Poe, Edgar Allan

Introduction

Poe, Edgar Allan, 1809–49, American poet, short-story writer, and critic, b. Boston. He is acknowledged today as one of the most brilliant and original writers in American literature. His skillfully wrought tales and poems convey with passionate intensity the mysterious, dreamlike, and often macabre forces that pervaded his sensibility. He is also considered the father of the modern detective story.

Sections in this article:

Introduction
Assessment
Later Life and Mature Works
Early Life and Works
Bibliography

See more Encyclopedia articles on: American Literature: Biographies