Poe

That's a tough one...so many are so good...although not his longest story, I have always had a soft spot for 'The Oval Portrait'.

I have never read that one. But my favorite is The Pit and The Pendulum. I especially like it because it is the only optimistic Poe story I know of.

Poe was not an optimist, that is for sure.

You are definitely right about that. But can you blame him? His life was full of turmoil. Nearly every women he ever got close to died, that can do some mental damage.

True, also, he drank heavily and did a lot of cocaine. Still, he was a brilliant writer.

Hey, I found The Oval Portrait online, with commentary:

http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/wohlpart/alra/poe.htm#OP

How do you think he met his demise?

Ill check it out. Thanks.

Hmm...much speculation about his death....I suspect substance abuse-related dementia, heart stopped.

Ive heard all of the following:

Brain Tumor
Beating
Subtance Abuse

And ''Oval Portrait", wonderful story. But it did sort of remind me of the Greek myth about narcissism, although he didn't fall in love with his self. Odd.

No, he fell in love with his 13 year old cousin and married her. Her constant illness and subsequent death contributed to his personal pain and troubles.

In some ways, personal turmoil is the the other side of the narcissist coin, as in "it's still all about you, just darker than the average 'I'm so great' tagline."

Mike Tyson is an odd guy. He is a popular guy, has tons of fans. But he hates himself, and he hates everyone who likes him, because they like who he hates. Odd.

But back to Poe. What is your favorite Poe-m?

Hmm...tough one again...I've always been fond of 'Annabel Lee'. Also this one, but I am fond of riddles (this one has a code):

A Valentine
Edgar Allen Poe

For her this rhyme is penned, whose luminous eyes,
Brightly expressive as the twins of Leda,
Shall find her own sweet name, that nestling lies
Upon the page, enwrapped from every reader.
Search narrowly the lines!- they hold a treasure
Divine- a talisman- an amulet
That must be worn at heart. Search well the measure-
The words- the syllables! Do not forget
The trivialest point, or you may lose your labor
And yet there is in this no Gordian knot
Which one might not undo without a sabre,
If one could merely comprehend the plot.
Enwritten upon the leaf where now are peering
Eyes scintillating soul, there lie perdus
Three eloquent words oft uttered in the hearing
Of poets, by poets- as the name is a poet's, too,
Its letters, although naturally lying
Like the knight Pinto- Mendez Ferdinando-
Still form a synonym for Truth- Cease trying!
You will not read the riddle, though you do the best you can do.

Could you enlighten me on the code?

Sure...

Map out the code by starting with the first letter of the first line, the second letter of the second line, the third letter of the third line...etc.

francessargentrthod?