sailors were one of two sole survivors, and then they ended up alone. I wondered if anyone thought this was intentional, if you thought POe maybe wanted his stories to have common threads? I doubt he thought that far ahead, but a lot of folks were talking about the overlap/similarities between stories and this one really stuck out to me while I was reading. I think it's interesting that in both cases, the men had to be willing to die in order to survive. In "MS in a Bottle", the main character talks about how he risked his life to get onto the other ship, and in "Descent into the Maelstrom," he ties himself to the barrel and throws himself off the ship. Both had to give themselves completely to the issues at hand in order to make them out of it. Maybe it's my analytical side, but I thought that there could be something more to that. Especially since both pieces dealt with that concept.
After looking at both of Poe's pieces, I am very invested in this theory of this Malstrom being some sort of portal. While reading I did see the "Pirate of the Caribbean" parallel with the black ship appearing in "MS Found in a Bottle" piece. After reading about this storm and all of the theory attached to its science fiction roots, perhaps this storm is some sort of afterlife? Maybe its like a natural selection type of situation and the storm chooses its victims or the souls whose time is up? maybe thats why there are people that inhabit the hollow space in the earth? maybe its a "heaven" or maybe its a "hell"? Maybe its a stretch, but the topic got me thinking. Very interesting topic and stories. Poe does a good job creating these stories when he has no actual experience so perhaps he is able to expand on this theory because of it.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading Poe on and off for about 7 or 8 years now. The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and Annabel Lee are some of my favorite works by him. Although, I do read more H.P. Lovecraft and I can absolutely see how Poe's work influenced Lovecraft's. Lovecraft's stories often revolved around explorations of the unknown. Despite the ocean being worldly and earthly, Poe still explored unknown territory with the idea of the maelstrom being a portal, flat earth theory, and hollow earth theory. All these conspiracies that won't be believed for a second, but they're still fun to think about regardless.
ReplyDeleteYes, Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness is his continuation of/response to Poe's Pym. However, though there are many things to admire about Lovecraft, his prose style (to me) isn't one of them!
DeleteMadeleine Frost
ReplyDeleteAs seen in both “MS Found in a Bottle” and “A Descent into the Maelstrom”, Poe crafts moments of drama to assist in the progression of the plot that simultaneously characterize the nature as a powerful and intimidating entity. What is crucial to the plot in both these stories is the characterization and the description of nature itself.
In “MS Found in a Bottle”, for instance, Poe uses words such as “dusky-red,” “envelop,” and “horror and thick gloom” to describe the visual aspect of the nature he perceives around him. These particular words create a sense of uncomfortability for the reader, as they attempt to portray an ominous and threatening scene. Red is a color commonly associated with evil and, with that being one of the first words to describe the scene around the narrator, when paired with words such as “envelop” and “horror and thick gloom,” the reader may become aware of how nature is potentially threatening to completely consume the narrator. Similarly, in “A Descent into the Maelstrom”, Poe utilized words such as “shrieking,” “velocity,” and “ungovernable fury” to describe the power of the maelstrom. This description of nature’s force demonstrates its powerfulness and its aggression. The maelstrom, as suggested with the employment of such words, shows no mercy to those who cross its path.
Within the description of nature, Poe also includes words that describes nature’s impact on men. In “MS Found in a Bottle”, he uses words such as “uneasiness,” “quivering,” “dizzily,” “shattered,” “envelop,” and “horror and thick gloom” as points of description. The words describe, in a way, how nature’s power can frequently leave a man feeling helpless and powerless — they are completely at the mercy of nature itself. Such a thing can happen immediately and without warning. In a similar way, “A Descent in the Maelstrom” describes the conclusion of nature’s actions and how it impacts the narrator of this particular piece. Although the wind “grew, gradually, less and less violent” and the sky becomes “clear” as the maelstrom vanishes, its effects are not lost on the narrator. He concludes his recount of the event by saying: “My hair, which has been raven-black the day before, was as white as you see it now. They say too that the whole expression of my countenance had changed.” Nature's forces take a physical toll on the narrator as he describes how his hair changed his appearance nearly instantaneously. Usually, white and grey hairs come with aging, but in some cases, one’s new hairstyle can be related to times of stress, etc. on an individual. The maelstrom was an experience so traumatic and frightening for the narrator that his appearance and his disposition changed completely.
Yes, Poe is master of what has been called the "natural sublime" -- the inexorable power of nature to crush human life, even as it retains an extraordinary, singular beauty!
DeleteIn regards to the two stories Poe has written, both about sailors caught in the aforementioned Maelstrom, and their harrowing experiences with it. I feel that Poe is a master of explaining scenes that are extremely beautiful yet utterly horrifying in tandem. This is much the case for both stories in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThe actual setting itself is very intriguing, with this mysterious and deadly Maelstrom that the main characters explore or in some cases seemingly continue to explore, having been there more than once. It is a bizarre place where people's time is accelerated and they age quicker and while awe-inspiring is capable of killing mercilessly. It is chaos and comes off as such, which is astounding with Poe's lack of seafaring experience. Through his use of language and attention to detail, Poe can convey this place to readers and the dread and chaos it embodies with it as well.