WHAT WERE HIS OVERALL INFLUENCES AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LITERACY WORLD?

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2003

Answers

Congratulations! This is the one millionth repetition of the vast generalized question stated above. You'll have to do some reading. Try www.eaopoe.org.

Otherwise reference Poe's place in the Romantic Movement(Byron, Shelley, Coldridge, Thomas Moore,etc.)his education in America and in England, his eclectic studies, West Point, University of Virginia. The Gothic genre and German writers.

His contributions: pioneered serious and American literary criticism beyond mere promotional hype, enlivneing debate and increasing the circulation of literary magazines with a variety of creative innovations such as the puzzle page. Raised the popular genres to new artistic and uniquely creative heights. Took poetry to a new level in theory and practice while maintaining its captivation of the wider public. The Raven was America's big international hit. Poe was one of very few American writers to have an enormous literary effect abroad(France and the Parnassians, the symbolists) which came back to America. Poe's small opus of short poems contains more memorable poetry for its output than almost any other writer. He invented the modern detective story and some its classic plots and forms. Works of imagination, art for art's sake, symbolism, surrealism, derive naturally from art championed by Poe.

And he mocked/disliked Emerson while recognizing the genius of Hawthorne.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2003