how were contemporary writers influenced by poes style? Cspecifically sir arthur conan boyle ray biadbury, stephen king?

-- Anonymous, October 23, 2000

Answers

Loni,

The following are just a few of those personalities in history that have been influenced in one form or another by the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Many, themselves, have gone on to have their own significant impact on world literature as well. While I am sure there are many others, I am unable to recall them and most of those listed below have come from the Edgar All Poe Society of Baltimore web site.

George Bernard Shaw once said, BAmerica has been found out; and Poe had not; that is the situation. How did he live there, this finest of fine artists, this born aristocrat of letters? Alas! he did not live there: he died there, and was duly explained away as a drunkard and a failure... He was the greatest journalistic critic of his time... His poetry is exquisitely refined... In his stories of mystery and imagination Poe created a world record for the English language: perhaps for all languages... unparalleled and unapproached... Poe constantly and inevitably produced magic where his greatest contemporaries produced only beauty... There is really nothing to be said about it; we others simply take off our hats and let Mr. Poe go first.B Personally, I feel his contributions have been inestimable butB well, judge for yourself.

Charles Baudelaire (1821 - 1867) born in France, Baudelaire was a French poet and critic and was profoundly influenced by Poe in his first introduction to PoeBs writing in 1847. He is said to have used many of PoeBs ideas in his own works. He wrote an essay of PoeBs works and published five volumes of translations of PoeBs works between 1856 and 1865.

Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821 - 1881) born in Moscow, Russia he was a journalist and author of novels and short stories. Often regarded as one of the finest authors that has ever lived, his works dealt with the psychological examinations of the dark side of the human heart. His works have been considered prophetic for their predictive elements on the Russian revolution and its impact on Russia once the revolutionaries came to power.

Jules Verne (1828 - 1905) born in Nantes, France, he was a lawyer, stockbroker and author of tales of fantasy and science fiction that include BJourney to the Center of the EarthB, BTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the SeaB and BAround the World in 80 DaysB. His gifts of imagination and insight have caused him to have been paralleled with Nostradamus but this is primarily a French fantasy born of paranoiac fear for the loss of their artistic identity. Jules Verne was a much more interesting and accurate forecaster of the future than Nostradamus.

Stephane Mallarme (1842 - 1898) born in Paris, France, Mallarme was a French poet and a leader of the symbolist movement in French literature in the 19th century. He studied English in London in about 1863 and by 1880 became recognized as FranceBs most imminent poet.

Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914) born in Ohio, he was an American newspaperman most famous for satire and his acid wit. He inspired fear in his powerful enemies in industry and politics from coast to coast. He wrote poetry and stories of the supernatural and while influenced by Poe, his style differed in the emphasis he placed on the stories plot and twists in the story line. He was known as BBitter BierceB for his often vicious rhetoric for which he remained unapologetic throughout his life. See his BDevilBs DictionaryB for some interesting views on life in general.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 - 1930) born in Edinburgh, he was a physician and writer and creator of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. About 1917, his interest in spiritualism culminated in the works BThe New RevelationB and BThe Vital MessageB and in 1926 his BHistory of SpiritualismB was published. PoeBs character, C. Auguste Dupin, was a model for DoyleBs Sherlock Holmes and PoeBs influence can be seen in HolmesB methods of discernment and use of ratiocination. Doyle once asked, BWhere was the detective story until Poe breathed the breath of life into it?B Howard Philip Lovecraft (1890 - 1937) born in Providence, Rhode Island, he was the author of tales of fantasy and horror as well as poetry. He once wrote a magnificent essay on BSupernatural Horror in Literature.B Strongly influenced by Poe, he once said that his discovery of Poe at an early age was his Bdownfall,B meaning that he would never again experience the beauty of the world without a concurrent awareness of death.

Jorge Luis Borges (1899 - 1986) born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a philosopher and writer of poetry, short stories (fiction and non- fiction) and essays on reading and writing.

Robert Bloch (1917 - 1994) best known as the author of BPsychoB, he wrote stories of science fiction, horror and thrillers. His examination of the psychotic mind is reminiscent of PoeBs BThe Tell Tale HeartB. Once, when asked about the influence of H P Lovecraft on his works, he responded, BWell, he had every influence possible. He was the man who I most admired in Fantasy, next to Edgar Allan Poe.B

Ray Bradbury (1920 - ) an American writer, born in Waukegan, Illinois, best known for science fiction and author of BThe Martian ChroniclesB, BDandelion WineB, BThe Illustrated ManB and BSomething Wicked This Way ComesB. Bradbury is also known as a playwright, essayist, poet and screenwriter. Ray Bradbury once characterized himself as BB a writer of myths, like the ancient Greeks and Romans, and more modern authors like Herman Melville and Edgar Allen Poe.B Stephen King (1947 - ) born in Portland, Maine. A prolific and exceedingly popular modern writer of the macabre, science fiction and horror.

Regards,

-- Anonymous, October 24, 2000

this vcr is a slot for a tape, and my fingers are stuck in it. ben you want to fight, said bradd.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000

books on the book shelf are more than one color. And when i open the door the stupid alarm goes off. i need to go and buy grocerys. weee

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2000