Gothic Literature
Master of Horror
Learning Goals
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
Analyze how Edgar Allan Poe produces a sense of horror in his poems and short stories.
Define and identify examples of literary symbols.
Analyze the tone of a literary text.
Do Now:
A Haunting Legacy
How does Edgar Allan Poe's writing continue to influence readers today?
Perhaps all humans are at least a little fascinated by darkness at some point in their lives: the horror of hostile, seemingly supernatural forces, omens of doom and death, or even just the frailty of the human mind. One American writer, though, seemed to have a gift for making this darkness beautiful and wildly popular not just in his day, but for more than 170 years after his death. In this lesson, you will read and analyze the poetry and prose of Edgar Allan Poe, America's first and best-known master at portraying (and evoking) horror. Three of Poe's most anthologized works, the poems "The Raven" and "Annabel Lee" and the short story "The Masque of the Red Death," provide an excellent view of Poe's style and sensibility as a writer. His flawed narrators grapple with sorrow over lost love, the inevitability of death, or their own mental weaknesses. While Poe's sophisticated style appealed to the literary elite of his day, his grim content and melodic language pleased the masses as well. This may explain why even in the 21st century, Poe continues to inspire countless composers, movie makers, artists, and writers.
Less Visible Demons
What do you need to know about Poe's life to better appreciate his work?
While it is never safe to assume that fiction writers or poets base their works on autobiographical experiences, Poe's personal tragedies mirror many of the themes present in his work. Poe lost the most important women in his life at an early age, struggled with depression and alcohol, and never achieved financial stability despite his fame as a writer and a literary critic. On the following slides you will learn more about Poe's life.
Born in Boston in 1809 to the actors David and Elizabeth Poe, Edgar was soon orphaned and sent to live with John and Frances Allan in Richmond, VA. His wealthy foster parents gave Edgar a fine education and a comfortable childhood, but Edgar and John never saw eye to eye. When Poe entered the University of Virginia at age 17, Allan refused to give him enough funds to pay for his schooling. After unsuccessful attempts at gambling to pay his debts, Poe withdrew from the university. He then learned the unhappy news that his childhood sweetheart was engaged to another man, so he decided to join the army.
Poe worked hard in the army and, while still a soldier, published his very first work: Tamerlane and Other Poems. He later entered West Point to train as an officer but soon learned that his foster mother had died. Amid continued disagreements with John Allan and the realization that writing was his true passion, Poe neglected his cadet duties and was soon dismissed from the academy.
Poe moved from city to city in search of writing jobs at newspapers and magazines and changed his sole focus from poetry to writing short stories and literary criticism. When he published the short story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," Poe essentially invented the modern detective story, a form that many thousands of writers still imitate today. Poe acted as the editor of journals in Richmond and New York, but he always hoped to start his own publication one day. Gaining a reputation as a fierce critic and a difficult personality, Poe acquired many enemies in writing circles. While working for the Southern Literary Messenger, Poe married his cousin, 13-year-old Virginia Clemm, and brought her and her mother to live with him in Richmond.
In 1845, Poe published the poem that would change his fate. "The Raven" appeared in the Evening Mirror to great acclaim. Soon, Poe was famous, even though he received very little payment for the work. Two years after the publication, Virginia died of tuberculosis, leaving Poe overwhelmed with grief. In 1849, a distressed and incoherent Poe was found incapacitated in a Baltimore street even though friends had expected him to be traveling to New York. He was taken to a hospital where he died four days later. The exact cause of his death remains a mystery to this day.
Grow Your Vocabulary
Poe received an excellent education in his youth. He was skilled at English, French, and Latin, which may explain his vast vocabulary and talent for writing well in a very sophisticated style. Some of the language that Poe used in his poems and stories may be unfamiliar to you or may be used in unfamiliar ways. Make sure you know the meanings of the following words, which appear in the short story "The Masque of the Red Death." The story takes place at a masquerade ball, where all the guests wear ornate costumes and masks. Click each tab below the chart to learn and practice recalling the meaning of each word.
- pestilence
- sagacious
- casements
A Midnight Dreary
How does Poe make sorrow so intriguing in his poetry?
Published in 1845, Poe's poem "The Raven" quickly became his most famous work. It was so popular during his lifetime that Edgar Allan Poe became a household name in America. "The Raven" shares several elements with many of Poe's other works—the death of a beautiful woman, the appearance of the supernatural, and the spiraling madness of the speaker. Read these first two stanzas of "The Raven." As you read, think of words you might use to describe the mood that Poe's poem evokes right from the beginning.
The speaker of the poem pines over his books one miserable midnight in December, hoping that reading will put a stop to his sorrow over the loss of Lenore.
Strange Company
Read carefully to make sure you fully understand what is happening in Poe's most famous poem.
Now, read the remainder of Poe's celebrated narrative poem "The Raven." Like many of Poe's narrators, the speaker of this poem is suffering some fate that is not immediately clear to the reader. When a strange bird appears in his chamber, the man and bird exchange a series of questions and answers. What effect does this dialogue have on the speaker of "The Raven"? Is the interaction with the bird even real?
“The Raven” a la “The Simpsons”
Tools of the Gothic Trade
How does Poe use symbolism, point of view, and tone to make his works so haunting?
After reading "The Raven," you may understand why Edgar Allan Poe is considered one of the main writers of the Gothic movement. It is not just that Poe writes about dark subjects. It is how he writes about these subjects that makes his poems and stories so effective. Three elements that receive special attention from Poe are symbolism, point of view, and the use of carefully chosen words to create tone. Use the tabs to learn more about Poe's handling of these literary tools.
Symbolism
- Poe frequently uses symbols—objects, people, or ideas with a surface meaning that also convey a deeper, hidden significance—letting readers interpret works on multiple levels.
- Symbols offer both literal and figurative readings, enriching the text and its themes.
- The raven in Poe's poem exemplifies symbolic choice: its traditional links to bad omens create an unsettling mood that a symbol like a dove (peace) would not.
- Read two stanzas from Poe's poem "Annabel Lee." Much like the speaker in "The Raven," the speaker in this poem is mourning his lost love.
Point of View
- Poe’s choice of point of view shapes reader interpretation by presenting the events through the speaker’s perspective.
- In "The Raven" the speaker moves from sorrow over Lenore to anger and desperation, repeatedly questioning the raven that replies only with "nevermore""nevermore".
- Narration from the speaker’s troubled viewpoint evokes sympathy as readers witness his descent into madness.
- As you read the final stanzas from "Annabel Lee," think about how Poe uses point of view in this poem.
Now, read the final stanzas from "Annabel Lee" one more time. Notice Poe's word choices and the tone they create.
Tone
Like other writers of Gothic literature, Poe carefully selected his words to reveal a tone—an attitude toward the subject of his poetry and short stories. Take a look at some of the word choices that add to the melancholy and sorrowful tone of "The Raven":
- nevermore
- echo murmured
- midnight dreary
- grave and stern
- weak and weary
- ghastly grim and ancient
- bleak December
- unhappy
- dying ember
- dirges
- sorrow
- melancholy burden
- deep into darkness
- loneliness unbroken
The Color of Death
Use what you know about symbolism, point of view, and tone to analyze another of Poe's works.
"The Raven" and "Annabel Lee" illustrate Poe's fascination with the death of beautiful women, but the short story you are about to read, "The Masque of the Red Death," suggests that Poe was equally fascinated with the subject of death in a more general way. Click the Read Me button to read Poe's tale about a wealthy and powerful man who attempts to outwit death. Earlier in this lesson, you learned how Poe uses symbols, point of view, and carefully chosen words to create the dark and mysterious themes and tone that readers associate with his work.
Homework
Read “The Masque of the Red Death”
After reading "The Masque of the Red Death”, you will complete a graphic organizer with the following:
- Character Analysis
- Create a Social Media Profile for one of the characters
- Image Symbolism and quote matching
Exit Ticket
The End!
Thanks for
Listening!
Master of Horror
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Transcript
Gothic Literature
Master of Horror
Learning Goals
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
Analyze how Edgar Allan Poe produces a sense of horror in his poems and short stories.
Define and identify examples of literary symbols.
Analyze the tone of a literary text.
Do Now:
A Haunting Legacy
How does Edgar Allan Poe's writing continue to influence readers today?
Perhaps all humans are at least a little fascinated by darkness at some point in their lives: the horror of hostile, seemingly supernatural forces, omens of doom and death, or even just the frailty of the human mind. One American writer, though, seemed to have a gift for making this darkness beautiful and wildly popular not just in his day, but for more than 170 years after his death. In this lesson, you will read and analyze the poetry and prose of Edgar Allan Poe, America's first and best-known master at portraying (and evoking) horror. Three of Poe's most anthologized works, the poems "The Raven" and "Annabel Lee" and the short story "The Masque of the Red Death," provide an excellent view of Poe's style and sensibility as a writer. His flawed narrators grapple with sorrow over lost love, the inevitability of death, or their own mental weaknesses. While Poe's sophisticated style appealed to the literary elite of his day, his grim content and melodic language pleased the masses as well. This may explain why even in the 21st century, Poe continues to inspire countless composers, movie makers, artists, and writers.
Less Visible Demons
What do you need to know about Poe's life to better appreciate his work?
While it is never safe to assume that fiction writers or poets base their works on autobiographical experiences, Poe's personal tragedies mirror many of the themes present in his work. Poe lost the most important women in his life at an early age, struggled with depression and alcohol, and never achieved financial stability despite his fame as a writer and a literary critic. On the following slides you will learn more about Poe's life.
Born in Boston in 1809 to the actors David and Elizabeth Poe, Edgar was soon orphaned and sent to live with John and Frances Allan in Richmond, VA. His wealthy foster parents gave Edgar a fine education and a comfortable childhood, but Edgar and John never saw eye to eye. When Poe entered the University of Virginia at age 17, Allan refused to give him enough funds to pay for his schooling. After unsuccessful attempts at gambling to pay his debts, Poe withdrew from the university. He then learned the unhappy news that his childhood sweetheart was engaged to another man, so he decided to join the army.
Poe worked hard in the army and, while still a soldier, published his very first work: Tamerlane and Other Poems. He later entered West Point to train as an officer but soon learned that his foster mother had died. Amid continued disagreements with John Allan and the realization that writing was his true passion, Poe neglected his cadet duties and was soon dismissed from the academy.
Poe moved from city to city in search of writing jobs at newspapers and magazines and changed his sole focus from poetry to writing short stories and literary criticism. When he published the short story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," Poe essentially invented the modern detective story, a form that many thousands of writers still imitate today. Poe acted as the editor of journals in Richmond and New York, but he always hoped to start his own publication one day. Gaining a reputation as a fierce critic and a difficult personality, Poe acquired many enemies in writing circles. While working for the Southern Literary Messenger, Poe married his cousin, 13-year-old Virginia Clemm, and brought her and her mother to live with him in Richmond.
In 1845, Poe published the poem that would change his fate. "The Raven" appeared in the Evening Mirror to great acclaim. Soon, Poe was famous, even though he received very little payment for the work. Two years after the publication, Virginia died of tuberculosis, leaving Poe overwhelmed with grief. In 1849, a distressed and incoherent Poe was found incapacitated in a Baltimore street even though friends had expected him to be traveling to New York. He was taken to a hospital where he died four days later. The exact cause of his death remains a mystery to this day.
Grow Your Vocabulary
Poe received an excellent education in his youth. He was skilled at English, French, and Latin, which may explain his vast vocabulary and talent for writing well in a very sophisticated style. Some of the language that Poe used in his poems and stories may be unfamiliar to you or may be used in unfamiliar ways. Make sure you know the meanings of the following words, which appear in the short story "The Masque of the Red Death." The story takes place at a masquerade ball, where all the guests wear ornate costumes and masks. Click each tab below the chart to learn and practice recalling the meaning of each word.
A Midnight Dreary
How does Poe make sorrow so intriguing in his poetry?
Published in 1845, Poe's poem "The Raven" quickly became his most famous work. It was so popular during his lifetime that Edgar Allan Poe became a household name in America. "The Raven" shares several elements with many of Poe's other works—the death of a beautiful woman, the appearance of the supernatural, and the spiraling madness of the speaker. Read these first two stanzas of "The Raven." As you read, think of words you might use to describe the mood that Poe's poem evokes right from the beginning.
The speaker of the poem pines over his books one miserable midnight in December, hoping that reading will put a stop to his sorrow over the loss of Lenore.
Strange Company
Read carefully to make sure you fully understand what is happening in Poe's most famous poem.
Now, read the remainder of Poe's celebrated narrative poem "The Raven." Like many of Poe's narrators, the speaker of this poem is suffering some fate that is not immediately clear to the reader. When a strange bird appears in his chamber, the man and bird exchange a series of questions and answers. What effect does this dialogue have on the speaker of "The Raven"? Is the interaction with the bird even real?
“The Raven” a la “The Simpsons”
Tools of the Gothic Trade
How does Poe use symbolism, point of view, and tone to make his works so haunting?
After reading "The Raven," you may understand why Edgar Allan Poe is considered one of the main writers of the Gothic movement. It is not just that Poe writes about dark subjects. It is how he writes about these subjects that makes his poems and stories so effective. Three elements that receive special attention from Poe are symbolism, point of view, and the use of carefully chosen words to create tone. Use the tabs to learn more about Poe's handling of these literary tools.
Symbolism
Point of View
Now, read the final stanzas from "Annabel Lee" one more time. Notice Poe's word choices and the tone they create.
Tone
Like other writers of Gothic literature, Poe carefully selected his words to reveal a tone—an attitude toward the subject of his poetry and short stories. Take a look at some of the word choices that add to the melancholy and sorrowful tone of "The Raven":
The Color of Death
Use what you know about symbolism, point of view, and tone to analyze another of Poe's works.
"The Raven" and "Annabel Lee" illustrate Poe's fascination with the death of beautiful women, but the short story you are about to read, "The Masque of the Red Death," suggests that Poe was equally fascinated with the subject of death in a more general way. Click the Read Me button to read Poe's tale about a wealthy and powerful man who attempts to outwit death. Earlier in this lesson, you learned how Poe uses symbols, point of view, and carefully chosen words to create the dark and mysterious themes and tone that readers associate with his work.
Homework
Read “The Masque of the Red Death”
After reading "The Masque of the Red Death”, you will complete a graphic organizer with the following:
Exit Ticket
The End!
Thanks for
Listening!