Comparing The Works Of Edgar Allan Poe And Horror Stories

Detective and horror stories are some of the most widely read genres in today's generation. However, these two types of stories would not be where they are if it was not for Edgar Allan Poe. He created an entirely new type of story, one that was looked upon as strange in the era they were published. These stories were able to stand the test of time to become some of the most famous poems and stories ever written. Because of these stories, Poe is now known as the father of the detective story.

Edgar Allan Poe had a rough childhood. At the age of three, both of his parents had died and he ended up living with the John and Frances Valentine Allan. Mr. Allan was a wealthy tobacco businessman in Virginia and he pushed these traits on Poe. By

Nobody could discern exactly what he was trying to get across but were intrigued by the dark stories. Poe spent most of his time writing for newspapers and magazines, barely making a living. He turned the Messenger into the most popular magazine in the south. As Edgar Poe continued to write, he continued to gain more fame. When he published "The Raven" he became an instant household name (poemuseum). He gave lectures to large crowds and kept writing well known pieces. With all of the fame Poe was getting, nobody really tried to follow his footsteps during that time. No authors tried to implicate themselves with Poe's style due to the mastermind work Poe was putting out. His influences would only reach authors later in the 20th century. Edgar never saw the continuation of the horror and detective genre in his lifetime. He was a very misunderstood person who was viewed as a creepy man. After his death, literary rival Rufus Griswold wrote libelous obituary about Poe out of revenge. He portrayed Poe as a drunken, womanizing madman with no morals and no friends. Griswold’s attacks were meant to cause the public to dismiss Poe and his works, but the biography had exactly the opposite effect and instead drove the sales of Poe’s books higher than they had ever been during the author’s lifetime

Besides creating the detective fiction and the horror story, he also was a master at the short story. His impact on literature is superb. Most of his works are still extant and are studied by students and adults alike. Authors still try to recreate and use Poe's language and mood. They also try to figure out how Poe was able to grasp the reader so easily and make them continue to read thoroughly, not in a cursory manor. Even the most famous horror story writers in today's generation use Poe as a source of inspiration. Author Stephen King has sold over 350 million books using ideologies from Poe. Many of his books have even been turned into films