1. Gigi_GNR

    Gigi_GNR Guys, come on. WAFFLE-O. Contributor

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    Edgar Allan Poe

    Discussion in 'Discussion of Published Works' started by Gigi_GNR, May 3, 2010.

    What work of his is your favorite?

    I read The Raven in middle school and I fell in love. I read that poem for a forensics meet and got a 1st place ribbon. :)

    EAP is my favorite author of all time; which poem/story of his do you think is the best?
     
  2. Agreen

    Agreen Faceless Man Contributor

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    Masque of the Red Death and The Cask of Amontillado, along with The Outsider by Lovecraft and Frankenstein are my favourite horror stories. I'm going to have to dig up my copies of Poe's work and read through them again, it's been too long.
     
  3. Gigi_GNR

    Gigi_GNR Guys, come on. WAFFLE-O. Contributor

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    Cask of Amontillado was my first story of his I ever read. Something about his style, so haunting and dark yet absolutely beautiful, draws me in.
     
  4. Lavarian

    Lavarian Contributor Contributor

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    To be honest, I think The Raven is probably my least favorite of Poe's work.
    The Cask of Amontillado and The Masque of the Red Death are definitely my top two.

    IMO, his poetry, while not bad, is not nearly as strong as his stories.
     
  5. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

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    The City in the Sea, The Fall of the House of Usher, and The Gold Bug are my favourite. Fine bits of work, by anyone's standards.
     
  6. Gigi_GNR

    Gigi_GNR Guys, come on. WAFFLE-O. Contributor

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    The Mystery of Marie Roget is, IMO, his worst work; it just dragged on. I wasn't VERY fond of The Murders in the Rue Morgue but at least it was good and I could get through it.
     
  7. Evil Flamingo

    Evil Flamingo Banned Contributor

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    The Cask of the Amontillado, hands down for me.
     
  8. Gigi_GNR

    Gigi_GNR Guys, come on. WAFFLE-O. Contributor

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    I love Annabel Lee as well... I memorized both The Raven and Annabel Lee once and I can still quote entire stanzas... :redface:
     
  9. Gigi_GNR

    Gigi_GNR Guys, come on. WAFFLE-O. Contributor

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    And The Gold Bug was pretty good too IMO.
     
  10. InkDream

    InkDream Active Member

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    The Masque of the Red Death was always my favorite.
     
  11. Evil Flamingo

    Evil Flamingo Banned Contributor

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    That has been perpetually stuck as Mr. Second Place for me. I love it, but somehow it never tops my list, as far as Poe goes.
     
  12. Lavarian

    Lavarian Contributor Contributor

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    Same here. AND- we have the same top two.

    There's something about "Yes. For the love of God."
    That is just chilling!
     
  13. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

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    I've noticed a little rule with Poe: his shorter works tend to be his most popular.
     
  14. Evil Flamingo

    Evil Flamingo Banned Contributor

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    Fairly true, but I do not enjoy his poetry (Yes, go rant at me or whatever, but it's my opinion). I just like his short to medium length stories. =/
     
  15. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

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    Haha. I would, but I like you as a person too much to subject you to pages and pages of me talking about Poe's poetry. You are safe from me, at least ...
     
  16. hoist

    hoist New Member

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    The Tell-Tale Heart. HANDS DOWN. (well, okay, you can keep them up.)

    Cask of Amontillado is pretty delicious, too. Never was too sweet on Poe, though...
     
  17. Lavarian

    Lavarian Contributor Contributor

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    The Pit and the Pendulum was a promising favorite for me until the utterly horrendous ending.
     
  18. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

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    I didn't like the opening that much either.
     
  19. Lavarian

    Lavarian Contributor Contributor

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    Huh, that's actually one of the parts that really stuck with me. I really liked the imagery of the judges lips as they passed his sentence.
     
  20. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

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    Don't get me wrong, it's a very descriptive, memorable story; but that's really all it has going for it. Structurally its story is rather weak.
     
  21. Evil Flamingo

    Evil Flamingo Banned Contributor

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    From what I remember of The Pit and the Pendulum (that's saying something right there) is that I read it, said "meh" to myself, and then moved on. Not bad, but not awe-inspiring either. There are just others I like better. My picky-ness is really shining through in this thread...crap =/
     
  22. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

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    I had exactly the same reaction.
     
  23. Diablo Robotico

    Diablo Robotico New Member

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    The Masque of the Red Death is among my favourite short stories ever. In my opinion, that's his most interesting story.
     
  24. Evil Flamingo

    Evil Flamingo Banned Contributor

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    I'll agree on that point. It is probably the most interesting one.
     
  25. smerdyakov

    smerdyakov Member

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    Most of Poe's stuff is amazing in fairness. The Purloined Letter is probably my favorite, though I've always loved The Black Cat too.
    I read his biog': A Life Cut Short, awhile ago. Its written by Peter Ackroyd.
    Poe edited various magazines and published most of his best work 10-15 years before he died but was always destitute. He didn't get the recognition for his work 'til after he was dead. His alcoholism killed him ultimately.
    I think he led one of the strangest, and in many ways most miserable lives in the history of great writers (that's quite a feat in itself!). An incredible man! One of the finest American writers ever, undoubtedly.
     

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