Applicability of counterpoint rhythm in the poem The Raven by Egdar Alan Poe: motif, variation and translation

Abstract

The “counterpoint rhythm” phenomenon is this way called in the study of poetry by borrowing of the term as applied in music, describing an effect in which two rhythmical patterns would coexist simultaneously. However, it receives controversial denominations and meanings in literature, coming to be recently qualified as inherent to canon meters of Portuguese language poetry. That said, the present work had as its objective to comprehend this phenomenon as it in fact occurs, how it could be adequately denominated and if it is applicable in the study of poetry. To that end, the first part consisted of a critical review of the literature concerning the object, having as principle the objective definition of the borrowed musical concepts, while the second sought the applicability of the phenomenon through the comparison of the rhythmical analysis by multiple levels of intensive distribution in the poem The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe and in its translations by Fernando Pessoa and Milton Amado. It was concluded that the various meanings consist in similar phenomena which can be grouped under the adequate denomination of “variation of rhythmic motif” and that, since the phenomenon was observed in the poem by Poe, doubtfully reproduced by Pessoa and predominantly reproduced by Amado, this concept presents applicability to the analysis and interpretation of poetry.