Final Research Paper - Edgar Allan Poe

1. “The Sleeper”

1.1. Dark romanticism piece

1.2. Vivid description of characters - imagery

1.3. Spiritual connection (dreams vs reality)

2. Biography

2.1. Parents died before he was 3

2.2. Married his cousin, Virginia, in 1836

2.3. 1837-1847 est himself as poet, writer, and editor

2.4. Virginia died in 1947 and moved Poe into deeper depression

3. Themes

3.1. Love

3.1.1. Saying goodbye to a beautiful woman

3.2. Death

3.2.1. Walking through a cemetary

3.2.1.1. Mentioning ghosts and souls

3.3. Nature

3.3.1. Mountains, fog, trees, and a valley

4. Introduction

4.1. Typically writes about love and death

4.2. In 1834 - won contest in the Baltimore Saturday Visiter

4.3. Literary prize in 1843 for “the Gold Bug”

5. Works Cited so far:

5.1. Biography.com

5.2. Poets.org

5.3. Poetry foundation

6. Legacy

6.1. Baltimore home is now a museum

6.2. One of America’s most enduring writers

6.3. Reputation was badly damaged by Rufus Griswold, saying he was mentally deranged and a womanizer

7. Analysis

7.1. Focuses on the death of a beautiful woman

7.2. Mans journey through a cemetery looking for his lost love

7.3. Deciding whether to remember the beautiful woman or forget her completely