Edgar Allan Poe was overlooked as a writer during his lifetime, just like most writers of the time. All of his writings are still studied and analyzed by most literature-related teachings. His themes differ throughout his writings, but they all derive from the fundamental style of Poe's writings. Poe's life experiences impacted his works and convey his complex thought processes. Each writing has an underlying dark tone that adds suspense to the reading and captures the curious reader's attention with every descriptive and intricate word used in every line of the writings. Poe's style is debated by most scholars, one central style for which he is best known, which everyone agrees on, is Gothic. Styles of Transcendentalism and Romanticism are also visible in some elements within the writings. Poe also remained aligned with the Gothic style but the themes of his stories differed from each other. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Most writers, like Herman Melville, wrote about the sea in virtually every piece they produced. It was also common to have two titles for a literary work, which is not common in today's writings. Poe kept things rather simple in his dark temperament and conveyed his inner thoughts in every masterpiece he created. Every writer is different in their works and can write from the heart or from the imagination, but some argue that Poe wrote his works based on his past experiences and projecting his inner thoughts and beliefs onto the paper in front of him. He was true to himself and wanted to represent this in his writings. Poe was a critic of other people's writings, so he had to be sure that his works were free from flaws. Poe was known for ignoring the events of the times and living in his own existence, “Edgar Allan Poe, that strange genius of a hack writer, lived in a cocoon of torment so narcissistic that he was almost blind to the thriving American nation around him. " him, and so, perversely, he became a mythical presence in the American literary consciousness.” Poe not only had the ability to create the setting and atmosphere for the writer, but he could also manipulate an established style into others: “The Gothic is easily transformed into associated genres such as horror, terror, the macabre, and mystery ”. Reading a work by Poe is almost otherworldly, he was known for bringing words to life and placing the reader into the events throughout the work. The themes used in his pieces ranged from love, impermanence and uncertainty, to nature, imagination, desperation, hope and the subconscious self which was not known at the time before Freud branded the conscious, the subconscious and the id. It was the origin of new genres that arose from the original Gothic style such as science fiction, detective case stories, and other forms of Gothic. Poe is best known for his short stories which have proven to be so popular in classrooms abroad. , but Poe initially began his career by writing poetry. A poem by Poe, "'To Helen' is a three-stanza text that has been called one of the finest love poems in the English language." This poem was written by Poe about his first love in years gone by. It was believed to be the initial influence on Poe's poetic beginnings. Love being the theme of this short poem, it describes the narrator's feelings towards Helen. Each line is so descriptive in a way that the words become personified and brings a sense of existence to each word. Helen was compared to a Greek god, "Like thosebarks of Nicea of ​​old...". Helen is compared to other Greek deities and described in a beautiful and loving way that really shows the immense feelings towards this person. The poem begins with Helen being compared to beautiful things and how her beauty can apparently make a wanderer seem as if he has now arrived at his destination. Of which the narrator speaks troubled sea and a meaningless journey until Helen becomes part of it. Helen's beauty is described as a drawing: “Your airs Niad brought me home...". The Niads were mythical creatures famous for luring sailors to their watery graves. Helen's beauty is an attraction to the "weary and worn wanderer..." as Poe states in this piece. When Helen comes sighted, it's like being home again instead of being abroad aimlessly This poem gave an idea of ​​how much love was obtained for a person and the impact that love could have on a person Poe's popular tale, "Two stories, 'Ligeia' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher,' both published in 1839, clearly show Poe's continuing orientation towards classical values ​​and themes." Ligeia had an understated love theme although it was not the central focus within the piece. Other themes used by Poe and prevalent in "The Fall of the House of Usher" were madness, which was used often, fear, and the implementation of the imagination. Poe seemed to try to make his writings a mystery that the reader must solve while reading. Each sentence leaves suspense for the next, which makes reading more enticing. In "The Fall of the House of Usher" Poe paints the scene with words in the first sentence that set the sad tone of the story. As the narrator passes through the House of Usher, he states, "I looked at the scene before me, the simple house and simple landscape features of the domain, the dingy walls, the empty eye-like windows, the some thriving sedges - and on some white trunks of rotten trees - with an absolute depression of the soul which I cannot compare to any earthly sensation more properly than to the subsequent dream of the opium revel - the bitter lapse of time in everyday life: the horrible fall of the veil.” Poe activates the imagination by describing this eccentric and dark residence for the reader to imagine. He intertwines the activation of the imagination and mystery with fear as the narrator himself was tired of this sight 'Usher principal, Roderick, therefore knew in his mind that there was no plausible explanation for his internal feelings towards the estate. The narrator knew that something was wrong in the house. Perhaps, if the descriptive explanation of the place or the residents does not expose the theme of fear, an aspect that everyone typically fears is evident, the unknown. The narrator is informed by Roderick that Roderick's sister has been struck by an unknown disease that also affects him. the mysterious aspect of the situation. The narrator claims to have known Roderick for many years but knows very little about the man. Mystery is used throughout the story in the unawareness of the narrator's host. The reader can also feel the claustrophobic feeling within the reading as it seems like everyone is trapped within the horrible walls, unaware of what is about to happen. Inevitable closeness is used in two aspects: the actual confinement of the house and, metaphorically, to describe the closeness of the family when the Usher bloodline is discovered to have been internalized with no extendable branches on the family tree. The decrepit state of the dying establishment is also used to simultaneously describe the family's crumbling foundation, as only two Ushers remain. Theseinformation conveys the mystery in the house and leaves the reader to imagine why any of this would happen or be normalized within a family since it is a strange occurrence. As the days pass, the sister dies and is buried in the house among other graves. This sight instills more fear as the narrator descends and describes the bowels of the mysterious mansion. The sister, who previously thought she was dead and was buried, rose from her false grave because she was not actually dead. "CRAZY! I TELL YOU HE IS NOW WITHOUT THE DOOR!" (Poe 2485.) Another event of fear and the paranormal as the sister stands before them, alive, although this was known to have been placed in the underground tombs : "Mr. Poe's evident and most important aim is originality, both of idea, and of combination of ideas" (Freeland). Poe was perfectly capable of intensifying a simple theme so that it could be grasped both physically and mentally. Poetry is a world that knows no limits. Some poems rhyme, others do not. It is a style of freedom that can hold any ideas the writer may have. It is the only form of writing that can be free and have no restrictions for any ideas or imaginations that visit it. It is a beautiful form of writing that allows for expression of all. A simpler reading of Poe's literature is “Sonnet-To Science”. The expository factors of love, fear, or any additional themes that Poe used as his tools are missing. Poetry is made for the imagination and for the use of whatever the writer wishes to use. Poe states that science inhibits this for the poet. Science takes away the imagination and freedom of writing because it states: “Science! true daughter of the old days, you are! That alters all things with thy searching eyes” (Poe 2529). Science is constantly evolving, and Poe lived in a time of revolution where science became prevalent in discoveries abroad. The advancing times were ruining the creativity needed to write poetry. Poetry was a way for writers and readers to escape the inevitable corruption that the world foreshadowed through its cruel and unstoppable events of war and division of nations. Poe resented the science in the sonnet as he thought it could ultimately strangle the art as it was. This piece is another example of how Poe can master any theme he wishes to implement in his works. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Although short stories are the initial destination one's mind goes to when remembering Poe, poetry was also in the mix. Poe gave rise to many ideas and styles during his years of writing and projected his previous experiences into his work. Poe wrote in such a way that each word was given a personified existence. Some writings might make your heart skip a beat and some might break your heart. Poe's play of the senses distinguishes him from most others and popularizes his many stories and poems. Poe laid the foundation for many ways of thinking today ranging from filmmaking to writings. Writings of the time could become monotonous as the same theme overlapped with the story. Although Poe is known for his dark and macabre works, his themes differed greatly throughout his arsenal. Love or darkness were shades for most of the writings, the writings were all personalized and different from the next ones. Poe also used some of his works as allusions in his other writings, as where most use allusions from outside sources, Poe used.