The 19th century American poet, Edgar Allan Poe, had been plagued by grief from an early age. He was an amazing poet and author who just happened to have a darker story. Many who have studied this prestigious man feel that his works, though magnificent, were extremely dark. Some believe it was nothing more then a fancy for him to spin such gruesome tales. Others feel his work was manipulated by the misfortune of his past. These people have actually found evidence that agrees with this statement. The works of Edgar Allan Poe were inspired by the history and life style of the author. The evidence is evident, when people look back and examine the author, his life, and his writings closely.
WHO IS EDGAR ALLAN POE?
Edgar Allan Poe was a Boston poet who lived from the early to mid 1800's. Some of his more familiar works consist of the poems “The Raven” and “Annabelle Lee”. As for his short stories, “The Fall of the House of Usher” as well as “A Tell-Tale Heart” are common reads for many academically active students. Poe himself, along with his works, are the subjects of many papers each year. It is said that he, “was one of the United States' most original and influential writers”(Poe: A Life Cut Short. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. 2008).
Poe's writings are still used in lesson plans across America. He is well read and extremely popular among all ages. People can't get enough of Edgar Allan Poe. Though, it was not always that way. During the time when Poe was living and writing, he was not taken seriously. He was seen more of a columnist then a serious writer. Though his stories were published within the magazine “Southern Literary Messenger”, it just was not enough to finance he and his wife ("Edgar Allan Poe." LitFinder.
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...mation I need to back up my thesis.
Jones, Karen. "A tell-tale display brings words to life." New York Times 27 Oct. 2013: F10(L). Student Resources in Context. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
This page gives a detailed summary of “A Tell-Tale Heart,” another of Poe's famous short stories. This creepy tale is explained and given a historical back up to boost it's information. The more of Poe's work I can get my hands on, the more likely I will be able to understand his state of mind when writing.
"Poe: A Life Cut Short." Contemporary Review 290.1691 (2008): 531+. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
This is a paper dedicated to and written about Edgar Allan Poe. It shows how short his life was and what others thought about him. When trying to look at how Poe lived and what manipulated his work, it's nice to look at what others thought about the great author.
Poe, Edgar Allan. The Collected Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. New York: The Modern Library 1992
Edgar Allan Poe was inarguably one of the most well known American poets. His criticisms, stories, and poems far out lived the man, but not his reputation. Even today any search of the poet Edgar Allan Poe will bring up facts that are dark, disputable, disgusting, and at times tragic. Mr. Poe wrote words of love, despair, anger, and mystery. He wrote what he knew best and he left behind a legacy that is unique, riveting, and thought provoking, even today. The question is did Edgar Allan Poe deserve the scathing final review that was his obituary? Are his beautiful and disturbing words the ravings of a mad man? It is generally accepted that he suffered from alcoholism and that was the reason of his death. However, his reputation was such that
The works of Edgar Allan Poe are well known to be a rather dark style of writing. Many of the man’s stories and poems tend to revolve around the thought of death. His inspiration for his dark works could have come from the type of life Edgar Allan Poe lived. The author Edgar Allan Poe has a very dark writing style as shown in his works such as “The Raven” and “The Tell-Tale Heart”.
Giordano, Robert. "A short biography of Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)." 27 June 2005. 5 April
Known for his mystery, macabre and detective fiction genre, Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most remembered poets of all time. Usually when people think of him, mind images of premature burials, murders, madmen, and mysterious women who are taken back from pure death like some zombie-like creatures comes to mind. In 1809, Edgar was born the second son out of three, two of which became actors. After the death of his mother and father at the age of three, John and Francis Allan raised him in Virginia. Edgar was sent to the best boarding schools and later on attended the University of Virginia where he was successfully academic. He was forced to leave due to refusement to pay his gambling debts. In 1827, he moved back to Boston and enlisted in the United States Army where his first poems titled Tamerlane, and Other Poems were published.
...story writers all over the world. Although he had an unusual, unique, and peculiar way of writing he still had a great influence and impact on society during his time, up to the present day. Poe’s writing has changed the way present day writers write about love, pride, beauty and death.
Edgar Allan Poe, born January 19, 1809, was an American poet, widely known for his literature and his belonging toward Romanticism. Born in Boston, he was soon orphaned after the abandonment of his father and death of mother between 1810-1811. In 1827, Poe released his first book, “Tamerlane and Other Poems”. This was not the only one, however, for he released several other books before the death of his older brother in 1831. After his brother’s death, Poe made the decision to become a writer.
... his work lives on, so does the mystery of his death. The purpose of this paper was to examine the disheartening life of such an amazing poet, critic, editor and author and show how influential his success even after death can inspire us to try our hardest despite the circumstances. Poe's life is one of dismay but also of triumph, and we could all learn a great deal from him.
Edgar Allan Poe had a peculiar way with his work. He was adopted early in his life to be spared from poverty and heartache (Roberts and Zweig 226). But in the Big Read it is stated that he still felt a satisfaction from women’s suffering. Poe just wanted to be a writer and followed his passion into judging others work to support himself (Roberts and Zweig 226). Some say that he is selfish and indulgent. Sadly the death of Poe is still a mystery but his works affect people’s lives on a daily basis. The elegance of Poe’s prose invokes an emotional reaction he was subject to during his childhood that later led to the creation of the most influential works of the 19th Century.
The life of Edgar Allan Poe, was stuffed with tragedies that all affected his art. From the very start of his writing career, he adored writing poems for the ladies in his life. When he reached adulthood and came to the realization of how harsh life could be, his writing grew to be darker and more disturbing, possibly as a result of his intense experimenting with opium and alcohol. His stories continue to be some of the most frightening stories ever composed, because of this, some have considered this to be the reason behind these themes. Many historians and literature enthusiasts have presumed his volatile love life as the source while others have credited it to his substance abuse. The influence of his one-of-a-kind writing is more than likely a combination of both theories; but the main factor is the death of many of his loved ones and the abuse which he endured. This, not surprisingly, darkened his perspective considerably.
Thomson, Gary Richard, and Poe Edgar. The selected writings of Edgar Allan Poe. New York: Norton & Company, 2004
...binson, E. Arthur. "Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart'." Twentieth Century Interpretations of Poe's Tales. ED. William L. Howarth. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1971. 94-102.
Poe Edgar Allan. “The Tell-Tale Heart.” The Ideal Reader 2nd Ed. 2012: ENC 1102 Communications 2. Eds. C.J Baker-Schverak. New York: McGraw-Hill 2012. 218 - 221. Print.
Robinson, E. Arthur. “Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart.’” Critics on Poe. Ed. David B. Kesterson. Coral Gables, FL: University of Miami Press, 1973. 107-115. Print.
Edgar Allan Poe led a strange and unusually hard life, but through his experiences he produced many outstanding and wonderful works which have with out a doubt contributed to American Literature in several different areas. His stories are treasured by an immense readership. Although, Poe was quiet popular for his gothic tales, he was also well known for being and accomplished humorist, which is seen in many of his short stories. Poe was credited for singlehandedly inventing the detective story. No other played a more crucial role in shaping and developing the aesthetic theory, in the nineteenth-century, than Edgar Allan Poe. Thus, Poe remains a permanent fixture of our literary culture.