The Cambridge Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe

Cambridge Introductions to Literature

by Benjamin Franklin Fisher IV

Much remains uncertain about the life of Edgar Allan Poe, the mysterious author of one of the best-known American poems, 'The Raven', the Gothic romance The Fall of the House of Usher, and the first detective fiction, The Murders in the Rue Morgue. This book provides a balanced overview of Poe's career and writings, resisting the tendency of many scholars to sensationalise the more enigmatic aspects of his life. Benjamin F. Fisher outlines Poe's experiments with a wide range of literary forms and genres, and shows how his fiction evolved from Gothic fantasy to plausible, sophisticated psychological fiction. Fisher makes fruitful connections within this diverse body of work, and offers analyses of the major works. The critical afterlife of Poe's work is charted, and the book includes a guide to further reading, making this a handy starting-point for students and readers new to Poe.

Genres: Nonfiction

148 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preface ✔
Chapter 1 Life ✔

Chapter 2 Contexts ✔
The historical context ✔
The American context ✔
The context of slavery ✔
Gender and sexuality ✔
The graphic context ✔
The urban context ✔
The medical-scientific context ✔
The psychological context ✔
The existentialist-modernist context ✔

Chapter 3 Works: ✔
Poetry ✔
The fiction: tales ✔
The novels and Eureka ✔
The criticism ✔

Chapter 4 Reception ✔

[Bahman Bahman · Rating 2 out of 5]

کتاب در چهار فصل تنظیم شده است که به ترتیب عبارتند از زندگی، زمینه‌ها، آثار و نقدها. کتاب با دو بخش یادداشت‌ها و راهنمای مطالعه بیشتر به پایان می‌رسد.
ادگار آلن پو که در ۱۸۴۹ در ۴۰ سالگی از دنیا رفت، از نخستین نویسندگان داستان کوتاه در ادبیات آمریکایی و از پایه‌گذاران داستان‌های کارآگاهی بود. او که همواره کوشیده بود فقط از راه نویسندگی روزگار بگذراند، در زندگی به مشکل‌های فراوان برخورد.

[Steve Wiggins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction to Poe. It gets a bit bogged down in interpretation of pieces at points, but very insightful. Further comments here: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World.