Hellenic Language and Literature in Poe’s Horror Short Stories: “Siope- A Fable” and “The Sphinx”

Abstract

Edgar Allan Poe is renowned for his tales of horror and the desolate environments within his works that baffle readers. Several studies in the past have demonstrated his constant attempts to criticize his contemporaries principally due to the immoral path that he believed they were following. In doing so, he envisioned morbid catastrophes that signified his belief that humanity’s absolution would only be ensured through total annihilation and absolute silence. The present study focuses on two of these instances, “Siope- A Fable” and “The Sphinx,” in an effort to demonstrate Hellenic motifs in Poe’s dreary visions that have not been sufficiently discussed by relevant literature.