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Edgar Allan PoeA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Critics see “The Oval Portrait,” at least in part, as a meditation on the potential death of Poe’s wife, Virginia. Where else in Poe’s stories and poems does he describe the death of young women? Which of these works can reasonably be linked to Virginia’s illness? Are there other works where this link cannot be made? What else might account for Poe’s fascination with this topic?
“The Oval Portrait” is an example of Gothic Romanticism. What are the characteristics of this genre, and how are they manifested in his work and the works of other popular authors of his time? In what ways is “The Oval Portrait” typical of these works, and in what ways is it atypical?
One of the notable features of this story is its lyrical language. Where are the story’s most lyrical passages? Why might this musical, poetic language be concentrated in these particular parts of the story? What is the intended effect and overall function of this language?
By Edgar Allan Poe
A Dream Within a Dream
A Dream Within a Dream
Edgar Allan Poe
Annabel Lee
Annabel Lee
Edgar Allan Poe
Berenice
Berenice
Edgar Allan Poe
Hop-Frog
Hop-Frog
Edgar Allan Poe
Ligeia
Ligeia
Edgar Allan Poe
Tamerlane
Tamerlane
Edgar Allan Poe
The Black Cat
The Black Cat
Edgar Allan Poe
The Cask of Amontillado
The Cask of Amontillado
Edgar Allan Poe
The Conqueror Worm
The Conqueror Worm
Edgar Allan Poe
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
Edgar Allan Poe
The Fall of the House of Usher
The Fall of the House of Usher
Edgar Allan Poe
The Gold Bug
The Gold Bug
Edgar Allan Poe
The Haunted Palace
The Haunted Palace
Edgar Allan Poe
The Imp of the Perverse
The Imp of the Perverse
Edgar Allan Poe
The Lake
The Lake
Edgar Allan Poe
The Man of the Crowd
The Man of the Crowd
Edgar Allan Poe
The Masque of the Red Death
The Masque of the Red Death
Edgar Allan Poe
The Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Murders in the Rue Morgue
Edgar Allan Poe
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
Edgar Allan Poe
The Philosophy of Composition
The Philosophy of Composition
Edgar Allan Poe