Edgar Allan Poe Texts

Summary: This book contains the complete tales and poems of Edgar Allan Poe. At the beginning, readers will find an introduction that provides a biography about Poe and divides his works into four categories: poems, gothic stories, tales of ratiocination, and Poe as a critic. Overall, this book consists of 73 short stories ranging from "The Cask of Amontillado" to "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "Ligeia." In addition, it includes 49 poems such as "The Raven," "The Bells," and "Sonnet-To Science." My personal favorite Poe short story is "The Masque of the Red Death" because it serves as an allegory that death cannot be avoided no matter how hard people try. I also find it interesting that each of the seven rooms is painted a different color and that the last room in which Prince Prospero dies is black. In addition, it is rather ironic that his name is Prince Prospero when he ends up being anything but prosperous. Sure he is rich and can afford to throw lavish parties, but that does not prevent death from finding him. Another one of my favorite works by Poe is his essay titled "The Philosophy of Composition." In this essay, Poe describes the three elements of his works: length, method, and unity of effect. First of all, Poe believed that all literary works should be short so that they can be read in a single sitting. If they are longer, readers will lose interest and stop reading. Secondly, while some writers come up with ideas as they write, Poe did not agree with that method. He thought that all good writing was meticulous. Lastly, when Poe says "unity of effect," he means that the writer should only write a story once they have thought the ending out. After that, they can continue to work on other aspects of their story. I liked this particular essay because it explains the process that Poe used to write and explained how he came up with his best-known work "The Raven." This process can still be applied when writing today. As for poems, my favorite poem is "Sonnet-To Science" because it explains how science seeks to find an answer to everything and does not allow the poet to have an imagination.

Rationale: Poe's short stories and poems are frequently taught in English classes both at the secondary level and college level. There are already many lesson plans that exist today that can be used by teachers. I think that Poe needs to be taught in classrooms because his works ask students to use their critical thinking skills in order to understand them. There are many literary elements in his work that students can further explore.

Age/Ability Level: 6th-10th grade
The grade level depends entirely on the group of students and the works being discussed in class. For example, some of Poe's shorter poems can be discussed as early as 6th grade, but "The Raven" may be more appropriate for 8th grade and above because it is complex and full of symbolism.

Teaching Ideas:

1. Have students compare and contrast the female characters in selected works of Poe's. What do they look like? How are their names similar? It is believed that Poe based his female characters on his mother, do you agree or disagree with this statement?
2. Students can analyze how Poe's life influenced his writing by conducting a short research project. They can create a presentation and share what they found.
3. In "The Masque of The Red Death," students can analyze the short story for allegorical meaning.
4. Students can get creative and create their own masks for "'The Mask of the Red Death" and stage a Red Death masque to celebrate Poe's short story.
5. Students can rewrite "The Raven" using modern language and to better understand the famous poem.
6. In "Tell-Tale Heart," students could explore perspective, mood, and diction.

Obstacles: Although Poe's works are widely taught in schools across the country, there may still be some obstacles for students, parents, and administrators. I love Poe's unique writing style, but for some students it may be hard to understand and keep up with. As for parents, they may not want their children reading gothic stories that are full of dark and evil themes because they could be frightening. Additionally, Poe has a very mysterious background. He married his cousin when she was barely 13 years old and he was 27. There are also many speculations about how Poe died which could also be concerning for parents. Most administrators should not have a problem with Poe because as mentioned before, he is widely regarded as a central figure of Romanticism.  However, I would still be sure to let them know what I am teaching and why I am teaching it.

References:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe