Why was some of Poe's work so dark?

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2002

Answers

His times, temperament and personal woes. I am glad you said some of his work. Poe was much broader, more optimisitc(perhaps too forceably) than the popular Gothic stories or melancholic poems he is most known for. he became a cult figure of the Gothic fashion of the times, which he played up but even ridiculed at times.

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2002

Poe suffered from a Bipolar Disorder, part of that makes the person more creative and they get on energy sprees (manic episode) and they are able to write like hell and also not sleep sometimes. Writers who rely more on emotion expression and vivid imagery are more likely to have a Bipolar Disorder, like Poe. Then they will become incredible depressed again, as Poe often was.

As we read his writing and see the creativity that they encompass was also see many common themes that are related to his major depression that the disorder caused. Such as insanity, murder, pride, beauty, love and irony, which can be found in “The Black Cat.”

For those that have to analyze his work this is valuable information.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2002