Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque

When its publication was announced in Burton's Gentleman's Magazine, its one-line description said that its title "pretty well indicates their [stories'] character." There has been some debate, however, over the meaning of Poe's terms "Grotesque" and "Arabesque." Poe probably had seen the terms used by Sir Walter Scott in his essay "On the Supernatural in Fictitious Composition." Both terms refer to a type of Islamic art used to decorate walls, especially in mosques. These art styles are known for their complex nature.