For most of his two – decade long career as a short story writer and a poet, with his first book of poetry being published in 1827 when he was only eighteen, Edgar Allan Poe struggled to support himself and his family. His greatest success came in 1845 with the publication of his most famous poem, “The Raven.” Its success provided Poe and his family with short-term financial stability thus enabling him to settle down in a respectable neighbourhood in New York. Of equal importance, he finally began to feel he had achieved fame and recognition he deserved. However, while many critics were celebrating his poem, others were attacking it, resulting in the appearance of numerous parodies. In response to the ever-growing criticism, Poe decided to create an extensive and profound piece of literary criticism, “The Philosophy of Composition.” Moreover, being the piece of literature where the theory of unity of effect is presented and thoroughly explained, it will be used as the primary reference while discussing the topic of this essay. Essay will also include its representation in two of Poe’s famous short stories, “The Black Cat” and “The Tell –Tale Heart.” “The Philosophy of Composition”, first published in 1846, represents an explanation of Poe’s process of composing “The Raven” as well as a template for the creation of literature in general. Among the central ideas of his essay, such as Beauty, being the core of the poem, originality and Truth, unity of effect is what makes his