Edgar Allan Poe's Influence On Modern Literature

Edgar Allan Poe was a famous writer born in 1809. As a young boy, he had an extremely arduous life. His father deserted the family shortly before his mother died, forcing Poe into the foster care system. His foster parents sent Poe to a boarding school and later he attended the University of Virginia. After just one year, however, he had left the university due to a gambling addiction. At 18, Poe's first collection of poetry was published. Poe enlisted in the Army and then attended West Point, an army academy. He wasn't there long before deciding it wasn't something he wanted for his life.

Although tainted with heartache and turmoil, Poe's adult years were some of his most productive. In 1831, he published a collection of poems and
Poe's influence is apparent in modern literature today. His greatest influence comes through his murder mysteries, a genre he invented. We see his influence live on through Sherlock Holmes, Perry Mason and others who are ancestors of Poe's cerebral and analytic characters in "The Mystery of Marie Roget" and "The Purloined Letter." Science fiction can also be traced back to Poe.

Poe has an international reputation in the mystery genre, not only for his terrifying tales, but also for his critical acumen. With literature such as "Gold Bug," "Morella," and "The Black Cat," he is justifiably famous. From treasure-mysteries to arabesques and grotesques, his published works have gained international respect from authors across numerous genres.

When writing "The Raven," Poe applied his test of condensation to poetry. He turned romantic tendencies into abridged rules and declared poems can be both short and meaningfully crafted. In "The Philosophy of Composition," Poe gave a detailed account of those steps. Poe's strict control of words rather than spontaneous flow of emotion earned him a reputation among French symbolists, surrealists and