Edgar Allan Poe in Context

Literature in Context

by Kevin J. Hayes (Editor)

Edgar Allan Poe mastered a variety of literary forms over the course of his brief and turbulent career. As a storyteller, Poe defied convention by creating Gothic tales of mystery, horror, and suspense that remain widely popular today. This collection demonstrates how Poe's experience of early nineteenth-century American life fueled his iconoclasm and shaped his literary legacy. Rather than provide critical explications of his writings, each essay explores one aspect of Poe's immediate environment, using pertinent writings – verse, fiction, reviews, and essays – to suit. Examining his geographical, social, and literary contexts, as well as those created by the publishing industry and advances in science and technology, the essays paint an unprecedented portrait of Poe's life and times. Written for a wide audience, the collection will offer scholars and students of American literature, historians, and general readers new insight into Poe's rich and complex work.

430 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this extensive collection of essays which I think is Hayes' best work on Poe (at least that I've encountered so far). The remit is to collect together thirty-seven short chapters, each exploring a different aspect of Poe's life and work, in order to bring further understanding and context to his legacy. Although brief, the essays are thoughtfully constructed and bring plenty of insight to even the most seasoned of Poe scholars. The topics are diverse and range from Dickens to magazines, science fiction to religion, and alcohol to the sea. One chapter, in which the author explores Poe's home and imagines how the author might have utilised it, is particularly creative.