um, poe? from what i read of joyce it shows how 'clever' someones thoughts are. with poe it tears away all of the preconceptions, ego and what not and what is left is the bare bones of humanity- not always pleasent but brutaly honest and often heart wrenchingly beautiful. the loine from poe which i think sums this up best can be found in the raven
"But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'"
in this poem poe explores the depths of mankind, how one longs for solitude, understanding etc yet becomes accustomed to his tormentor and even refers to the other as a 'friend'. maybe an early case of stokholm syndrome? but i'd say poe understood more than any psychologist and unlike other 'great' pschyoanalytical writers could express it in simple language, that everyone can relate to.