A TRADIO E O CONTO CONTEMPORNEOO conto em lngua inglesaA longa tradio dos contos na literatura ocidental moderna deve muitoaos escritores de lngua inglesa. Autores como o norte-americano Edgar AllanPoe (1809-1849) a neo-!elandesa "at#erine $ans%eld (1888-19&') o irland(s)ames )o*ce (188&-1941) e a inglesa +irginia ,ool- (188&-1941) entre tantosoutros %!eramda .r/tica do conto uma .arte central desuas o0ras ea1udarama de%nir as regras do g(nero. Portanto todas as tend(nciascontem.or2neas do conto devem necessariamente -a!er uma1uste decontas com essa tradio a%rmando-a ou negando-a con-orme o caso.A teoria e a prtica e Egar Allan PoeEntre todos os escritores de lngua inglesa a3uele 3ue maisimediatamenteseassocia4.r/ticadoconto5Edgar AllanPoe. Elenoa.enas .rodu!iu uma im.ressionante 3uantidade de contos (um .ouco maisdesetenta) .rinci.almentecontosdemist5rioe#orror como67#e8lac9:at; 67#eouseo- ?s#er; 67#e:as9o-Amontillado; etc. .elos 3uais 5 mais -amoso mas tam05m 5 considerado .ormuitos como o inventor de novos su0g(neros modernos tais como o conto de%cocient%caeoconto.olicial. Al5mdisso Poe-oi umdos .rimeirosescritoresdelnguainglesaasevoltar.araumatentativasistem/ticade.rodu!ir uma teoria do g(nero.?ma das .rinci.ais contri0ui@es de Poe .ara a teoria do conto 5 seuconceito de unidade de efeito. Assim eA.lica B/dia 8attella Cotli0 estudiosado contoDAteoriadePoeso0reocontorecai no.rinc.iodeumarelaoentreaeAtenso do conto e a reao 3ue ele consegue .rovocar no leitor ou o e-eito3ue a leitura l#e causa. E...F A com.osio liter/ria causa um e-eito um estadode6eAcitao; oude6eAaltaodaalma;. Ecomo6todas as eAcita@esintensas; elasso6necessariamentetransitGrias;. Hogo 5.recisodosar ao0rade -orma a .ermitir sustentar esta eAcitao durante um determinadotem.o. Ie o teAto -or longo demais ou 0reve demais esta eAcitao ou e-eito%car/diludo. 7orna-seim.rescindvel ento aleituradeumasGsentada.ara se conseguir esta unidade de e-eito. (Cotli0 199J .. '&)A3ui estaria segundo Poe a marca 3ue di-ere o conto do romanceDE...F como Eo romanceF no .ode ser lido de uma sentada destitui-seo0viamente da imensa -ora derivada da totalidade. Knteresses eAternosintervindo durante as .ausas da leitura modi%cam anulam ou contrariam emmaioroumenorgrauasim.ress@esdolivro. $asasim.lesinterru.odaleitura ser/ ela .rG.ria su%ciente .ara destruir a verdadeira unidade. E...F Boconto 0reve o autor 5 ca.a! de reali!ar a .lenitude de sua inteno se1a ela3ual -or. Lurante a #ora de leitura atenta a alma do leitor est/ so0 o controledo escritor. (Cotli0 199J ..'4)1M claro 3ue ao descrever umleitor #i.ot5tico 3ue no consegue seconcentrar na leitura de algo longo como um romance Poe 1/ est/ -a!endoum ma.eamento dos ritmos e das .essoas dos novos es.aos ur0anos 3ue se-ormaram no s5culo 19 3uando o caos a enorme 3uantidade de in-orma@ese6distra@eseAternas;tornaramdi-cil oes-orodaconcentrao. La anecessidadedecriaoea.er-eioamentodeumg(neroliter/rio3ue .orsua curta eAtenso acomoda-se mel#or 4 velocidade dos ritmos ur0anos. Latam05manecessidadedea-astamentodessemesmoes.aour0ano3uecom sua uni-ormidade a0surda e ritmos desumanos seria res.ons/vel.elamorte da sensi0ilidade do leitor.Para des.ertar essa sensi0ilidade ameaada Poe cria situa@es-ant/sticas c#ocantes e assustadoras distantes da rotina e do universo dotra0al#o mecani!ado 3ue 1/ caracteri!ava grande .arte da vida nas cidades.Por isso o gosto .elo conto de mist5rio e #orror.7>E A7EA?into O#ic# m* valet #ad ventured to ma9e -orci0leentrance rat#ert#an.ermitme inm*des.eratel*Ooundedcondition to.ass a nig#t in t#e o.en air Oas one o- t#ose .iles o- commingled gloom andgrandeur O#ic# #ave so long -roOned among t#e A..ennines not less in -actt#an in t#e -anc* o- $rs. NadcliPe. 7o all a..earance it #ad 0een tem.oraril*and ver* latel* a0andoned. ,e esta0lis#ed ourselves in one o- t#e smallestand least sum.tuousl* -urnis#ed a.artments. Kt la* in a remote turret o- t#e0uilding. KtsdecorationsOereric# *ettatteredandanti3ue. KtsOallsOere#ung Oit# ta.estr* and 0edec9ed Oit# mani-old and multi-ormarmorialtro.#ies toget#erOit#anunusuall*greatnum0ero-ver*s.iritedmodern.aintings in -rames o- ric# golden ara0es3ue. Kn t#ese .aintings O#ic#de.ended -rom t#e Oalls not onl* in t#eir main sur-aces 0ut in ver* man*noo9s O#ic# t#e 0i!arre arc#itectureo- t#ec#ateau rendered necessar*- int#ese .aintings m* inci.ient delirium .er#a.s #ad caused me to ta9e dee.interestQ so t#at K 0ade Pedro to close t#e #eav* s#utters o- t#e room- since itOas alread* nig#t- to lig#t t#e tongues o- a tall candela0rum O#ic# stood 0*t#e #ead o- m* 0ed- and to t#roO o.en -ar and Oide t#e -ringed curtains o-0lac9 velvet O#ic# envelo.ed t#e 0ed itsel-. K Ois#ed all t#is done t#at K mig#tresign m*sel- i- not to slee. at least alternatel* to t#e contem.lation o- t#ese.ictures and t#e .erusal o- a small volume O#ic# #ad 0een -ound u.on t#e.illoO and O#ic# .ur.orted to criticise and descri0e t#em. Hong- long K read- and devoutl* devotedl* K ga!ed. Na.idl* andgloriousl* t#e #ours ReO 0* and t#e dee. midnig#t came. 7#e .osition o- t#ecandela0rum dis.leased me and outreac#ing m* #and Oit# diScult* rat#er&t#an distur0 m* slum0ering valet K .laced it so as to t#roO its ra*s more -ull*u.on t#e 0oo9. 8ut t#e action .roduced an ePect altoget#er unantici.ated. 7#e ra*s o-t#e numerous candles (-or t#ere Oere man*) noO -ellOit#ina nic#e o- t#eroomO#ic##ad#it#erto0eent#roOnintodee.s#ade0*oneo-t#e0ed-.osts. K t#us saO in vivid lig#t a .icture all unnoticed 0e-ore. Kt Oas t#e .ortraito- a*ounggirl 1ust ri.eningintoOoman#ood. K glancedat t#e.ainting#urriedl* and t#en closed m* e*es. ,#* K did t#is Oas not at %rst a..arenteven to m* oOn .erce.tion. 8ut O#ile m* lids remained t#us s#ut K ran overin m* mind m* reason -or so s#utting t#em. Kt Oas an im.ulsive movement togain time -or t#oug#t- to ma9e sure t#at m* vision #ad not deceived me- tocalm and su0due m* -anc* -or a more so0er and more certain ga!e. Kn a ver*-eO moments K again loo9ed %Aedl* at t#e .ainting. 7#atK noOsaOarig#t K couldnotandOouldnotdou0tQ -ort#e%rstRas#ing o- t#e candles u.on t#at canvas #ad seemed to dissi.ate t#e dream*stu.orO#ic#Oasstealingoverm*senses andtostartlemeatonceintoOa9ing li-e. 7#e .ortrait K #ave alread* said Oas t#at o- a *oung girl. Kt Oas a mere#ead and s#oulders done in O#at is tec#nicall* termed a vignette mannerQmuc# in t#e st*le o- t#e -avorite #eads o- Iull*. 7#e arms t#e 0osom andevent#eendso-t#eradiant#airmeltedim.erce.ti0l*intot#evague*etdee.s#adoOO#ic#-ormedt#e0ac9-groundo- t#eO#ole. 7#e-rameOasoval ric#l* gilded and %ligreed in $ores3ue. As a t#ing o- art not#ing could 0emore admira0let#an t#e.ainting itsel-. 8utit could #ave 0een neit#er t#eeAecution o- t#e Oor9 nor t#e immortal 0eaut* o- t#e countenance O#ic# #adso suddenl* and so ve#ementl* moved me. Heast o- all could it #ave 0eent#at m* -anc* s#a9en -rom its #al- slum0er #ad mista9en t#e #ead -or t#at o-aliving.erson. K saOat oncet#at t#e.eculiaritieso- t#edesign o- t#evignetting and o- t#e -rame must #ave instantl* dis.elled suc# idea- must#ave .revented even its momentar* entertainment. 7#in9ing earnestl* u.ont#ese .oints K remained -or an #our .er#a.s #al- sitting #al- reclining Oit#m* vision riveted u.on t#e .ortrait. At lengt# satis%ed Oit# t#e true secret o-its ePect K -ell 0ac9 Oit#in t#e 0ed. K #ad -ound t#e s.ell o- t#e .icture in ana0solute li-e-li9eliness o- eA.ression O#ic# at %rst startling %nall*con-ounded su0dued and a..alled me. ,it# dee. and reverent aOe Kre.lacedt#ecandela0ruminits -ormer .osition. 7#ecauseo- m*dee.agitation0eingt#us s#ut -romvieO K soug#t eagerl*t#evolumeO#ic#discussedt#e.aintings andt#eir #istories. 7urningtot#enum0er O#ic#designated t#e oval .ortrait K t#ere read t#e vague and 3uaint Oords O#ic#-olloOD 'TI#e Oas a maiden o- rarest 0eaut* and not more lovel* t#an -ullo-glee. And evil Oas t#e #our O#en s#e saO and loved and Oedded t#e .ainter.>e .assionate studious austere and #aving alread* a 0ride in #is ArtQ s#e amaiden o- rarest 0eaut* and not more lovel* t#an -ull o- gleeQ all lig#t andsmilesand-rolicsomeast#e*oung-aOnQlovingandc#eris#ingall t#ingsQ#ating onl* t#e Art O#ic# Oas #er rivalQ dreading onl* t#e .allet and 0rus#esand ot#er untoOard instruments O#ic# de.rived #er o- t#e countenance o- #erlover. Kt Oas t#us a terri0le t#ing -or t#is lad* to #ear t#e .ainter s.ea9 o- #isdesire to .ourtra* even #is *oung 0ride. 8ut s#e Oas #um0le and o0edientand sat mee9l* -or man* Oee9s in t#e dar9 #ig# turret-c#am0er O#ere t#elig#t dri..ed u.on t#e .ale canvas onl* -rom over#ead. 8ut #e t#e .aintertoo9 glor* in #is Oor9 O#ic# Oent on -rom #our to #our and -rom da* to da*.And0eOasa.assionate andOild andmood*man O#o0ecamelostinreveriesQ so t#at #e Oould not see t#at t#e lig#t O#ic# -ell so g#astl* in t#atlone turret Oit#ered t#e #ealt# and t#e s.irits o- #is 0ride O#o .ined visi0l* toall 0ut #im. Uet s#e smiled on and still on uncom.lainingl* 0ecause s#e saOt#at t#e .ainter (O#o #ad #ig# renoOn) too9 a -ervid and 0urning .leasure in#is tas9 and Oroug#t da* and nig#t to de.ict #er O#o so loved #im *et O#ogreOdail*moredis.iritedandOea9. Andinsoot#someO#o0e#eldt#e.ortrait s.o9e o- its resem0lance in loO Oords as o- a mig#t* marvel and a.roo- not less o- t#e .oOer o- t#e .ainter t#an o- #is dee. love -or #er O#om#e de.icted so sur.assingl* Oell. 8ut at lengt# as t#e la0or dreO nearer to itsconclusion t#ereOereadmittednoneintot#eturretQ -or t#e.ainter #adgroOnOildOit#t#eardor o- #isOor9 andturned#ise*es-romcanvasmerel* even to regard t#e countenance o- #is Oi-e. And #e Oould not see t#att#e tints O#ic# #e s.read u.on t#e canvas Oere draOn -rom t#e c#ee9s o- #erO#osate0eside#im. AndO#enman*Oee9s 0ad.assed and0ut littleremained to do save one 0rus# u.on t#e mout# and one tint u.on t#e e*et#e s.irit o- t#e lad* again Ric9ered u. as t#e Rame Oit#in t#e soc9et o- t#elam.. And t#en t#e 0rus# Oas given and t#en t#e tint Oas .lacedQ and -oronemoment t#e.ainter stoodentranced0e-oret#eOor9O#ic##e#adOroug#tQ0utint#eneAt O#ile#e*etga!ed#egreOtremulousandver*.allidand ag#ast and cr*ingOit# aloud voice V7#isisindeedHi-eitsel-WVturned suddenl* to regard #is 0elovedD- I#e Oas deadW 18J0Re!er"ncias #i$liogr%casCoug#ton $iYin &001. 4