Accuracy, Pleasure, and Musicality: Poe’s Influence on Elizabeth Bishop as Shown in “Edgar Allan Poe & The Juke-Box”

Abstract

Elizabeth Bishop was an American poet renowned for her precise and restrained verse. Through a close reading of Bishop’s poem “Edgar Allan Poe & The Juke-Box” and related poems from the posthumously published collection of the same title, this study aims to explore the formative influence of Edgar Allan Poe on Bishop’s poetic philosophy. It focuses on three key aspects of Poe’s impact: accuracy, pleasure, and musicality (rhythm). First, Poe’s advocacy for precision in poetry is reflected in Bishop’s meticulous and objective depiction of the physical world. Second, Poe’s theory of poetic pleasure resonates with Bishop’s emotionally subtle yet sincere expression. Finally, Poe’s emphasis on rhythm and sound significantly shaped Bishop’s approach to musicality and structural rhythm in her own verse. By examining these elements, this essay reveals a previously unexplored connection between Poe’s poetics and Bishop’s poetics, particularly in the integration of precision, emotion and musicality in her works.