Edgar Allan Poe 1809-1849

His Family and Tragic Life Born in Boston The son of traveling actors Tragic and unhappy life This is an understatement…

Tragic and Unhappy Life Mother died, father deserted him at the age of two adopted by Mr. and Mrs. John Allan constant disagreements with his step-father

Studied briefly at the University of Virginia . . .continued Studied briefly at the University of Virginia Drinking and gambling difficulties kept him from continuing at UVA He still rocked his grades though!

Caused a final separation between Poe and his step-father . . .continued Received an appointment to West Point, but he provoked his own dismissal Caused a final separation between Poe and his step-father

In 1836 married his 14 year old cousin, Virginia . . .continued In 1836 married his 14 year old cousin, Virginia You read that right: his cousin… She was daughter of Maria Clemm, Poe’s aunt Last 12 years of life worked as a journalist, editor, and creative writer

Lived in poverty stricken conditions . . . continued Lived in poverty stricken conditions In 1846 wife died after a long battle with tuberculosis. She was 24. This saddened him deeply; he truly loved her greatly

Died in Baltimore after he was found in a drunken stupor . . . continued Died in Baltimore after he was found in a drunken stupor R.I.P.--October 7, 1849 Died a poor man Despite his achievements, he was never seen as truly great during his own time--reminds you of…?

Known for: Tales of mystery and terror stories Poe’s Work Known for: Tales of mystery and terror stories Introducing the modern detective story

Poe’s philosophy of composition Select one effect to achieve Length – should be read in one sitting Impression – contemplating beauty Tone – sadness/melancholy Subject – death of a beautiful woman Also – “ratiocination” – detective stories based on logical solution of crime

Poems: Short Stories The Tell-Tale Heart The Raven Just a Few Titles ( he is credited with creating the modern short story…) Short Stories The Tell-Tale Heart The Cask of Amontillado The Black Cat, The Pit and The Pendulum Poems: The Raven Annabel Lee To Helen Lenore

Addiction Sometimes strange “special effects” have been linked to his addiction to opium An addiction not uncommon in the 1800’s, because of frequent use of laudanum, an opium based medicine, to treat headaches and stomach pains

Pointless blank space because…. Reasons…

Timeline of Poe’s Work Wife kicked it around here… 1839 Poe published Tales of Grotesque and Arabesque including “The Fall of the House of Usher” 1845 Poe published “The Raven” 1827 Poe published Tamerlane and Other Poems 1836 Poe married Virginia Clemm 1809 Poe was born on January 19th 1831 Expelled from West Point Publishes Poems 1847 Poe dies in Baltimore on October 7th 1841 Poe wrote “The Murders of Rue Morgue” Wife kicked it around here…

Reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event Allusion Reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event Best sources are literature, history, Greek myth, and the Bible Serves to explain or clarify or enhance whatever subject

Something that is itself and yet also represents something else Symbol Something that is itself and yet also represents something else Universal symbols embody universally recognizable meanings Invested symbols are given symbolic meaning by the way an author uses them in a literary work

Gothic Elements supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of unknown terror pervades the action High emotion, sentimentalism, but also pronounced anger, surprise, and especially terror use of words indicating fear, mystery, etc.: apparition, devil, ghost, haunted, terror, fright, fainting

Edgar Allan Poe His stories have: Settings that featuring Dark, medieval castles Decaying ancient estates Characters that are Male—insane Female—beautiful and dead (or dying) Plots that include Murder Live burials Physical and mental torture Retribution from beyond the grave For Poe, it was only in these extreme situations that people revealed their true nature.

The Gothic dimension of Poe’s fictional world offered him a way to explore the human mind in these extreme situations and so arrive at an essential truth

Before we look at what Romanticism IS, we have to think about what it IS NOT! Despite the name of the literary period, Romanticism does not deal with sappy love stories. THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF LITERATURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO STUDY!

So what IS Romanticism? Romanticism is the name for the literary period that followed the Age of Reason (The Revolutionary Period) in America. Due to the fact that the country was now established, writers moved their focus away from political matters and revolutionary governmental ideas, and began to focus on other aspects of life (emotions, possibilities, imagination etc…)

Dark Romanticism or American Gothic Edgar Allen Poe with Hawthorne and Melville known as anti-Transcendentalists or Dark Romantics Had much in common with Transcendentalists Explored conflicts between good and evil, psychological effects of guilt and sin, and madness Known as anti- T because of their pessimism Like the T’s, they valued intuition over logic and reason

Gothic vs. Romanticism Romanticism developed as a reaction against the rationalism of the Age of Reason. The romantics freed the imagination from the hold of reason, so they could follow their imagination wherever it might lead. For some Romantics, when they looked at the individual, they saw hope (think “A Psalm of Life”). For some Romantic writers, the imagination led to the threshold of the unknown—the shadowy region where the fantastic, the demonic and the insane reside. When the Gothic's saw the individual, they saw the potential of evil. Gothic writers were peering into the darkness at the supernatural. Romantic writers celebrated the beauties of nature.