Book & Review Forums: 3 Short Reads by Edgar Allan Poe
3 Short Reads not enough!
Edgar Allan Poe has a beautiful, albeit haunting, writing style. I enjoyed reading "The Masque of the Red Death" for its imagery and themes (death is just and does not discriminate between the rich and the poor), "The Tell-Tale Heart" for what I interpreted as its message of the power of guilt, and "The Raven" for its rhythm and subject. I am now in the midst of Poe mania and moving on to some of Poe's lesser-known works, such as "Alone" and "The Coliseum".
Replies (2)
Posted by
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Poe is always worth reading and becomes (his Red Death) quite timely, what with swine flu presenting the same issues that were/are ongoing threats to humanity. I do not see death as just, but rather as indiscriminate and random in this story which makes it more realistic and frightening as in real life. As Poe knew all too well in his own personal life. Thanks, for mentioning some of the lesser known stories. I enjoy your comments.
May 26, 2009 7:29 am
by dreamdust -
Thanks, dreamdust! I can't believe I didn't notice the connection between swine flu and "The Masque of the Red Death", even though I read it during the midst of all the furor from the media. The fact that the Red Death entered Prince Prospero's palace despite his precautions is a parallel with the spread of many historical epidemic diseases throughout the world (I recently learned that the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic even reached a remote Alaskan village in the days before air travel, all because a mailman went there by dog sled and delivered a dose of flu along with the mail.)
by wellreadscholar
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