Title
The Cambridge introduction to Edgar Allan Poe / Benjamin F. Fisher.
ISBN
9780521676915 (pbk.)
0521676916 (pbk.)
9780521859677
0521859670
Imprint
Cambridge, UK ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2008.
Language
English
Description
viii, 136 p. ; 23 cm.
Call Number
PS2638 .F45 2008
Dewey Decimal Classification
818/.309
Summary
"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 sensationalize the more enigmatic aspects of his life. Benjamin E. 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. 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."--BOOK JACKET.
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Series
Cambridge introductions to literature.
Preface
List of abbreviations
1. Life
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
3. Works
Poetry
The fiction : tales
The novels and Eureka
The criticism
4. Reception
Notes
A guide to further reading
Index.
