Edgar Allan

Poe:
Life and
Work
Pili Moreno
Life
Born January 19th, 1809. Son
of actors, his mother died,
some sources say he found
her, his father, son of a
General disappeared.
Back in US he liked hearing
fantastic stories from the
slaves, and read numerous
stories of both Gothic and
Romantic genres.
At age 3 he was adopted –but
not legally- by John and Frances
Allan. Wealthy people, sent him
to study in a boarding school in
Chelsea where he learned to be
ultra refined..
Attended Virginia University
where he was meant to study
Law and Administration but was
kicked out after gambling
problems. Fell out with John
Allan and tried looking for
General Poe in Westpoint
Military Academy where he
excelled in sports but was
dismissed due to his gambling
addiction.
Life
He looked for writing jobs in
New York, published some of
his work and in 1935 became
editor of the SOUTHERN
Frances died in 1829.
BALTIMORE MESSENGER
making it flourish with his
know-how on high society
modals.

On September 22nd 1835, Developed black novel

marries 13-year-old cousin (police/detective). Virginia dies
Virginia Eliza Clemm and had of consumption on January 30th,
plenty pets. 1847.

Rufus Wilmot Griswold hated

him and, in the biography he
wrote about Poe, invented a
Died October 7th, 1849. curse on him, said that he was
an addict and an alcoholic who
constantly said someone was
after him.
Genres
Novel Short story

Essay Poetry

Articles
 Philosophy of Composition
(on The Raven)
• 1. Plan the story to its conclusion before writing. This helps story planning, choosing
tone and other elements.
• 2. Decide the effect you want to produce.
• 3. Write keeping in mind the conclusion you decided.
• 4. Keep short enough so reader can complete it in one sitting. This is the unity of
intention
• 5. Perfect your writing: inspiration and intuition don´t cut it.
• 6. Consider Beauty truth and passion.
 Unity of Effect

THE EFFECT IS
ACHIEVED
CONSIDERING
INCIDENT AND TONE AND CHOOSE SOME SUBJECT CHOSEN
TONE: EITHER AN GLOSSARY TO KEY ELEMENT, IN (THEME) FOR HIM
ORDINARY
INCIDENT IN A
PRODUCE AN THE RAVEN A NOTHING BEYOND
PECULIAR TONE; A EMOTION. LOOK REFRAIN TO BE BEAUTY IN DEATH
PECULIAR INCIDENT FOR PRECISE REPEATED LINKED AND THE
IN ORDINARY TONE; LANGUAGE THAT TO THE EFFECT RELATIONSHIP
OR BOTH TONE AND PRODUCES WANTED. THIS HAS WITH
INCIDENT PARTICULAR PROTAGONIST.
PECULIAR. IMAGES AND LINK
THEM TO RHYTHM
AND RIME.
•.

Day 1: give students Poe stories for reading in class: Ligeia, Morella, Berenice, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Facts in
the Case of M. Valdemar, The Cask of Amontillado, The Black Cat, The Tell-Tale Heart.
Day 2:
Theory: The Raven and Philosophy of Composition: UNITY OF EFFECT.
In teams fill in next chart as in example

  DESCRIPTION QUOTES

TITLE THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH  

EFFECT FEAR, SUSPENSE  

TONE – (MOOD) GLOOMY, CREEPY /FAIRYTALE?  

THEME SICKNESS/DEATH/RESPONSIBILITY/PRIDE /PRIVILEGE – THE  

INEVITABLE
SETTING MIDDLE AGES (KNIGHTS) – ABBEY  

CHARACTERS PRINCE – COLLECTIVE: COURTIERS, MUSICIANS, DANCERS, ETC.  

- DEATH
CONFLICT THEY CANNOT FIGHT IT  

PLOT    

TRIGGER(S)    

CLIMAX(ES)    

LANGUAGE USED TO    
CONVEY
Day 3: exchange information with mates and create a compare and contrast chart (including setting, characters,
narrators, conflict, climaxes, language and peculiarities).
Groups:

Ligeia and Morella Ligeia and Morella and Usher and

Berenice Berenice Valdemar

Cat and Amontillado and Heart and Cat Other

Amontillado Heart
Day 4: What do we know?
Consider: PHILOSOPHY OF COMPOSITION
1. Steps in story to produce effects.
2. Unity of effect.
3. Setting.
4. Language.
5. Narrator.
6. Conflict.
7. Characters.
8. Motive/triggers.
General Analysis

Story and year of Narrator and Denouement (outcome)

Setting and context Conflict Characters Motive/triggers
publication mental state and climaxes

LIGEIA            

MORELLA            

BERENICE            

THE BLACK CAT            

AMONTI LLADO            

TELL-TALE            

HOUSE USHER            

VALDEMAR            

             
Day 5:
• Which identity traits can
you recognize in narrator
and characters?
• What is the
result/influence of
circumstance and
upbringing?
• Which is the role of
expectations?
• How are the readers now
different from Poe´s
contemporaries?