Everyone Loves a

Horror Story
Mysteries and Suspense from
Edwards, Hawthorne, Irving, and Poe
1800-1860
American Romanticism
Romantic
What does it mean to
call someone ?
What does it mean to call
someone Romantic?
Describe a Romantic encounter
in detail. It can be personal
experience, or what you
would imagine to be the most
Romantic moment. This should
be 5-7 sentences
Romanticism
An American Literary movement that
elevated the individual, the passions,
and the inner life.
It stressed strong emotion, imagination,
freedom from classical correctness in
art forms, and rebellion against social
conventions.
Romanticism
The name Romanticism can be a bit
misleading because Romantics do not
necessarily write about love.
Some famous American
Romantics: And Mystery Writers
Washington Irving
Edgar Allan Poe
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Scary Elements
Exploration of the past and of exotic,
even supernatural, realms--the Gothic
novel--old legends and folklore
Contemplation of the natural world--lyric
poetry--its underlying beauty and truth
Journal : 12-12-11
What are some horror conventions that
people are afraid of? Why are we afraid
of bats? witches? cobwebs?
- Supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of
unknown terror pervades the action
- High emotion, sentimentalism, but also
pronounced anger, and surprise.
- Use of words indicating fear, mystery, etc:
apparition, devil, ghost, haunted, terror, fright,
fainting

Explored conflicts between good and evil,
psychological effects of guilt and sin, and
madness

Literary Style and Themes
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.


Washington Irving
The Devil and Tom Walker; The Legend
of Sleepy Hollow; Rip Van Winkle
First American writer to achieve an
international reputation
Spent quite a bit of time abroad;
Faust Legend:
A tale about a man who sells his soul to the
devil for earthly benefits. Each retelling
involves a person who trades his soul for
experience, knowledge, or treasure. Endings
vary with the protagonist either,
Doomed to failure
Redeemed by virtues
Washington Irvings success marked
the beginning of a distinctly American
literary heritage. He retold the Faust
legend (German) in a noticeably
American way.
Dissimulation- to conceal (one's real feelings) by
pretence
Cunningly- skill employed in a shrewd or sly manner
Sagacity- mental discernment and soundness of
judgment.
Hearkening- giving heed or attention to what is said;
listening
Refrained- abstained from an impulse to say or do
something

Masters of Horror
Stephen King is often
compared to the 18th
century weaver of
horror tales, Edgar
Allan Poe
http://home.tiscalinet.de/stephen-
king/assets/images/sehr_schones_bil
d_von_king.jpg
http://opioids.com/opium/poe.
jpg
Poes Life
Best known for poetry and
short fiction pieces
Life span: 1809-1849
Created detective story
and refined psychological
thriller
World-wide influence on
literature
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/baltimore/photo
s/Westminster-Poe's%20grave.jpg
Poes Childhood
Parents: David Poe
Elizabeth Atkins
Parents died before Poe
was 3
Adopted by John Allan
Poe was baptized Edgar
Allan Poe
http://www.poemuseum.org/poes_life/index.html
Poes Young Adult Years
Poe quarreled with John
Allan
Attended University of
Virginia
Incurred gambling debts
and left UV
Enlisted in US Army
http://www.jfhermant.com/logo_uva.gif
Trouble Follows Poe
After Allan died, Poe was
discharged from Army
Poe was expelled from
West Point
Throughout his troubles,
Poe continued to write
http://www.ava.org/clubs/WestPoint/westp
ointlogo_color_50.gif
Poes Romance
Lived with Aunt, Maria
Clemm, and cousin
Virginia
Dated Virginia and
married her
Began writing for
newspapers/magazines
Moved to Philadelphia
http://www.epfl.net/exhibits/poe/poep004/poep0
04r.jpg
Poes Masterpieces Written
Poe published some of
best known works:
The Raven
The Tell-Tale Heart
The Black Cat
The Bells
http://img.shopping.com/cctool/PrdImg/images
/pr/177X150/00/77/41/19/8d/2000755085.JPG
Death in Poes Life
Lost mother to coughing
sickness/tuberculosis
Lost Virginia to
coughing
sickness/tuberculosis
Mystery of Poes Death
Found delirious in
Baltimore on October 3
Found in someone else's
clothing
Found on Election Day
Died October 7
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/031222732
9.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
Playbill Assignment
Task:

You are hired by a theater
to create a playbill on Poe
and one of his stories or
one of his poems that will
be performed
http://www.mauionstage.com/Iao%20Theater%20st
age%20full%20view.jpg
Playbill Information
Cover:
Title of work/works
Author
Student name
Graphics that represent
work
http://originaldo.com/Edgar-Allan-Poe-Raven.jpg
Playbill Information
Inside left:
Brief overview of Poes
life
http://www.3boysproductions.com/images/Edgar-Allen-
Poe's-Tales-of-.jpg
Playbill Information
Inside right:
Characters
Setting
Time frame
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000EE9DPA.01-
A2S2WG11FX0DT1._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Playbill Information
Back:
Brief synopsis of
story/poems
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/
3895080918.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Creating Playbill
Create your playbill using
Publisher, MS Word, or
construction paper!
I will give you set up
instructions and design
tips.