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Eureka: A Prose Poem
''Eureka'' (1848) is a lengthy non-fiction work by American author Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) which he subtitled "A Prose Poem", though it has also been subtitled as "An Essay on the Material and Spiritual Universe". Adapted from a lecture he had presented, ''Eureka'' describes Poe's intuitive conception of the nature of the universe with no antecedent scientific work done to reach his conclusions. He also discusses man's relationship with God, whom he compares to an author. It is dedicated to the German naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859).〔Silverman, Kenneth. ''Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance''. New York City: Harper Perennial, 1991: 339. ISBN 0-06-092331-8.〕〔(''Eureka: A Prose Poem'' - Full text of the 1848 edition )〕 Though it is generally considered a literary work, some of Poe's ideas anticipate 20th century scientific discoveries and theories.〔("Poe Foresees Modern Cosmologists' Black Holes and The Big Crunch" ) URL accessed July 14, 2007〕 Indeed a critical analysis of the scientific content of ''Eureka'' reveals a non-causal correspondence with modern cosmology due to the assumption of an evolving Universe, but excludes the anachronistic anticipation of relativistic concepts such as black holes.〔("Edgar Allan Poe and his Cosmology" ) URL accessed March 28, 2008〕
''Eureka'' was received poorly in Poe's day and generally described as absurd, even by friends. Modern critics continue to debate the significance of ''Eureka'' and some doubt its seriousness, in part because of Poe's many incorrect assumptions and his comedic descriptions of well-known historical minds. It is presented as a poem, and many compare it with his fiction work, especially science fiction stories such as "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar". His attempts at discovering the truth also follow his own tradition of "ratiocination", a term used in his detective fiction tales. Poe's suggestion that the soul continues to thrive even after death also parallels with works in which characters reappear from beyond the grave such as "Ligeia". The essay is oddly Transcendental, considering Poe's disdain for that movement. He considered it his greatest work and claimed it was more important than the discovery of gravity.
==Overview==
''Eureka'' is Poe's last major work and his longest non-fiction work at nearly 40,000 words in length.〔 The work has its origins in a lecture Poe presented on February 3, 1848, titled "On The Cosmography of the Universe" at the Society Library in New York.〔〔Quinn, Arthur Hobson. ''Edgar Allan Poe: A Critical Biography''. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998: 539. ISBN 0-8018-5730-9.〕 He had expected an audience of hundreds; only 60 attended and were confused by the topic.〔Krutch, Joseph Wood. ''Edgar Allan Poe: A Study in Genius''. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1926: 180-181.〕 Poe had hoped the profits from the lecture would cover expenses for the production of his new journal ''The Stylus''.〔
''Eureka'' is Poe's attempt at explaining the universe, using his general proposition "Because Nothing was, therefore All Things are".〔Sova, Dawn B. ''Edgar Allan Poe: A to Z''. New York: Checkmark Books, 2001: 83. ISBN 0-8160-4161-X.〕 In it, Poe discusses man's relationship to God and the universe〔Meyers, Jeffrey. ''Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy''. New York: Cooper Square Press, 1992: 214. ISBN 0-8154-1038-7.〕 or, as he offers at the beginning: "I design to speak of the Physical, Metaphysical and Mathematical – of the Material and Spiritual Universe: of its Essence, its Origin, its Creation, its Present Condition and its Destiny".〔Poe, Edgar Allan. ''Eureka''. (1848)〕 In keeping with this design, Poe concludes "that space and duration are one"〔 and that matter and spirit are made of the same essence.〔Hoffman, Daniel. ''Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe''. Louisiana State University Press, 1972: 245. ISBN 0-8071-2321-8.〕 Poe suggests that people have a natural tendency to believe in themselves as infinite with nothing greater than their soul—such thoughts stem from man's residual feelings from when each shared an original identity with God.〔 Ultimately individual consciousnesses will collapse back into a similar single mass, a "final ingathering" where the "myriads of individual Intelligences become blended".〔Whalen, Terence. "Poe and the American Publishing Industry", as collected in ''A Historical Guide to Edgar Allan Poe'', edited by J. Gerald Kennedy. Oxford University Press, 2001: 90. ISBN 0-19-512150-3.〕 Likewise, Poe saw the universe itself as infinitely expanding and collapsing〔Meyers, Jeffrey. ''Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy''. New York: Cooper Square Press, 1992: 215. ISBN 0-8154-1038-7.〕 like a divine heartbeat which constantly rejuvenates itself, also implying a sort of deathlessness.〔 In fact, because the soul is a part of this constant throbbing, after dying, all people, in essence, become God.〔
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