I just need to know what are the best stories of Poe's to compare and contrast with one another. And I'll also need to be able to find a good deal of critical analysis of both.

-- Anonymous, April 14, 2002

Answers

Obviously it would be better to tackle the most known and acclaimed stories in order to find critiques. The Tell Tale Heart can be paired to The Black Cat. A variation on the narration style point of view when the stories seem to have strong similarities in effect is important. Whether the narrator is victim(Pit and Pendulum), murderer(Amontillado), whether the narrator triumphs(or gets arrested), whether the narrator is a roimantic or an objective observer or sidekick to Dupin the detective. Comparing multiple stories to the late tale Hop Frog will yield interesting recaps, reversals, bitter jokes referring back to Poe's famous tales. Ligeia is similar to Morella and a bit to Berenice with the same haunted observer narrator facing a revenant girl friend with ambivalent feelings. The theme of architecture and the trapped mind can be key to a discussion of the Pit and Pendulum and Usher(both men doomed but striving to live one through his wits the other through his art. Pairing in fact is very instructive of the dual nature of Poe as thinker and artist.

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002