Great American Authors | Edgar Allan Poe: Master of Macabre | 1

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 22 November 2023

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In February 1826, 17-year-old Edgar Allan Poe was a promising student at the University of Virginia. But within a few months, gambling debts forced him to abandon his studies. It was just one of many setbacks Poe endured in a life marked by financial struggle, alcoholism, and personal tragedy.

But Poe launched a remarkable career in writing, helping to establish American literature with a bold, new voice. From short stories including “The Fall of the House of Usher,” to the poem that made him famous, “The Raven,” he transformed the horror genre by delving into the dark recesses of the human subconscious and pushing the boundaries of fiction and verse.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Imagine it's the evening of October 16th, 1845, and you're in Boston, Massachusetts.
0:17.3	You're a reporter sitting in a dimly lit hall on the Boston Lyceum
0:21.6	where Edgar Allan Poe has just finished performing to a crowd of writers, editors, and literary critics.
0:27.0	You were excited for this assignment, a chance to watch the famous literary store in person, but his performance has left you and others in the
0:35.3	crowd stunned.
0:36.8	He delivered a long nonsensical poem that caused most of the audience to leave in frustration.
0:43.0	As you try to process what you've just witnessed,
0:46.0	you see Poe heading for the drinks table.
0:48.0	He seized the opportunity to follow him.
0:51.0	Mr Poe.
0:52.0	He turns to face you. his dark eyes glinting with mischief.
0:56.0	Yes, my dear.
0:57.5	I'm here tonight with evening transcript.
1:00.0	What was that poem you just read?
1:02.0	It's called All Or Off.
1:03.7	Would you believe I wrote it when I was just 10 years old?
1:06.7	10 years old?
1:07.7	But you were asked to perform a brand new original poem.
1:11.2	You realize you've left your audience bewildered.
1:14.0	Poe's lips curl into a bitter smile. Perhaps that was the point.
1:18.0	You stare at him in disbelief.
1:20.0	You were invited here to showcase your talents not to mock your audience, sir.
	...

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