What was Edgar Allen Poe's effect on society? How did he change society, writing, beliefs.. anything? I need help for a paper and I've used all my resources and cannot find anything really. Help please!

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001

Answers

Admittedly Poe was almost entirely a literary man and had little to say about politics, religion or the times unless it was some trendy item of science or invention(balloons, skull reading,polar expeditions etc.)In American letters his effect was profound. His innovative and popular ideas for magazines, his unsparing analytical criticism(most reviews were hype in those days), his poetry, invention of the modern detective story, championing of the cause of a truly American literature(not an imitation of Britain), championing the cause of Southern writers vis a vis the New England and New York literati, his raising the gothic tale to perfection as a true art form, the popularity of The Raven put American poetry front and center on the world stage, his support for good and upcoming authors like Hawthorne, Dickens, his attacks against mediocrity.

Unfortunately, the shadow cast over his reputation by Griswold's slanderous and critical obituary ruined his personal status while his work and ideas continued to prosper.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2001