Edgar Allan Poe

Biographical Approach

Biographical Approach

• Literary Criticism

• 3.7 Analyze a work of literature, showing how it reflects the heritage, traditions, attitudes, and beliefs of its author. (Biographical approach)

Heritage

• Past, inherit

Traditions

attitudes

beliefs

Biography

• Born in Boston, 1809

• Mother dies when Poe was 3.

• Adopted by the Allan’s

• Biological father abandons family

• Foster father Allan cuts Poe off financially.

• Poe attends University of Virginia

Biography cont.

• Poe attends West Point

• Marries young cousin Virginia

• Virginia dies 5 years later of tuberculosis TB

• Poe becomes a prolific writer, but poor

• He dies at age 40, Oct. 1849.

Gothic Literature

• Poe wants to create a single effect in the reader.

previewing

• P. 354

• Why the eye?

• Why the blood?

• What does the publisher want the reader to feel or think?

Poe’s style of writing

• True!-nervous-very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses-not destroyed-not dulled them.

Symbol of eye

• The eye symbolizes…..

Eye symbolizes

1st person point of view

• I

• “I loved the old man”

• Narrator is unreliable (not trustworthy)

• Intimate

Verbal Irony

Situational Irony

Dramatic Irony

Vocabulary p. 353

• Vocabulary: definition, example, restatement, comparison, contrast,

• I expected the attorney to yell vehemently; however, he quietly and gently made his point. (Contrast)

Acute sharp

Vexed v.

• disturbed

Sagacity n. intelligence and good judgments

Refrained v. held back

Wary adj. cautious

Suavity. N. smooth manner

Audacity n. boldness

Vehemently. Adv. forcefully

gesticulations

• Energetic gestures

Derision n. ridicule

The watch symbolizes

Symbol of the watch