Literary Genius: Edgar Allan Poe

*Edgar Allan Poe is widely remembered for his haunting tales. His breadth of imagination and use of symbolism often lead a reader down a dark and mysterious path, so disturbing, that not until later will they feel the gravity of what had been read.

*In Poe's tale,"The Black Cat," one cannot be sure whether the aforementioned cat is an actual cat that is causing the main character so much terror; or if it is indeed a reference to his own horrific nature.

*The allude to the supernatural, Gothic, mysterious and demonic in Poe's tales made him intriguing and highly controversial. So precise was Poe with his use of subtlety that his words seemed to seep into the subconscious of the reader creating a suspenseful and analytical experience.

* In the midst of sensationalist horror stories he pushed the boundaries of the human psyche to grapple with the darkest depths of the soul and forced readers to face aspects of themselves it is possible they previously had not acknowledged.

* Poe created the anti-hero, a main character who would be a "bad-guy or a mad-guy," according to Stephen King. King took much inspiration from Poe and his ability to understand and manipulate the human psychological experience.

Contributions

Poe... Literary Critic

In criticism I will be bold, and as sternly, absolutely just with friend and foe. From this purpose nothing shall turn me.

Edgar Allan Poe

Psychological

Thriller

Pioneer of

Science Fiction

The Short Story

as A Genre

*Edgar Allan Poe is credited as a pioneer of the science fiction genre who inspired the likes of H.G. Wells and "The Time Machine," to more contemporary H.P. Lovecraft and his many tales.

* In addition to Poe's interest in human psychology he also studied mathematics, engineering and even the then "new" science of archaeology. He contemplated astronomy, the universe and the relationship between stars and planets.

*Some of his works cover possibilities of time and space travel, even resurrection of the dead. Where Gothic horror writing uses fear of death as motive into the psyche of the reader, science fiction grabs the imagination.

*There seems to be a paradox surrounding much of his writing; Poe was so adept at incorporating actual scientific research into his stories; it is left to the reader to determine what is true and what is fiction.

* There is still controversy surrounding Poe's scientific writings. Some believe it to be a credible source of scientific information, while many believe it's Poe's elaborate plan for a massive public hoax.

EDGAR ALLAN POE

Literary Genius

* Poe's first love was poetry.

* He is credited with establishing the short story as a recognized and distinct genre of literature.

*He believed that a plot should be developed based upon the proposed end to the story.

* In his view, in order for a story to be fully appreciated in its truest form it must be read in one sitting; therefor it must be readable between thirty minutes to a maximum of two hours.

*An uninterrupted absorption of the tale allows the reader to transcend into the book and wrestle with the same trials, tribulations, joys and pains of the characters.

"The style is purity itself. Forceabounds. High imagination gleams from every page. Mr. Hawthorne is a man of the truest genius."

- Poe's review of Nathaniel Hawthorne's

"Twice Told Tales"

* Poe was quick to criticize writers for lack of imagination. He disagreed with many of his Boston contemporaries claiming they were unoriginal and boring.

*He particularly liked to criticize Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, for poetry that was preachy and plagiarized. Poe claimed about Longfellow, "We grant him high qualities, but deny him the future."

*Poe as a critic was known for his ability to dissect sentences, structure and sought "totality of effect" in a story. Again supporting his idea that a story should be designed with the end in mind. The desired effect of the story should reach and move the reader.

Literary Career

• Began writing in 1827
• First poems called Tamerlane and Other Poems
• Heavily influenced by Gothic literature
• Became known for dark, mysterious, and macabre elements
• Wrote for several periodicals
• Attempted to start his own called The Stylus or The Penn
• Much of his work inspired by his wife’s death
• Alcoholism also may have influenced his writings

Legacy of Poe

EDGAR ALLAN POE'S

BEST WORK

-The Facts In the Case of M.Valdemar

-The Black Cat

-The Fall of the House of Usher

-The Tell-Tale Heart

-The Pit and the Pendulum

-The Raven

Introduction

• Well regarded as a literary critic by contemporaries
• Highly respected author of fiction and poems
• Influenced the detective fiction genre
• Sherlock Holmes inspired by Poe
• Influenced early science fiction
• Jules Vern wrote a sequel to one of Poe’s books
• H.G. Wells heavily influenced by Poe
• Mystery Writers of America’s award for excellence named after Poe
• Increased interest in cryptography

PSYCHOLOGICAL HORRORS

Poe's Best Works...

POE'S BEST EXAMPLES

OF

SCIENCE FICTION

BIOGRAPHY

"The Unparalleled Adventures of One Hans Pfaall" was Poe's hoax, and obvious science fiction story, about a man who had used a hot air balloon to travel to the moon. "Mellonta Tauta" is another balloon story, though this one is about traveling to the future. Both works of art are said to have been an influence in Jules Verne's "Five Weeks in a Balloon" and the more famous "Around the World in 80 Days". Poe's longest work, "The Narrative of A. Gordon Pym", tells about a voyage to a far off realm of the Antarctic. Again, elements of this story is seen in the well known writing "The Lost World" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 74 years later. (Lehman)

Life of Poe

THE SHORT STORY

• Famous for his dark and mysterious stories, Poe heavily influenced American literature.
• He created the detective fiction genre and heavily influenced early science fiction.
• Responsible for popularizing short stories in America

• Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1809
• Married his cousin, Virginia Clemm
• Joined the United States Army in 1827
• Later wrote for literary journals
• Became famous for style of criticism
• Died in 1849

Metzengerstein: A Tale In Imitation of the German was the first short story written by Edgar Allen Poe to see print. Submitted with a couple other short stories to the "Saturday Courier", this one was the only one that the judges had liked. It was later published in the "Southern Literary Messenger" but was later taken out to be published in Poe's first collection book "Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque". (Fisher)

Works Cited

"Edgar Allan Poe Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2012.

"Poe's Life." Edgar Allan Poe Museum : Poe's Life, Legacy, and Works : Richmond, Virginia. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2012.

Fisher, Benjamin Franklin. "Poe's Metzengerstein': Not a Hoax" American Literature, 42. (1971):487-495

Lehman, Laura. "The Science Fiction of Edgar Allan Poe." Bella Online. 2012. 11 Dec. 2012

Poe Museum. 2010. Poe's Literary Contributions. Retrieved from http://www.poemuseum.org/teachers-poes-literary.php

Smith, Alphonso C., from his book, "Edgar Allan Poe: How to Know Him" 1921.

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