精品课程—英美文学 Edgar Allan Poe.pptVIP

Poe’s Family and Tragic Life Born in Boston,son of traveling actors Mother died, deserted by Father at the age of two,adopted by Mr and Mrs John Allan Constant disagreements with his step-father Drinking and gambling difficulties kept him from college education after a brief study at University of Virginia Poe’s Family and Tagic Life Received an appointment to West Point, but provoked his own dismissal Caused a final separation between Poe and his step-father 1836 married his 13 year old cousin, whose early death may have inspired some of his writing. Last 12 years of life worked as a journalist, editor and creative writer. Led a poverty-stricken life, and died in a drunken stupor Selected List of Poe’s Work Tales The Black Cat The Cask of Amontillado The Fall of the House of Usher Ligeia The Masque of the Red Death The Murders in the Rue Morgue The Pit and the Pendulum The Purloined Letter The Tell-Tale Heart Selected List of Poe’s Work Poetry Annabel Lee The Bells The City in the Sea The Conqueror Worm Eldorado The Haunted Palace Lenore The Raven Ulalume Poe worked in a variety of genres criticism——he gained a national reputation as a virulently sarcastic critic, a literary hatchet man.the bulk of his writing consists of his criticism, and his most abiding ambition was to become a powerful critic. Poetry——he was an experimental poet Psychological fiction——he wanted to produce the greatest possible horrific effects on the reader Detective story——he created this form when he was 32,with al its major convention complete. Literary Style and Themes Poes best known fiction works are Gothic, a genre he followed to appease the public taste. His most recurring themes deal with questions of death, including its physical signs, the effects of decomposition, concerns of premature burial, the reanimation of the dead, and mourning. Beyond horror, Poe also wrote satires, humor tales, and hoaxes Literary Style and Themes Allusion Reference to a famous hist