

He basically invented the genre of mystery or detective fiction as well as science fiction, and he had very precise ideas about what stories are supposed to do and be, as is reflected in his essays. If you are interested in getting to know Poe better, we’ve provided you with lots of handy links in “Did You Know?” The most important thing you need to know about Poe is that he was a truly brilliant, visionary, and influential writer. This information helps us decipher a difficult symbol in the story, which you can read about in “Symbols, Imagery, Allegory.” He was a heavy drinker, and also addicted to the drug laudanum. For example, he’s rumored to have died from the bite of a rabid dog, but he probably passed away as a result of drug- and alcohol-related complications. His biography is fascinating, and the subject of much debate, gossip, and speculation. Maybe this helps explain why he was attracted to the dark themes. He and his brother and sister were orphaned shortly before Poe’s second birthday, and were each taken in by different families. Poe was born on Januto actors David and Eliza Poe.

It’s also a journey into the dark and mysterious recesses of the human psyche. It’s a tale of revenge, murder, torture, and addiction set in a vast underground Italian catacomb (underground cemetery).

It was his last, and some say greatest, short story. Edgar Allan Poe, an American short-story writer, essayist, and poet, published “ The Cask of Amontillado” in 1846.
