Writing Style Of Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allen Poe: writing styles

             The short story writer which I have chosen to research is Edgar Allen Poe. After reading one of his works in class, I realized that his mysterious style of writing greatly appealed to me. Although many critics have different views on Poe's writing style, I think that Harold Bloom summed it up best when he said, "Poe has an uncanny talent for exposing our common nightmares and hysteria lurking beneath our carefully structured lives.
             In many of Poe's works, setting is used to paint a dark and gloomy picture in our minds. I think that this was done deliberatly by Poe so that the reader can make a connection between darkness and death. For example, in the "Pit and the Pendulum", the setting is originally pitch black. As the story unfolds, we see how the setting begins to play an important role in how the narrator discovers the many ways he may die. Although he must rely on his senses alone to feel his surroundings, he knows that somewhere in this dark, gloomy room, that death awaits him. Richard Wilbur tells us how fitting the chamber in "The Pit and the Pendulum" actually was. "Though he lives on the brink of the pit, on the very verge of the plunge into unconsciousness, he is still unable to disengage himself from the physical and temperal world. The physical oppreses him in the shape of lurid graveyard visions; the temporal oppreses him in the shape of an enormous and deadly pendulum. It is altogether appropriate, then, that this chamber should be constricting and cruelly angular".
             Setting is also an important characteristic is Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher". The images he gives us such as how both the Usher family and the Usher mansion are crumbling from inside waiting to collapse, help us to connect the background with the story. Vincent Buranelli says that "Poe is able to sustain an atmosphere which is dark and dull. This is one of the tricks which he laregely derived from the tradition of the Gothic tale".

Essays Related to Edgar Allen Poe: writing styles

1. The Writing Brilliance of Edgar Allan Poe

Lawrence wrote an essay that extensively describes Edgar Allan Poe's writing style. ... Lawrence also believes that Edgar Allen Poe was a very deep man. ... Poe has a different style of writing from any other. ... The scientific style of Edgar Allen Poe is relevant to this story. ... In summery, Edgar Allen Poe has the most unique style of writing. ...

Word Count: 724
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2. Bradstreet, Paine and Poe

Paine's greatest gift to literature was his very plain writing style, he did not believe that he needed "ceremonious expressions. ... Edgar Allen Poe took us from common to sense to common horror. ... Many critics have different views on Poe's writing styles, but I think Harold Bloom summed it best when he said, "Poe has an uncanny talent for exposing out common nightmares and hysteria lurking beneath our carefully structured lives." (The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe) As a short-story writer, Poe was a fascinating man of imagination. ... Edgar Allen Poe was a master...

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3. edgar allen poe

The Dark Side of Poe Edgar Allen Poe was known as a Dark Romantic because of his style of writing. ... The description that Poe used for both the house and Roderick gives the reader solid proof that his is writing in a dark romantic style. ... Poe uses the same writing technique in his well-known poem, "The Raven". ... This is the other side of the dark romantics that exhibits that some of the writings come from the minds of a mentally deranged man as Edgar Allen Poe. ... These two writing styles are complete opposites but they still have the basic route to the writing, both use eithe...

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4. The Construction Of Poe's Works

The Construction of Poe's Works All writers have their own style of writing. This is no different with Edgar Allen Poe and his pessimistic style. ... Edgar Allen Poe's murder stories have a few distinct characteristics. ... We see all of these characteristics in Edgar Allen Poe's short story The Tell Tale Heart. ... Edgar Allen Poe didn't just write short stories. ...

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Approx Pages: 4
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5. The Gothic Style in Old English Literature

Edgar Allen Poe did not invent the gothic mode of writing, but from the first few lines of "The Fall of the House of Usher" it is evident that he completely adopted the style. ... Poe's style in literary magazines played on this same concept, where the past haunts the present and stories don't have fairytale endings or pleasant, perfect characters. Edgar Allen Poe's application of gothic in "The Fall of the House of Usher" perfectly shows the many ways gothic can be used, as he uses it to make implications on both the theme and setting, and also the historic...

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Approx Pages: 3
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Grade Level: Undergraduate

6. Fascinated With Death

Edgar Allen Poe was one of the great American authors ever; his work was ground breaking and that is why he is still famous today. Poe sets the standard for horror writing because of his creative style and crazy ideas (Wilson, James). Poe was definitely born with a natural talent for writing horror, but there were many other factors that affected his writing. ... So in conclusion Edgar Allen Poe was a brilliant author and poet, one of the best ever. ... His gloomy style of writing really is interesting. ...

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7. Edgar Allen Poe

The Many tricks of Edgar Allen Poe Edgar Allen Poe is one of the most famous writers of our time. He has a way of writing that is unlike any other author. ... Edgar lives a very hard life both his parents were killed as well as his very young life. ... In his unique writing style he often includes many noises of sounds. ... Poe is talented in his writing through the way it appeals to all the readers" senses in turn better connecting them with the story. ...

Word Count: 578
Approx Pages: 2
Grade Level: High School

8. Edgar Allan Poe

Poe's writing does more than entertain the reader. It can be an insight into the dark and somber world of Edgar Allen Poe. ... Poe developed his own unique style that he used throughout his writing career. ... With his extensive vocabulary, use of symbolism and foreshadowing, and similar moods used in both of the stories, "The Black Cat" and "The Tell-Tale Heart" vary little in the author's style of writing. Edgar Allen Poe's stories all have similar motifs and composition that would suggest suppressed emotions from life experiences are being discharged through his writings...

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9. How does Edgar Allen Poe keep the reader in suspense in "The

Edgar Allan Poe is an expert in writing stories full of suspense and uses this particular writing style exceptionally well. ... But how does Edgar Allen Poe keep the reader in suspense in "The Tell-Tale Heart"? and how does Edgar Allan Poe use it to manipulate his readers? ... Also towards the end of the story of the "Tell Tale Heart", Edgar Allan Poe wrote, "The officers were satisfied. ... As you can see, "The Tell Tale Heart" truly is a work of wonder, but the real question is how exactly does Poe come up with such an excellent writing style? ...

Word Count: 1300
Approx Pages: 5
Grade Level: High School

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