Edgar Allan Poe

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Edgar Allan Poe
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Three Types of Writing

• Poetry
• Short Story
• Critical essay

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Poetry

• The Raven
• Annabel Lee
• El Dorado

Musical, gothic, symbolic
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Short Story

• Horror Stories
• The Telltale Heart
• The Black Cat
• Berenice

• Detective Stories
• The Murders in the Rue Morgue

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Critical Essays

• The Philosophy of Composition
• Eureka

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Rationality vs. Irrationality
Logical explanation of composition in Phil. Of
Comp. opposing mysteries of intuitive creative
process
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Rationality vs. Irrationality

• Short Story Plot Structure
• Mysterious event occurs
• Rational man tries to explain it
• In detective stories, the man does so
• In horror stories, he does not

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• Rationality vs. irrationality
• Logic vs. emotion
• Sanity vs. insanity

Poe was the epitome of the Romantic poet, a
tormented genius.