When it comes to scary stories, Edgar Allan Poe is the original master. Poe's works are filled with the macabre and the darker side of human nature. Famed for their twists and turns, Poe's short stories have become classics of American literature and continue to be studied by students throughout the world.
Born in Boston in 1809, Poe was orphaned at a young age and taken in by the Allan family of Richmond, Virginia. He would go on to join the military and attend West Point. It was at this time that Poe began publishing his poems. After being court-martialed and kicked out of West Point, Poe turned his attention to writing full-time. He worked as the editor for several literary magazines and began writing short stories and novels in addition to poetry. While successful as an author in his own right, during his life, Poe was better known throughout America as a critic. Poe died in Baltimore in 1849 under mysterious circumstances which have never been fully understood, a fitting end for the inventor of the detective story.
Poe's works are perhaps among the best examples of a literary style known as Gothic. Popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, Gothic literature is noted for its depictions of the supernatural, mysterious locations, and its examination of the fears common to every man and woman. Poe's works exemplify this by delving into the psychological nature of terror. In works such as "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Black Cat," Poe examines madness and how a person can be driven to perform unspeakable acts. But the true greatness of Poe's stories is that he does not stop at the act itself but goes on to examine the repercussions of those acts on the person's mind. Poe enhances the experience by creating an atmosphere of terror and paranoia in his stories.
In addition, to his horror stories, Poe is also known as the creator of the detective story. His works in the mystery genre are so important that the The Mystery Writers of America have named their awards "The Edgars." His stories, which feature a detective named Dupin, served as a model for future mystery writers, including the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
So if you are looking for a good mystery or a creepy psychological thriller, check out the works of Edgar Allan Poe. You won't be disappointed.
Born in Boston in 1809, Poe was orphaned at a young age and taken in by the Allan family of Richmond, Virginia. He would go on to join the military and attend West Point. It was at this time that Poe began publishing his poems. After being court-martialed and kicked out of West Point, Poe turned his attention to writing full-time. He worked as the editor for several literary magazines and began writing short stories and novels in addition to poetry. While successful as an author in his own right, during his life, Poe was better known throughout America as a critic. Poe died in Baltimore in 1849 under mysterious circumstances which have never been fully understood, a fitting end for the inventor of the detective story.
Poe's works are perhaps among the best examples of a literary style known as Gothic. Popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, Gothic literature is noted for its depictions of the supernatural, mysterious locations, and its examination of the fears common to every man and woman. Poe's works exemplify this by delving into the psychological nature of terror. In works such as "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Black Cat," Poe examines madness and how a person can be driven to perform unspeakable acts. But the true greatness of Poe's stories is that he does not stop at the act itself but goes on to examine the repercussions of those acts on the person's mind. Poe enhances the experience by creating an atmosphere of terror and paranoia in his stories.
In addition, to his horror stories, Poe is also known as the creator of the detective story. His works in the mystery genre are so important that the The Mystery Writers of America have named their awards "The Edgars." His stories, which feature a detective named Dupin, served as a model for future mystery writers, including the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
So if you are looking for a good mystery or a creepy psychological thriller, check out the works of Edgar Allan Poe. You won't be disappointed.