Edgar Allan Poe is "one the greatest and unhappiest of American poets, a master of the horror tale, and the patron saint of the detective story."
This month, we'll have a reading project and we'll start with the great American mystery and horror writer. First, let's get to know a little bit of this great author's life. Please, read his biography (choose one of the links below).
http://www.online-literature.com/poe/
http://bau2.uibk.ac.at/sg/poe/Bio.html
http://dictionary.cambridge.org (online Dictionary)
In the comment area, write your opinion about Edgar Allan Poe.
Did he have a happy life? Why/why not?
What called your attention in his biography?
Do you think an author needs to suffer a lot to write well?
Let's share our ideas and learn even more. I hope to see lots of comments and ideas here!
Carla
Look how deep and dark Edgar Allan Poe was ...
ALONE
From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were---I have not seen
As others saw---I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source
I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I lov'd, I loved alone.
Then---in my childhood---in the dawn
Of a most stormy life---was drawn
From ev'ry depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still:
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
From the sun that 'round me roll'd
In its autumn tint of gold---
From the lightning in the sky
As it pass'd me flying by---
From the thunder and the storm,
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view.
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10 comments:
I haven't known Edgar Allan Poe before.
His biography is so sad.
Unfortunatelly, he didn't have a happy life.His father died when he was one year and his mother died too when he was 2 years-old. I think a child without mother is so sad...
Later his wife Virginia burst a blood vessel and remained a virtual invalid until her death from tuberculosis.
After everything like this, Poe
began to lose his struggle with drinking and drugs.
Poe suffered from bouts of depression and madness and he attempted suiciede in 1848.
After he disappeared for three days after a drink at a birthday party, he turned up in a delirious condition and died...
HIs whole life had a lot of tragedies...
Poor man.
I think an author doesn't need to suffer a lot to write well, but of course the suffrance helps the author to write beautiful things.
I never lose anybody in my family.
but I can imagine his suffrance.
Me, I can't live without my children.
Marilda
Poor Boy. Allan haven't a happy life. He suffered a lot, and lived lonely. I think everyone that lose father and mother feels lost, but when that happens when you are a little kid, you don't have a place to go.
and when i thought : well, thats enough... he keeps suffering. He's fiance died, and he keeps depressed, consuming alcool and drugs, tried to kill him self.And when i thought again: ok, now thats enough, he surprise us and insist in keep suffering... and die in a delirious condition. My God.
I think when an artist talk about blues he is trying to survive, couse when you open the door, criativity can flue, and helps to put your blue away. But i don't think an artist needs this blue all the time to produce. An artist only knows what is a blue, but knows what is happiness too. We can produce when feel happy or when feel blue.
Maybe he survive better and can support all the suffer becouse he criated an way to put that suffer away.
but, poor boy.
Marina
My Godness!!!
The sad biography about
Edgar Allan Poe!!
He lost his parents early. He has to face the live when he was a child. However, probably, his big trouble was his mind, because this, he was depressive person. Spite of the problems, the way to see the things changes everything.
There isnt't any doubt that grow up without relatives is terrible, but in our country, there are millions of people that dont't have any relatives and resources,but this people are happy, work, study, don't give up. it's important for us in order to follow.
However, maybe, the way to see the world, helped him to write well-successded histories.
Great man, in spite of passing by several unpleasant situations, he was able to produce good books. I guess the job of writing is like a scape from his reality and a way to keep going with his life.
I still haven't read any of his books but I hope to read one next.
Dear Marilda, Marina, Kelly and Emerson,
I really loved what you mentioned about Edgar Allan Poe's life, your opinions about it, and your ideas about an author's inspiration to write.
I believe that artists are more sensitive by nature, and they have this tendency to perceive their surroundings in a deeper way. So they might suffer more, too. However, Marina, I loved your opinion that you can be creative when you are really down or really happy. For me, as a teacher, everything works better when I'm happy and inspired!
Let's keep exploring the mysteries of Edgar Allan Poe together!
You are great, guys. And I'm amazed, impressed at how much you're writing and the quality of your texts. Fantastic, indeed!
Your very proud teacher,
Carla
Hi there,
My name is Aída and I’m a librarian at Casa Thomas Jefferson.
I’m delighted to hear how you all are enjoying the life and stories of Edgar Allan Poe, although he didn’t have a very easy life and died very young, he fortunately left us so many great works.
I’m pretty sure it is just a start because our library has lots of books and magazines you can read, and we will be waiting for your visit.
I’m sure you have a GREAT teacher who is always willing to help you all.
Read, Read and Read....
See you,
Aída
“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends:
they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors,
and the most patient of teachers.”
Charles W. Eliot
Dear Carla,
How sad and unhappy Allan Poe was! I am almost crying after reading his poem. As sad as soon his life was. I had never read nothing from him. The most impressive thing I found in his biography was how many things to live in a so soon life. And, although every trobles he could leave us so good books.
I think his unhapyness is because he didn't accept the fact to loose his parentes so much early. It's so hard for a child to live without her parentes kindness, specially mother's love. Even when someone takes the resposability of taking care of her, it's not enough to cover the missing real family. Many people go over this kind of trobles and become happy and glad people. But it seems it wasn't easy to him.
Adding to all problems he had in his teenage, he lost his wife so much early too. At first to the illness and than for the death.
I think it's not necessary a writer to be unhappy to write good things. Usualy unhappy people write depressive things. As much happy and glad is the person, as biger the inspiration/imagination for every kind of job.
Maybe it has been the only way he found to express his sorrow and, off course, support himself.
Kisses,
Leolita
Karen
Allan Poe's biography is too sad because nothing in his life has gone well. His parents died when he was a child, he was expelled from the University, he was discharged from the U.S. Arm and his wife died from Tuberculosis. It's almost impossible anyone to be happy with these tragedies in his life...
One of the things that attracted my attention about his biography was the fact of that he was happy with his wife, in despite of all the sadness that has happened with him. Moreover, I guess that some sad things he could to have avoided, like the gambling debts and the troubles with drugs and drinks.
I guess that some people need to live sad moments to write about them. However, another ones don't need to live sad moments to write about and learn about the life.
Dear Leolita and Karen,
Edgar Allan Poe found his way through writing. As you mentioned, probably it was the way he found to relieve his pain and give him strength to keep going.
Of course, he could have avoided many of his problems, but sometimes we get so involved in them that we can't see a way out...
The story you'll be reading is an interesting one, and I hope you enjoy our reading project.
Thanks for your wonderful contribution with your thoughts and opinions. You are all doing an excellent job!
Carla
Salejandra,
It was a great summary of his life with all the "dark" moments he had!
As you mentioned, he didn't have a good life, so maybe his texts were the way he found to comfort himself.
Keep up the good job!
Carla
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