Edgar Allan Poe in Context [Hardcover]

These accessible essays provide the most detailed picture of the historical, cultural and literary contexts surrounding Poe's life and times.Written by specialists in various areas of early nineteenth-century American life, these accessible essays examine Poe's geographical, social, and literary contexts, as well as those created by the publishing industry and advances in science and technology, painting an unprecedented portrait of his life and times.Written by specialists in various areas of early nineteenth-century American life, these accessible essays examine Poe's geographical, social, and literary contexts, as well as those created by the publishing industry and advances in science and technology, painting an unprecedented portrait of his life and times.Edgar Allan Poe mastered a variety of literary forms over the course of his brief and turbulent career. As a storyteller, Poe defied convention by creating Gothic tales of mystery, horror, and suspense that remain widely popular today. This collection demonstrates how Poe's experience of early nineteenth-century American life fueled his iconoclasm and shaped his literary legacy. Rather than provide critical explications of his writings, each essay explores one aspect of Poe's immediate environment, using pertinent writings  verse, fiction, reviews, and essays  to suit. Examining his geographical, social, and literary contexts, as well as those created by the publishing industry and advances in science and technology, the essays paint an unprecedented portrait of Poe's life and times. Written for a wide audience, the collection will offer scholars and students of American literature, historians, and general readers new insight into Poe's rich and complex work.List of illustrations; Notes on contributors; Preface; Part I. Geographical Contexts: 1. Great Britain Christopher Gair; 2. The south James Hutchisson; 3. The American west Nathaniel Lewis; 4. The sea David Dowling; 5. France Andrea Goulet; 6. The Near ElC€