What was society's background and what was it like during the time that Poe lived?

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2004

Answers

This is one of a number of questions hinting that the cultural critique of Poe and understanding of his times is essential. Probably less for Poe than other writers since Poe's stand is much like "art for art's sake" and pulp for bucks fun forays into Gotyhic fiction. You have to read a variety of history and first source documentation of the times to get an inkling. You have to undertstand the Romanticism, the growth of America specifically in Poe's time and most especially the state of literature to which he dedicated himself wholly. Between the Revolution and the Civil War you have a time of rapid expansion, the instituionalization of liberty and emocracy as a normal culture, but still the reliance on Europe for education and culture norms.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2004

Because he stinks like a donkey pooo dughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dumb people

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2004

i smell bad nd r g

-- Anonymous, January 25, 2005