In honor of Halloween approaching, we have thought it fitting to post this delightful little 1953 animated film based on “The Tell Tale Heart” by Mr. Poe. It is narrated by James Mason. Fun fact; this short was the first cartoon to be X-rated (adults only) in Great Britain under the British Board of Film Censors classification system.
Enjoy!
A lovely little poetry animation just in time for Halloween! Edgar Allan Poe “reading” his classic THE RAVEN!
Poe claimed to have written the poem very logically and methodically. His intention was to create a poem that would appeal to both critical and popular tastes, as he explains in the follow-up essay: “The Philosophy of Composition”. The poem was inspired in part by a talking raven in the novel Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of ‘Eighty by Charles Dickens.[3] Poe borrows the complex rhythm and meter of Elizabeth Barrett’s poem “Lady Geraldine’s Courtship”.
Today is Edgar Allan Poe’s deathday. Poe died in 1849 from what is believed to be tuberculosis, though there were numerous suspicions that the writer had contracted rabies, cholera, syphilis or perhaps had an epileptic seizure. We’ll never know for sure as the death records have been lost. He was only 40 years old.
Poe is among the most famous writers of our time. He is remembered as the Master of Horror and the macabre. His writings have haunted and thrilled readers for many years and his influence on popular culture has been legendary.
Among his masterpieces are the short stories The Pit and the Pendulum, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Masque of the Red Death, The Fall of the House of Usher, and The Gold Bug. His poetry expresses a melancholy yet sensuous state of being that leaves many readers with mixed emotions. Poe unnerves some and inspires others. Some of our favorite poems by Poe include his masterpiece “The Raven”, “The Bells”, “The City in the Sea” and of course, “Annabel Lee”.
Poe published his first volume of poetry in 1827, Tamerlane and other Poems. But it was not published under his name but rather as “A Bostonian”. It may encourage and interest some of you aspiring poets out there to know that Poe’s most famous poem “The Raven”, first published in 1845, only earned the poet between $10 and $15!!
Edgar Allan Poe may have died poverty stricken, widowed and wandering the streets of Baltimore in a confused and delirious state (on account of drunkenness or perhaps rabies), but mark our words… he will never be forgotten. His terrifying and thought provoking texts will continue to haunt readers for many many ages to come.
Today, remember Mr. Poe. Draw the curtains, light some candles and listen for things that go bump in the night as you read. And should a “Black Cat” cross your path, be sure to send it Poe’s regards.
Write on in peace, Mr. Poe!
French Poet Charles Baudelaire died of a stroke on this day in 1867. He is buried in Paris, France.
If you’ve not read Baudelaire’s work and you like cynical, deeply moving, dramatic, dark and sensually lyrical poetry with a dash of melancholy thrown in for good measure; then Baudelaire is for you! He was one of the innovators of French literature and is widely considered one of the pioneers of using symbolism and sound to create an atmosphere in his somewhat formally structured poetry.
Baudelaire was also a translator of Edgar Allan Poe and greatly admired his work. Much of his own work is infused with eerie themes and gothic language and it is obvious he was very influenced by the writings of Poe. Baudelaire’s work has been a topic of debate and discourse many a time as his poems encompass taboo themes such as satanism, the role of women and at times, his liberal support of the bohemian lifestyle of his time which included using opium and frequenting brothels.
Our all time favorite work by Baudelaire is undoubtedly Les Fleurs du Mal, or The Flowers of Evil. The poems within this collection are both morbid and sexual. Baudelaire shocked many people with this work but we think it is his very best. If you want a great reference site for Les Fleurs du Mal and Baudelaire’s life while he was writing it, check out this link! We highly recommend it.
In 1864, he left Paris for Belgium. He began to drink excessively and it is thought he may have contracted syphilis and gonorrhea by this time. After he died, many of his poems were in fact, published posthumously and his mother is said to have remarked “I see that my son, for all his faults, has his place in literature”. Well said, Mama Baudelaire, he does indeed.
We encourage our readers and writers alike to examine the two themes Baudelaire held highest above all others… sex and death. What do they mean to you? How do they influence your own work? Just be sure you…*cough* use protection… and examine said themes with caution and responsibility.
Write on in peace, Monsieur Baudelaire!
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