Bob Dylan and Poe

I guess you could say I unconsciously (or maybe even consciously) devoted at least 11 or 12 of the previous episodes reading the complete version of the original The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - because the movie Wicked is currently popular. Then I considered the movie A Complete Unknown about the great Bob Dylan.   But the problem was that I didn’t think there was ANY connection between Edgar Poe and Bob Dylan - none at all.

But I did some more research, and found out that WAS an amazing association between the two literary geniuses.

Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Poe.

Transcript

Welcome to Episode 315 - Poe and Dylan. 

I guess you could say I unconsciously (or maybe even consciously) devoted at least 11 or 12 episodes reading the complete version of the original The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - because the movie Wicked is currently popular. Then I considered the movie A Complete Unknown about the great Bob Dylan.   But the problem was that I didn’t think there was ANY connection between Edgar Poe and Bob Dylan - none at all.

But I did some more research, and found out that WAS an amazing association between the two literary geniuses.

First, I’d like to go back to the sixties when as a teenager. I convinced my parents - I still have no idea how I did it - I convinced my parents to take the family to Constitution Hall in Washington D.C.  You see, Bob Dylan had recently gone electric - in other words, instead of singing in a folk music style, he was also playing electric music. I was really moved by the folk music - the first part of the concert - even my father - and somehow this was important to me - remarked that Bob Dylan was a excellent guitar player.  Not surprisingly, the second half of the concert was all electric - some of the songs went on for fifteen or more minutes, and basically sounded like a continuous roar in the auditorium - sort of a precursor to the time when rock concerts sounded like musical thunder.

My home in Staunton, Virginia at the time was only 100 miles from Washington, and we took the train home that night.  I was walking down the hall at school when I suffered an epileptic seizure for the first time in my life.  To make a long story short, I spent two weeks in the University of Virginia Hospital, went through a battery of tests, and have been on medication ever since. Oh, so thanks to those little orange pills, I am now seizure free.  Well, anyway I did want to mention that - for years I think I acted like it was some dirty little secret - and am planning much more in detail about the possible role of epilepsy in Poe’s life, as well as the writings of Dr. John W. Robertson, and his gift of many of Poe’s original manuscripts to the Poe Museum in Richmond - but that will take a great deal more research.  I am looking now at a fascinating book that Dr. Robertson wrote about Poe that is over 400 pages.  But that is going to take some time to digest.

Ok, so I just came out on this podcast as a person with epilepsy - information that I was actually ashamed of when I was growing up because I felt it made me different - that I was somehow different, even though my seizures were largely controlled through medication - and now, I understand, the medication used with people that have epilepsy is far more effective.  I hope, in some small way, 
I can foster empathy and a deeper understanding of the neurological conditions that may have affected an individual like Poe. I hope that this episode and future episodes can explore how creative outlets can be used to cope with health issues, highlighting the enduring power of art in the face of adversity.  And finally, by occasionally integrating my personal story, I can create a more engaging and empathetic narrative that bridges the historical and contemporary aspects of epilepsy and its impact on creative lives.

Anyway, back to Poe and Dylan.

I thought about that experience of seeing Bob Dylan - and it WAS an experience - and wondered how it could be earthy possible to do an episode - to find ANY realistic connection between Edgar Poe and Bob Dylan or the dynamics of their careers.  So I did some research, and was pleasantly surprised at the results.

You see, there definitely ARE several intriguing connections between Edgar Allan Poe and Bob Dylan. In fact, Bob Dylan has often acknowledged the influence of Edgar Allan Poe on his work. Dylan has mentioned reading and being inspired by Poe's stories and poems. For example, Dylan recalled reading Poe's works while living in New York in 1961 and even memorized Poe's poem "The Bells," which he set to music.

Hear the sledges with the bells—
                 Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
        How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
           In the icy air of night!
        While the stars that oversprinkle
        All the heavens, seem to twinkle
           With a crystalline delight;
         Keeping time, time, time,
         In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the tintinabulation that so musically wells
       From the bells, bells, bells, bells,
               Bells, bells, bells—
  From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.

        Hear the mellow wedding bells,
                 Golden bells!
What a world of happiness their harmony foretells!
        Through the balmy air of night
        How they ring out their delight!
           From the molten-golden notes,
               And all in tune,
           What a liquid ditty floats
    To the turtle-dove that listens, while she gloats
               On the moon!
         Oh, from out the sounding cells,
What a gush of euphony voluminously wells!
               How it swells!
               How it dwells
           On the Future! how it tells
           Of the rapture that impels
         To the swinging and the ringing
           Of the bells, bells, bells,
         Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
               Bells, bells, bells—
  To the rhyming and the chiming of the bells!

         Hear the loud alarum bells—
                 Brazen bells!
What tale of terror, now, their turbulency tells!
       In the startled ear of night
       How they scream out their affright!
         Too much horrified to speak,
         They can only shriek, shriek,
                  Out of tune,
In a clamorous appealing to the mercy of the fire,
In a mad expostulation with the deaf and frantic fire,
            Leaping higher, higher, higher,
            With a desperate desire,
         And a resolute endeavor
         Now—now to sit or never,
       By the side of the pale-faced moon.
            Oh, the bells, bells, bells!
            What a tale their terror tells
                  Of Despair!
       How they clang, and clash, and roar!
       What a horror they outpour
On the bosom of the palpitating air!
       Yet the ear it fully knows,
            By the twanging,
            And the clanging,
         How the danger ebbs and flows;
       Yet the ear distinctly tells,
            In the jangling,
            And the wrangling.
       How the danger sinks and swells,
By the sinking or the swelling in the anger of the bells—
             Of the bells—
     Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,
            Bells, bells, bells—
 In the clamor and the clangor of the bells!

I’ll stop there.

And, according to some critics, Dylan's song "Chimes of Freedom" from his 1964 album "Another Side of Bob Dylan" can be seen as a response to "The Bells.

Both Poe and Dylan are known for their dynamic performances. Poe was famous for his live readings of his poems, such as "The Raven," and his public lectures on works like "Eureka" and "The Philosophy of Composition." Similarly, Dylan has had a long and prolific career in live performances. Both artists - and they were or are definitely artists - were or are not just authors of texts but also compelling performers.  Of course, I never heard Poe speak, but I can say from experience that Dylan knows how to hold an audience in the palm of his hand.

It is said that both Poe and Dylan employ the textual strategy of 'embedded' quotations, which involves incorporating elements from other works into their own. This technique highlights the intertextual nature of their work and challenges traditional notions of originality and even plagiarism.  Poe certainly utilized many references from literary works that he had studied while a child, while Dylan often made references to other texts.  In other words, Dylan did not hesitate to legally use allusions to other works.

Both artists have experienced significant changes in their careers and personal lives. Initially, Poe changed his name from Edgar Poe to Edgar Allan Poe after being taken in by John Allan, while Bob Dylan changed his name from Robert Allen Zimmerman to Bob Dylan. 

In his memoir "Chronicles, Volume One," Dylan mentions Poe as one of the authors he read during his formative years in New York. Dylan also references Poe in his book "The Philosophy of Modern Song," indicating a continued influence and respect for Poe's work.

Now let me take a little break here - writing some of this episode was tricky - oh sure, I could refer to The Bells because it is in the public domain, but I had to be careful not to quote much of Dylan directly because his work is copyright.  This was the same idea as in an earlier episode of Celebrate Poe where The Raven could be quoted in full, but even small specific sections from a song like Yesterday were copyright.

I finally found out that it WOULD be ok to make an indirect reference to one of Dylan’s works by saying, “In one of Dylan's songs, he references 'a tell-tale heart like Mr. Poe.’" Such a statement would be far less likely to be considered infringement because I am not literally copying the original expression but rather describing or summarizing the content of the song using my own words - complicated!

For example, the song "I Contain Multitudes" from Dylan's album Rough and Rowdy Ways includes references to various literary and cultural works, including Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado” - but I am not going to be specific. These references are part of a broader tapestry of allusions that Dylan weaves into his lyrics, reflecting his eclectic and rich literary influences. The song features gothic-horror imagery, a genre closely associated with Poe's works. This imagery helps to create a specific atmospheric and thematic context that aligns with the dark, introspective, and often surreal nature of Poe's stories.

While Dylan’s song "I Contain Multitudes” does not retell the narrative of "The Tell-Tale Heart," it uses similar symbolic and metaphorical elements. For example, the song's exploration of multiple identities and the blurring of lines between reality and fantasy can be seen as echoing the psychological complexity and the unreliable narrator found in Poe's story.

Interestingly enough, the phrase “I Contain Multitudes” is said to be the title of section 51 of Song of Myself by another 19th century poet - Walt Whitman - whose works are of course in the public domain.

The past and present wilt—I have fill'd them, emptied them.
And proceed to fill my next fold of the future.
Listener up there! what have you to confide to me?
Look in my face while I snuff the sidle of evening,
(Talk honestly, no one else hears you, and I stay only a minute longer.)
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
Dylan's approach is to synthesize various influences, including literary works, to create a unique narrative voice. This synthesis reflects his own artistic reinvention and the theme of containing multitudes, as inspired by Walt Whitman's poem, in this case.

In summary, the influence of "The Tell-Tale Heart" on "I Contain Multitudes" is seen in the thematic and atmospheric elements, such as the use of gothic-horror imagery and the exploration of complex psychological states, rather than a direct narrative influence.  And using a personal note - while I can’t include the lyrics to “I Contain Multitudes” for copyright reason, to me the character who lyrics in “I Contain Multitudes” sounds like an updated version of the seemingly unreliable narrator of “The Tell Tale Heart.”

The song does feature gothic-horror imagery - again a genre definitely associated with Poe's works. This is evident in the overall atmospheric and thematic context of the song, which includes references to dark, surreal, and often macabre elements.

And the narrator in "I Contain Multitudes" is ultimately a complex and potentially conflicted self. This internal battle can be seen as a form of guilt or at least a recognition of the darker aspects of one's nature, similar to the narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart" who is haunted by his own guilt.

Unlike the narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart," who basically tries to deny his guilt, the narrator in "I Contain Multitudes" seems to accept and even celebrate the complexities and contradictions within himself. However, this acceptance does not negate the presence of darker emotions and actions, which can be seen as a form of acknowledging guilt or moral ambiguity.

The paranoia in "The Tell-Tale Heart" is more pronounced and directly tied to the narrator's guilt and the sound of the old man's heart. In contrast:
the narrator in "I Contain Multitudes" does not exhibit the same level of paranoia as the narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart." Instead, the song's narrator is engaged in an internal struggle between different aspects of his personality. This struggle is more about self-identity and the acknowledgment of multiple selves rather than a specific paranoid delusion.

And while the narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart" is driven to madness by his inability to escape the sound of the heart and his own guilt, the narrator in "I Contain Multitudes" appears more self-aware and accepting of his complexities. This self-awareness reduces the element of paranoia and replaces it with a more introspective and philosophical tone.

Now the use of gothic-horror imagery in Dylan’s "I Contain Multitudes" enhances the narrative in several ways. The gothic-horror elements create a dark, rich, and complex atmosphere that aligns with the song's themes of identity, morality, and the human condition. This imagery helps to underscore the narrator's internal struggles and the multifaceted nature of his personality.

Gothic-horror imagery often involves symbols and metaphors that add depth to the narrative. So it’s not surprising that in "I Contain Multitudes," you have elements that help to illustrate the narrator's contradictions and the darker aspects of his nature, making the song more layered. 

Ultimately, the concept of identity plays a significant role in both "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "I Contain Multitudes”:

The narrator in Poe's story struggles with a fragmented identity, torn between his love for the old man and his hatred for the old man's eye. This fragmentation leads to his descent into madness and highlights the instability of his self-perception.

The narrator in Dylan's song “I Contain Multitudes” embraces a multifaceted identity, acknowledging that he contains multitudes." This concept suggests that the self is complex, diverse, and composed of many influences and contradictions. This multifaceted identity is celebrated rather than feared or denied. In summary, while "I Contain Multitudes" does not directly retell the narrative of "The Tell-Tale Heart," it draws on similar themes and imagery to explore complex identities, internal conflicts, and the human condition.

And while Bob Dylan's song "Chimes of Freedom" does not directly adapt Edgar Allan Poe's "The Bells," it does share some thematic and stylistic similarities. Here are the key connections:

In "Chimes of Freedom," Dylan uses the imagery of thunder and lightning, which he interprets as the tolling of bells and the chimes of freedom. This is reminiscent of Poe's use of bells in "The Bells" to evoke different emotions and states of being. Dylan's song, however, focuses more on the social and metaphysical aspects, expressing solidarity with the downtrodden and oppressed, rather than the purely emotional and sensory exploration in Poe's poem.

In summary, a comparison between Edgar Allan Poe and Bob Dylan reveals a fascinating intersection of artistic influences and thematic parallels despite the vastly different eras and mediums in which they worked. Both Poe and Dylan straddle the divide between 'high' and 'mass' culture, with their works appealing to both elite and popular audiences. Poe's poetry and prose, particularly his Gothic sensibility, have cast a long shadow over Dylan's songwriting. Dylan's work, when viewed through the lens of Poe, can be seen as a significant manifestation of American Gothic, replete with imagery of death, masquerades, claustrophobia, and other tell-tale signifiers like gloom and shadow.

Let me emphasize again, that one of the most intriguing aspects of their connection is the use of intertextuality. Both artists employed the strategy of 'embedded' quotations, where they incorporated elements from other works into their own, highlighting the need for an open and inclusive model of intertextuality. For instance, Dylan has drawn inspiration from Poe's works, such as using full texts like "The Bells" and adapting them into musical compositions.  But Dylan's early political themes and later Christian period would have been alien to Poe’s mindset. This blend of shared artistic strategies and unique thematic explorations underscores the enduring influence of Poe on Dylan's work and the broader American cultural landscape.

Join us for Episode 317 - Artists and Opium - where I delve into Poe, the French writer Baudelaire, and their literary thought patterns as influenced by opium - actually it is a lot more complex that that - you just have to listen to Episode 317 to find out.

Sources include: the Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Western Canon: The Books and Schools of the Ages by Harold Bloom, The Cambridge Companion to Bob Dylan by Keven Dettmar, Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance by Kenneth Silverman, and The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia by Michael Gray - a huge book I will discuss in the next episode.

Thank you for listening to Celebrate Poe.