Edgar Allan Poe
A composition
"Once upon a midnight dreary, I sat erect. The darkness was total. I could not see the figure of him who had aroused me. Very suddenly there came back to my soul motion and sound -- the tumultuous motion of the heart, and in my ears the sound of its beating. It was a low, dull, quick sound --much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath -- then, finally, of terror, of horror, and of disgust, my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor shall be lifted- nevermore!"
Premature Burial
The Raven
The Pit and The Pendulum
The Tell-Tale Heart
Masque of the Red Death
Death, decay, and depression color his words. Stories and rhyme that bring an stinging chill of ice into ones heart. He has been called many things; morbid, dark, and(by most english classes) creepy. Not really an author labeled as cheerful and up-lifting. Based on most his works written in the the 1840's it is natural to assume he was constantly in a pool of despair. Possibly in a prison with a pit and a pendulum writing about how bleak and horrible his existence is. In a biography by Rufus Griswold he is presented as such. However these rumors about Edgar are not entirely true. (Rufus Griswold was a famous anthropologist and subject to critisism by Poe. Upon Poe's death Griswold wrote a scathing biography of the late Poe. However his revenge backfired when Poe's works sold more than ever. Now Griswold is known as Poe's first biographer.)
Edgar Allan Poe was born January 19, 1809 to parents that died before he was three years old. He has had a few tragedies in his life. In1825 his secret fiancee, Sarah Elmira Royster, died suddenly. He was in a constant argument with his foster father, John Allan, which left him cut out of his Will. When he married his thirteen year old cousin, Virginia Clemm, he was happily married for ten years until she was diagnosed with tuberculosis and died. He did have tragdedy in his life, most people do, but that doesn't mean he is sick and twisted like some critics say. Edgar Allan Poe's stories and poems are another story. Covering the themes of death, loss, and revenge, his stories are dark and frightening. This is part of what makes his narration so memorable. He dared to go down that silent twisted corridors of terror. Many writers write about cheerful life lessons like fairness and love. Other writers write about people with a depressing lives that find goodness and light in a happy ending. Not Poe. He dared to explore that darkness that can surround people in their most horrible moments. He brought forth the shadow and created engaging stories that capture our minds. This is what made him so talented. He acquainted us with darkness. Not just evil, but a complicated kind of fear. In The Pit and The Pendulum fright is shown with imagery that spikes adrenaline into every cell in the readers body. The Raven presented us with the harsh reality of losing some one and, eventually, losing yourself. In the Premature Burial Poe makes a rational argument that the most catastrophic events in history are not the ones we read about in history books that had thousands of casualties, but the ones that occur of an individual level. This is done through factual example of people who awake to find themselves in their graves most likely never to see light again, left to await death for hours. In The Tell-Tale Heart hate is shown to be irrational, and the act of murder leaves a scar on the mind. Another classic, my favorite, Masque of the Red Death teaches us that one cannot escape from the troubles of the world. Even merry-making can't keep trouble away, especially plague. These lessons are harsh, but just as viable as any other theme, and that is why Edgar Allan Poe continues to frighten us today.
