Edgar Allan Poe's The Gold-Bug emphasizes the chasm between our perceptions and reality. Poe's ghoulish tone is not merely horror for the "gross out", as Stephen King calls it. The gothic elements in Poe serve the higher purpose of transforming our consciousness. One of the tell-tale signs of a Poe story is that truth is not easily accessible. When we confront reality it does not conform to our expectations. A metamorphosis, in the normal way of seeing things, takes place when we learn to question not only our general perceptions of subject but our own cherished convictions. Poe's horror supplies a tool for transformation.
At first it may seem cynical or cruel to laugh at the dim-wittedness of ourselves and others. Poe's use of irony and humor is intended to create a disinterested or objective stance toward subjectively experienced events. His tales are like horrific versions of Zen koans, whose role is merely to shake us loose from habitual ruts in our thinking. This strategy was rarely understood or appreciated by Poe's publishers.
Poe often asked the reader/publisher to assume a context in which the tales would be read. It is significant that a reading group in some ways fits the bill for Poe's hypothetical gathering of readers. "[The Tales] are supposed to be read at table by the eleven members of a literary club, and are followed by the remarks of the company upon each. These remarks are intended as a burlesque upon criticism." The name of Poe's imagined Reading Group was The Folio Club - a subversive, counter-cultural group of literary transcendentalists whose intention was to "abolish , subvert the Press, and overturn the Government of Nouns and Pronouns." (Thompson, p. 41) It is in this spirit that we approach The Gold-Bug.
A DREAM WITHIN A DREAM by Edgar Allan Poe (1827)
Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day, In a vision, or in none,
Is it, therefore, the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore, And I hold within my hand Grains of the golden sand- How few! yet how they creep Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God can I not save
One from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
"For my own part, I have never had a thought which I could not set down in words with even more distinctness than that with which I conceived it. There is, however, a class of fancies of exquisite delicacy which are not thoughts, and to which as yet I have found it absolutely impossible to adapt to language. These fancies arise in the soul, alas how rarely. Only at epochs of most intense tranquility, when the bodily and mental health are in perfection. And at those weird points of time, where the confines of the waking world blend with the world of dreams. And so, I captured this fancy, where all that we see,or seem, is but a dream within a dream."
Biographic Context
A chief axiom of biographical criticism is that an author's life experiences creep into their characters and plots. In 1843, the main point of comparison between Poe and The Gold-Bug would be the extreme poverty and need for restoration that he and his character William Legrand share. The fictive character and the poverty stricken Poe, in Poe's opinion, had fallen into hard times through no fault of their own but as a result of ill-fated circumstances.
Silverman, Poe's recent biographer, reminds us that, "During this year 1843 Poe was thinking of starting his own magazine with Publisher Thomas C. Clark, called the Stylus. Clark withdraws because of finances and Poe's drinking difficulties." The combination of Poe's poverty and temperament resulted in an over-sensitivity to criticism. Not unlike Legrand's anger at the narrator who insulted his artistic aptitude, Poe took an active stance to criticism. He sued his detractors, publicly lampooned them and even engaged in physical violence. The publication of The Gold-Bug evoked an insult in print from Francis Duffee, a minor Philadelphia journalist for The Daily Forum. Poe instituted a suit against Duffee, and two years later settled out of court. Their agreement was published. It is helpful to understand Poe's irascibility within the context of caring for a sick wife and knowing that his talent (Poe was lecturing on poetry with good reviews of his talks) was worthy of financial reward and acknowledgment. A man of high talent who was forced to beg for his living would undoubtedly dream of striking it rich through the use of his wits and through his fictional characters.
Publication History of Gold Bug
Ratiocination, cryptography, and attempted comedy combine in The Gold-Bug, a tale that won Poe first prize of one hundred dollars in a story contest sponsored by The Dollar Newspaper (1843). While not a financial success, Poe's tales were at least a popular success. One newspaper reviewer called The Gold-Bug the most remarkable American work of fiction in the past fifteen years. The publishers of the Dollar ran extra printings to meet audience demand and took out a copyright on the story, although smaller newspapers pirated it just the same. Poe estimated that in less than a year after publication three hundred thousand copies had been circulated. It was also made into a short play that was produced at Philadelphia's Walnut Street Theatre. Eventually, The Gold-Bug became world-wide, one of the most popular stories ever written. (Silverman p., 209)
Cryptography
Edgar Allan Poe, like other literary figures of his time, had an intense interest in cryptography. Although he never revealed his methods, Poe believed that breaking ciphers and other enigmas required the straightforward application of reason and logic. In terms of his cryptographic interests, Poe is best known for his famous challenge, issued in December 1839 in Alexander's Weekly Messenger, that he could solve any simple substitution cipher that readers of the magazine cared to submit. A simple substitution cipher is one in which the same symbol stands for the same letter of the alphabet in the concealed message. Poe's challenge also insisted that the cryptograms preserve the word boundaries. In his own words, Poe's challenge is stated as follows: "It would be by no means a labour lost to show how great a degree of rigid method enters into enigma-guessing. This may sound oddly; but it is not more strange than the well know fact that rules really exist, by means of which it is easy to decipher any species of hieroglyphical writing -- that is to say writing where, in place of alphabetical letters, any kind of marks are made use of at random. For example, in place of A put % or any other arbitrary character--in place of B, a *, etc., etc. Let an entire alphabet be made in this manner, and then let this alphabet be used in any piece of writing. This writing can be read by means of a proper method. Let this be put to the test. Let any one address us a letter in this way, and we pledge ourselves to read it forthwith--however unusual or arbitrary may be the characters employed."
C.S.Brigham, Edgar Allan Poe's Contributions to Alexander's Weekly Messenger, American Antiquarian Society, 1943.
Geography
In Poe's tales landscapes, characters, and ideas have a singular effect. Unity of form and content are closely wed. In The Gold-Bug Poe creates an environment that corresponds to his main character. Sullivan's island, where Poe had served a year in the army at Fort Moultrie, suited his purpose. Legrand, like the land itself, is solitary, lacking substance and capable of wildness. Legrand lives on this island with scant vegetation, very bleak and mars-like. Much like a primordial ooze. The shrubs that do grow are about fifteen feet in height and form a barrier to the world. It is a place of isolation with a protective wall of coppice. The location of Captain Kidd's treasure is foreboding. Like Dante's dark wood it is a place of brambles and undergrowth, very feral, swallowing, and excessively fecund. Poe utilizes this strange environment and this odd character to reveal the sense of purpose and meaning of all places and persons. Jung said that the psyche of the individual can contain the essence of the entire race. Through the geography of The Gold-Bug we can intuit the tale in miniature. The Gold-Bug is a parable of the human journey.
Character Analysis
Narrator
Typical of Poe's narrators, the story teller is nameless, passively observant and confused. Poe depicted "the teller of the tale" as an analogue of the reader's ego consciousness. The narrator's everyday way of looking at things, his "subjectivity", is what clouds his, and by implication the reader's, perspective. Poe is suggesting that there is a form of consciousness, a conservative principle, within us that is highly invested in safety and keeping things domesticated.
In The Gold-Bug the narrator made a speedy evaluation that Legrand suffered from some form of insanity, what today would be called obsessive compulsive behaviour. The tale-teller believed William's malady was brought about by misery and exhaustion. Out of pity for his desolate friend, he attempts to comfort and persuade him to rest and get medical help. Initially, the narrator doesn't cherish the idea of going on a wild goose-chase, rather bug-chase. Nonetheless he relents in order to obtain an opportunity to persuade his friend that he is in need of care. His heart and his head are at war; his heart wins over.
The narrator personifies the reader's need for order and stability, especially when threatened by the disruptive forces of the unconscious mind. Unconscious motivations and spontaneous actions are interpreted by our ego consciousness as sinister, destructive, and more than likely insane. The ego has a vested interest in the health of its host and strives for its wellbeing in whatever way it can. This investment can, ironically, lead to its loyalty and support of those unconscious determinations when they are in the individual's best interest. Ultimately, like the narrator, we want to outgrow our reasonability and participate in adventure which may lead to treasure. Impressed with Legrand's purposefulness and rationality, the narrator slowly is won over and convinced that there is more than madness at work in Legrand:
"Here my friend, about whose madness I now saw, or fancied that I saw, certain indications of method, removed the peg which marked the spot where the beetle fell, to a spot about three inches to the westward of its former position." (*)
William Legrand
In many ways, Legrand has much in common with Poe himself. He is extremely intelligent, petulant, and lives in misery that is beneath his station. "I found him well educated, with unusual powers of mind, but infected with misanthropy, and subject to perverse moods of alternate enthusiasm and melancholy." p. 348. He is articulate, a fine cryptologist, who would make an excellent Sherlock Holmes. Legrand, though nervous in character, maintains his commitment to scientific investigation and trusts in logic. He attributes his success to adopting a confident attitude: "But for my deep seated convictions that the treasure was here somewhere actually buried, we might have had all our labour in vain."
"Names are important for Poe, they are rarely used without conscious intent. On the surface, Legrand is a play on Edgar's brother's name: (William Henry Leonard Poe) William Legrand, has Henry's first name, while Legrand lacks only an "o" in otherwise perfect superimposing the two names Edgar and Leonard upon each other". (Silverman, p. 208.)
The name Legrand reveals William's inflated temperament. He is grandiose, both in his self estimate and in his dreams of wealth. This grandness of character would be rather pathetic, were it not for his ultimate vindication in the tale. Legrand secures his fortune and fate, by following intuition, rationality and attachment to his vision. There is a slim line between a self deluded fool and a hero like Legrand. Poe reminds the reader not to be too quick to decide upon which alternative interpretation is most likely.
Legrand could be interpreted in Jungian terms as the "Self", the symbol of a wise fool or magician. Poe uses esoteric language to describe Legrand's demeanour as they proceeded toward the treasure. "Legrand contented himself with the scarabaeus, which he carried attached to the end of a bit of whip-cord; twirling it to and fro, with the air of a conjuror, as he went" (p. 364.) His actions could be compared to an alchemist in the process of turning lead into gold.
Jupiter
Many interpreters of Poe understand the characterization of Jupiter as a by-product of Southern racism.
"Poe took particular satisfaction in his characterization of Legrand's manumitted black servant Jupiter, which he considered a "perfect picture... no feature overshaded, or distorted." This meant depicting him as superstitious and stupid, unable to tell his left eye from his right, (It is my lef hand what I chops de wood wid) . Poe opposed abolition, and identified with slave-holding interests in the South, whom he felt Northern writers misrepresented. Although in no way consumed with racial hatred, he considered blacks less than human - as did many other Americans in the 1840's - therefore "utterly incompetent to fell the moral gall of their chain." (Silverman, p.207)
Undoubtedly, Poe was an elitist. His superiority included a disdain for other races, yet, there is more to Jupiter than a comedic figure used to poke fun at an oppressed minority. Just as the narrator and Legrand embody the ego consciousness and Self, Jupiter represents the instincts. While these instincts can at times be dim-witted, they are loyal and determined to serve the adventure in their own way.
Jupiter was a free man after the abolition of slavery. He chose to attend his former master as an indentured servant. He freely undertook the task of caring for Legrand. While this may indicate the inability to adapt to freedom, it could also suggest a wisdom concerning himself and his abilities. Jupiter is in this respect more reality-based than his master appears to be. In addition to being more humble, he is also more fearful, more loving, and more open to the supernatural than the narrator or Legrand.
For all his apparent "stupidity", Jupiter played a central role in the discovery and interpretation of The Gold-Bug: "Jupiter, with his accustomed caution, before seizing the insect, which had flown towards him, looked about him for a leaf, or something of that nature, by which to take hold of it. It was at this moment that his eyes, and mine also, fell upon the scrap of parchment, which I then supposed to be paper. ... Well, Jupiter picked up the parchment, wrapped the beetle in it, and gave it to me" (p. 372.)
The Gold-Bug flew toward Jupiter, as if attracted to him. Could it be that the instinctive nature of Jupiter had something to do with this attraction? Even Jupiter's frightened response was contributory to the story. In fear, he sought a leaf or a piece of paper to pick up the bug; in doing so, he unwittingly wrapped the bug in Captain Kidd's treasure map and cipher. It was Jupiter who climbed the tree. If the tree is a symbol of spiritual ascent, as some interpreters suggest, then Poe is making the point that there comes a time when the instincts do the work that the mind finds repugnant.
"When we reached the tree, Legrand turned to Jupiter, and asked him if he thought he could climb it. The old man seemed a little staggered by the question, and for some moments made no reply. At length he approached the huge trunk , walked slowly around it, and examined it with minute attention. When he completed his scrutiny he merely said, " Yes mass, Jup climb any tree he ebber see in he life" (p. 365.)
Paradoxically, limited as he is by literalism, Jupiter understands the meaning of the scarabaeus before Legrand. He believes the "goole bug" is solid gold. Symbolically he is absolutely correct. The finding of the bug did translate into hard cold cash for Legrand. Jupiter was wise enough to fear being bit by the goole bug. He made the connection between Legrand's discovery of the insect and his inordinate obsession with wealth. From the rational point of view, Jupiter's actions and interpretations are nonsense. But from the deeper structure of the tale there is evidence that the instincts have a language of their own that contributed to the discovery process. Poe gave Jup the language of instincts, which is comedic but also ironic, since Jup's language speaks more accurately than the eloquence of Legrand. Confirming the fact that Jup speaks another language is the mistake Jupiter makes in following Legrand's instructions, "to put the bug through the left eye hole of the human scull." Jup gets left and right mixed up. The left side is traditionally the side of irrationality, intuition and instinct - Jup was so determined by this perspective that he had a hard time not seeing it as logical, that is of the right side. Whether intentionally, or not, the name Jupiter is a celestial counterpoint to Legrand. The planet is mythologically understood as representing a beneficent largesse. Jup generously gave of himself for the benefit of his "massa Will". Another Negro, representative of the instincts, plays a pivotal role in the discovery of the Gold-Bug. When Legrand was attempting to find the Bishop's Hostel, he asks an old Negro woman if there was a hotel or hostel which fit the description. Through her folk wisdom, he learns that the Bishop's Hostel is actually Beesop's Castle which was not a tavern or a hotel but a high rock (p. 379.) While Legrand summarily dismisses her, as he does so often with his slave Jup, he in fact owed the central piece of interpretation to her instinctual consciousness.
Themes
Restoration
The Gold-Bug is a story about the restoration of lost family fortune and status. Legrand could be viewed as a microcosm of humanity; the Gold-Bug tale a parallel to Milton's Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. There are some differences, the most notable being that Legrand, standing outside the gates of family fortune, arrived at this destitution through a series of misfortunes. The movement back is a movement of rebellion and prometheanism, not unlike that of Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley's classic. The wretched state of Legrand is repaired through a combination of cleverness, instinctual persistence, and self-interest. Yet there is something else behind the restoration; the subtle workings of Fortune. A series of fortuitous circumstances played a central part in translating what appeared to be fool's gold into real gold. Synchronicity, defined by Carl Jung as meaningful coincidence, is related to the hidden meaning behind the processes or events in our lives. The recognition of synchronicity gives events in our life structure, worth and coherence. One could view it as science, superstition, or providence. Poe seems to imply all three factors in The Gold-Bug. The following circumstances could be considered synchronistic in this tale:
•The unusually cold October day in South Carolina.
•The Newfoundland dog jumping on the narrator's lap, resulting in the heating of the parchment that revealed the secret treasure map.
•The finding of the Gold-Bug and the treasure map in close proximity to each other, due to Jupiter's use of the parchment as a protective barrier to avoid being bit by the bug.
•The finding of the treasure map on the same parchment, and in relatively the same position as Legrand's sketch of the scarabaeus.
Legrand : "This bug is to make my fortune," he continued, with a triumphant smile, "to reinstate me in my family possessions. Is it any wonder, then, that I prize it? Since Fortune has thought fit to bestow it upon me, I have only to use it properly and I shall arrive at the goal of which it is the index" (p. 363.) Poe uses double meaning to suggest that both fortune and Fortune are involved in the events surrounding the discovery of the treasure. Fortuna is the god of fortune, in both the sense of restored fate and restored finances. The trials and tribulations of the pursuit of the journey are duly rewarded. Unlike the serendipitous aspect of his fall, Legrand's restoration is the result of arduous initiation. He directly claimed that all depended on his response to the situation. Material, and yet more than material, the treasure trove represents things of value. In case there is any doubt of the intended literal interpretation of the tale, the treasure is enumerated item by item, and approximated to be of a million and a half worth - which was an underestimate of its actual worth. "Beside all this, there was a vast quantity of solid gold ornaments - nearly two hundred massive finger and ear rings, rich chains - thirty of these, if I remember - eighty three very large and heavy crucifixes; five golden censors of great value; a prodigious golden punch bowl, ornamented with richly chased vineleaves and Bacchanalian figures; with two sword-handles exquisitely embossed, and many other smaller which I can not recollect" (p. 371.) The treasure is described as numinous brilliance. "As the rays of the lantern fell within the pit, there flashed upwards from a confused heap of gold and of jewels, a glow and a glare that absolutely dazzled our eyes" (p. 370.) Beside the various denominations of currency, the treasure contained items that were associated with spiritual traditions: pagan, grail, alchemical and Christian. What of these valuables? Where do they come from? Where have they been obtained? By what process? These are questions explored, but not too deeply, by Poe. Beneath the Tree of Good and Evil is where high and low mingle in unique ways. A place where the valuables of kings and queens, naves and thieves come together. The height of the Tulip tree and the depth of the oblong box buried underground, exemplify the union of opposites that exist when unearthing treasure. Legrand, following the labyrinthian mind of Captain Kidd, reveals his own as well as Captain Kidd's shrewdness. Like Kidd, Legrand is obsessed, driven and unaware of the contribution or value of others. There is a neglected treasure of human community and camaraderie that is not fully acknowledged in the tale. Without the joint effort of the narrator, Jupiter and Lady Luck, Legrand's dreams would have ended in disaster. Jupiter, while elbow deep in gold, acknowledges his lack of respect for the goole bug. Legrand, however, takes the discovery as an occasion to reveal his own worthiness. Poe highlights Legrand's superiority and deserving character as the centrepiece of the success of the venture. Taking the step in affirming that humankind itself is the thing of value, the treasure of great price, the treatment of participants, both in the pirate's time and in Legrand's, becomes noteworthy. Beneath the tree lies the bones of those who enabled Kidd to conceal the treasure. Silverman, Poe's most recent biographer, : "For the treasure hunt in the 'Gold-Bug' much resembles the exhumation of a human corpse. The chest is located by the means of a bug that looks like 'a death's head', which has to be lowered through the eye holes of a skull, which rests on the 'dead' limb of a tree, which lead to a pit containing a 'mass of human bones' beneath which is an oblong chest of wood. The thing buried within such a chest is of great value, a treasure indeed (Silverman, p. 208.) The Newfoundland dog knew that the treasure lay in the bones and not in the box; an insight only the instincts could possibly make. The restoration of gold and status seem paltry in light of the higher restoration of humanity but Legrand seems not to recognize this.
Personal Evaluation
Does The Gold-Bug connect with my life? In many ways it does. I have been bitten by the desire to strike it rich in order to restore my reputation. To have myself cleared of the curious circumstances, not unlike that of Poe, of having to rely on friends to support me. There is something community-affirming about my circumstances. Yet while I feel there is a fair exchange for my wages, winning the lottery or writing a book would go a long way to convince me that Lady Fortune has once again smiled upon me. In short, I identify with the author and the protagonist's "fallen state". While studying Greek grammar, I was struck by a technical term that was more significant to me on the personal level than the mere parsing of a sentence. The term was "subjunctive mood". For someone who has never grasped the basics of English Grammar, this phrase was an enigma. A Subjunctive is the mood of "doubtful certainty". It is to positively assert something that is hypothetical. Somewhat of a paradox, I thought. When I read The Gold-Bug I find myself invited into that paradox of a subjunctive mood. Poe is asserting something that is hypothetical but in very convincing terms. He is saying that appearances are deceptive, although they don't seem like it. That rationality and something supra-rational such as fortune, mishap, or what we have been calling synchronicity, combine in procuring our fortune. This sounds to me like a statement of faith made in a setting of confusion and doubt. The Gold-Bug suggests to me that if I follow my best intuitions about unearthing a life for myself, there is a possibility that Fortune will combine with my drive and intentions and bring the desired fantasy into effect. Neither chance nor planning alone will bring about a fortuitous outcome. Even when luck and effort combine, there is no guaranteed formula for success. The best strategy would be to place myself in a position of openness to synchronicity. Such an ambiguous plan ought to have the overall effect of creating humility. Yet this is precisely what William Legrand appears to lack. I sense that his certitude is a dangerous step beyond hope and persistence and indicates a pridefulness that is close to Promethean. He gives the impression that he deserves the treasure because of his cleverness in solving the puzzle. Concessions to fortune are there, but do not seem to have affected his character. Perhaps it is because he attributes his fallen state to Fortune and it is up to Fortune to return him to his "rightful" position. There is something menacing about this personal application of manifest destiny and entitlement. Poe's moral is not "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed by the name of the Lord." but rather, " Fortune took away and she bloody well better pay me back what she owes me." This is part of what it is to be bitten by the goole bug. I deserve better and I will through any means within my ability restore myself. Through reading Poe's tale, I am reminded that contentment can be found anywhere where there is an appreciation for community. He doesn't say that of course, since he had very little experience of it. It is the way he crafts his tale that leads me to the conclusion that "the treasure is in the bones." In the end Legrand is a rich man capable of re-entering his family's world. Yet he is not any closer to the true treasure, found in the bones. No matter what status I attain or how much of my indebtedness is alleviated I must realize that the grace of love and companionship cannot be bought and sold. Wealth is found ultimately in love. I would love to have more wealth, to be less concerned with cash but I have to watch out for "dat der goole bug, I heard's about dem der goole bugs and what midt they does wid your brains!"