Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809–October 7, 1849) was an American writer best known for his poetry and short stories, especially his tales of the macabre with a heavy Gothic influence. He worked as an editor and literary critic at a handful of different publications while famously struggling to support himself and his family. He is widely considered one of the most influential writers America has ever seen and is often given credit for creating a new genre of story: the detective tale. Given the nature of his literary work, the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death are often looked at as darkly fitting.
While Poe has a large body of work, we will be focusing our study on the short story "The Fall of the House of Usher" and the poems "The Raven," "Annabell Lee," and "Eldorado."
The selections we will be reading are provided below:
"Annabell Lee"- One of Poe's famous poems about lost love. This is the poem in its entirety.
"The Raven"- Another one of Poe's famous poems about lost love. This is a look at the psychological terrors individuals can put themselves through. This is the poem in its entirety.
"Eldorado"- This is a short poem about the quest for personal happiness and fulfillment. This is the poem in its entirety.
"The Fall of the House of Usher"- This is a piece of Gothic fiction exploring the theme of family and madness. This is the story in its entirety.