Desolate childhoods: the absence of parental figures in the formation of Edgar Allan Poe’s young characters

Abstract

The thesis will explore the theme of the absence of parental figures through the analysis of Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories, “Hop-Frog” and “The Spectacles”. Through this exploration, the study aims to shed light on how the absence of parental figures influences the psychological development and decision-making abilities of Poe’s young characters that creates a desolate childhood experience for them. In “Hop-Frog,” the protagonist is a court jester who does not have parental figures, which makes him face constant exploitation and humiliation as a means of entertainment by the cruel king and his seven ministers. This unfortunate condition leads him toward his act of revenge against those who oppress him. Hop-Frog is deprived of the nurture and care a child gets from a family in his upbringing which allowed him to make such a cunning and morally ambiguous decision. Similarly, the protagonist in “The Spectacles”, Napoleon Bonaparte who also happens to be known as Simpson which is later revealed in the story, makes impulsive and irrational decisions. One example of such decisions is when he decides to marry a woman he has only seen once without even getting to know her properly or thinking of the consequences that may follow the marriage. This kind of decision by the protagonist is easily driven by his sense of pride and a desire for social status. Such impulsive behavior of the character portrays the catastrophic damage of the absence of parents; and emphasizes how significant the effects of parental guidance are on personal growth, psychological development, and decision-making abilities as they grow up. The socio-economic perspective of 19th-century America highlights how often these young characters fall prey to exploitation, manipulation, and wrong choices due to the lack of any familial support in the society. The main character in “Hop-Frog” is an example of how the young individuals without the support of parents often face v marginalization and oppression. As for “The Spectacles”, the protagonist of this story is seen desperately and thoughtlessly chasing acceptance and social status through superficial means which might not have been the case if there had been parental guidance in his life. Therefore, the absence of parental figures can also be considered a criticism of the society as it does not provide the necessary support and effort in order to protect the vulnerable young individuals in the society. This criticism then highlights the significance of familial presence and nurturing surroundings as these encourage proper ethical conduct, sound judgment, and positive character development. This study will not explore these themes in light of Poe’s personal experiences; instead, it will focus on the greater literary and social implications of the absence of parental figures that his works convey. To sum up, the analysis of the two short stories will emphasize how intensely the absence of parental figures affects the young characters especially when it comes to their moral and psychological development that is connected to identity building and also their decision-making abilities. To enable the readers to have a better grasp, the analysis will be conducted within the framework of socio-economic challenges.