The Poems of Edgar Allen Poe

5b Edgar Allen Poe. Illustrations by W. Heath Robinson. London: George Bell & Sons, 1900.

Notes

Edgar Allan Poe’s poetry is renowned for its musicality, melancholy, and exploration of beauty, death, and the supernatural. His verse often blends haunting rhythm with emotional intensity, creating an atmosphere of mystery and longing. Works like “The Raven,” “Annabel Lee,” “The Bells,” and “Lenore” capture his fascination with lost love, mortality, and the human psyche’s darker depths. Poe’s use of repetition, alliteration, and sound devices was groundbreaking, giving his poems a lyrical, almost hypnotic quality. His poetic philosophy—especially as expressed in his essay “The Philosophy of Composition”—centered on the idea that poetry should evoke beauty and emotion rather than convey moral lessons, making his work a cornerstone of American Romanticism and Gothic literature.

Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic, celebrated as a master of the macabre and one of the first true architects of the modern short story. Orphaned at a young age and plagued by financial hardship and personal tragedy, Poe’s life was as turbulent as his tales. He is credited with pioneering the detective fiction genre through stories like “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and influencing the development of science fiction. His sharp literary criticism and distinctive style left an indelible mark on American and international literature. Though he died mysteriously at just 40, Poe’s legacy endures through his innovation, his psychological depth, and his enduring exploration of beauty amid despair.

Description

Green cloth binding with illustrative upper board and spine. Gilt lettering to cover and spine. Illustrative elements on every page in art deco style. Deckled edge. Bumped corners and rubbing to edges.