Edgar Allan Poe's Influence Of Detective Fiction

“The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1841 is considered to be the first true detective story ever written, and the influence for works such as Sherlock Holmes. The narrator and his friend C. Auguste Dupin, after finding out about an intriguing murder, find themselves trying to free an innocent man and find the real beast behind the murders in the rue morgue. Through Poe’s use of symbolism and vivid imagery, the theme of the story is revealed as the struggle between the analytical, emotional, and imaginative. The Murders in the Rue Morgue presents a recurring theme of the battle between the analytical, emotional, and imaginative. In the beginning of the story, Poe describes a chess battle in great detail,

[1] Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 to October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, critic and editor best known for evocative short stories and poems that captured the imagination and interest of readers around the world. His imaginative storytelling and tales of mystery and horror gave birth to the modern detective story. Many of Poe’s works, including “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” became literary classics. Some aspects of Poe’s life, like his literature, is shrouded in mystery, and the lines between fact and fiction have been blurred substantially since his death.

The detective genre is recognizable by the mystery that it represents or establishes. Every word of a fiction novel is chosen with a purpose, and that purpose on a detective novel is to create suspense. The excerpts from The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, Murder Is My Business by Lynette Prucha, and Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley, create an atmosphere of suspense and mystery. Even though they all fit into this category, there are some differences that make each novel unique. The imagery that the authors offer in the excerpts helps the reader to distinguish the similarities and the differences.

As Edgar’s Time at The Literary Messenger came to a close, Poe began to publishing more works like Tales of the Grotesque Arabesque and then would continue to work in the presidential election (Padgett 57,63). Edgar would soon become “Struck by illness” (Tilton 58); this illness was caused simply by Poe’s over use of alcohol. Edgar Allen Poe would soon being a new job at Graham’s Magazine (Tilton 60). Throughout Poe’s time at Graham’s Magazine he spent time with the most influential writers and publishers of his life, Clinton Bradshaw and Howard Pinckney (Tilton 60). With such amazing inspiration Poe’s audience would respond more to what he was publishing. With the publication of “The Murders in Rue Morgue,” the first modern detective story, Poe would create a new level of fame for himself (Tilton 61). The year 1841 would be the one of the last periods of time when Poe is truly happy.

There are several types of mystery stories, one in particular, is known as hard-boiled mysteries. This specific genera was originated in the 1940s, they were created to veer away from the typical mysteries that dominated this era. This particular mystery genera is quite different from another mystery story, especially when it comes to the characters in the story. Within the hard-boiled mystery genera, there are several different articles and stories. Some of these include, “Red Wind”, “Three Dot Po”, “Film Noir and the Hard-Boiled Detective Hero”, other articles come from “detnovel.com.” Furthermore, within these articles and stories there are several ideas and themes discussed and introduced. However, there is one idea present in all,

Many people enjoy the detective and crime shows, but what they may not realize is that Edgar Allan Poe was the one to pioneer this genre. For the short stories, poems, and a few books he wrote, Edgar Allan Poe is a recognized American writer. He lived in the era of westward expansion, slavery laws beginning to become an issue, and most influential to Poe, Tuberculosis(TB) was a major issue. There was not yet a cure for people with TB, in fact, there wouldn’t be a known cure for another 100 years after his life. He lost many people during his life; his father left before Poe was 3 years old, his mother died from TB when Poe was three. He moved into a foster home, but stories tell that his foster father did not like him so he struggled to find the support he needed both as a child and as a broke college student. Although many myths state that Poe was a drunkard and incapable of love, he was married. His outsiderness in his foster home likely influenced his writing, as well as his irregularity and uniqueness, and his horrid memories of how TB had taken some of his closes family. Poe’s unique literary techniques enhance his macabre writing style.

Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window continues and expands on traditional themes of the Detective Fiction Genre. In 1841, Murder in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe broke the traditional character constraints of the Crime Fiction Genre, by introducing a new type of lead detective figure. The ideal detective figure encompassed traits of superiority, intelligence, wit and a keen sense for observation. The lead detective figure is a sophisticated character that is not bound to the constrictions and limitations of the Law and the exploration of this figure through the use of visual aid and techniques, provides contrast and variation on the common themes within the genre. Hitchcock provides an alternative approach through a new medium carving way

Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most celebrated literary authors of all time, known for writing very suspenseful, dramatic short stories and a poet; is considered as being a part of the American Romantic Movement, and a lesser known opinion is he is regarded as the inventor of the detective-fiction genre. Most recognized for his mystery and macabre, a journey into the dark, ghastly stories of death, deception and revenge is what makes up his reputation. The short story under analysis is a part of his latter works; “The Cask of Amontillado”, a story of revenge takes readers into the mind of the murderer.

A struggling writer during the 1840’s is undoubtedly one of the strongest and well-known writers today. Commonly referred to as “The father of the detective story”, Poe’s graphic-gothic work certainly caught the attention of the public, who collectively believe his strange work unintentionally reveals his own troubled mind. His famous piece of work, The Black Cat, reveals the psychology of guilt and delivers varied emotions including superstition, hatred, love, sudden mental and personality transformation, which are all conveyed through Pluto. Literary devices in The Black Cat, along with Poe’s outstanding knowledge of the complex human mind and mental disorders prior to its discovering, reveal the nameless narrator’s unstable mental condition.

Detective stories that have been published over the years all contain dramatic elements that the reader has come to expect. These conventions that Aydelotte discussed in The Dectective Story as a Historical Source are especially ever present in Edgar Allen Poe’s The Murders in the Rue Morgue and they shed light on the concerns of the people of the time.

Edgar Allan Poe’s influence on American literature was nothing short of great; not only was he the creator of the detective story and the horror thriller, but he also influenced many great writers, among those William Faulkner and Fyodor Dostoevsky. While Poe is best known for his horror thrillers, being the creator of that particular genre, he has also fashioned two other literary genres, like the detective and the science fiction genre. Throughout his life, Poe read, reviewed, and critiqued many books for various magazines and papers. Poe did not hesitate to attack what he deemed inferior. “Is purely too imbecile to merit an extended critique,” he once wrote of a novel. Because of his readiness to attack what he believed to be unworthy,

INTRODUCTION: The late and great Edgar Allan Poe was a poet, critic, and literary icon. Many of Allan's mystery and detective stories are alleged to be the first of its kind.No one can question Edgar’s literary talents because they were beyond his time and shifted the way people read stories and poems.Unfortunately, Edgar was still struggling to make a living despite his success as a writer, editor, critic, and former military writer.Edgar’s life was full of strife and misfortune.Edgar lost 3 loved ones due to tuberculosis, which affected him for the worst.Edgar’s unfortunate bouts only fueled his literary skills and further enhance his writing ability to the highest level at that time.Unfortunately, he mysteriously died the age of 40 which

Acknowledged as an inventor of the modern science fiction story, an innovator in the horror genre, and the “master of macabre,” Edgar Allan Poe is a household name. However, Poe’s life was not as wonderful as the impact he continues to leave on society; misconceptions about his character, his death shrouded in mystery, and a vengeful rival all sound as if they were born out of one of his chilling tales.

While American and British authors developed the two distinct schools of detective fiction, known as “hard-boiled and “golden age,” simultaneously, the British works served to continue traditions established by earlier authors while American works formed their own distinct identity. Though a niche category, detective works reflect the morality and culture of the societies their authors lived in. Written in the time period after World War I, Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon and “The Gutting of Couffignal”, and Raymond Chandler’s “Trouble Is My Business” adapt their detectives to a new harsh reality of urban life. In “hard-boiled” works, the detective is more realistic than the detective in “golden age” works according to the

As the United States became a flourishing nation in the 1800’s, American entertainment such as poetry and short stories began to unfold by up-and-coming writers. Among these artists of text, Edgar Allan Poe is without a doubt an incredibly prominent figure when discussing American literature. A celebrity after his critically acclaimed poem, “The Raven,” he was one of the earliest American authors to craft and perfect the short story. Furthermore, Poe is credited to contribute much to the horror and science-fiction genres, as well as being the inventor of the detective-fiction genre, as his novel The Murders in the Rue Morgue in 1841, predates the most famous character of the genre, Sherlock Holmes, in 1887 (Genesis: 1841). Under a constant struggle to make ends meet, he was among the first American authors to make a living strictly off his pieces of literature, which was not exactly a successful money-making career path (Graves). Which made matters even worse, several of his closest family members, relatives, and relationships all fell to tuberculosis, the final of which he attempted to take care of by himself, even though he was essentially penniless up to his mysterious death in 1849 (Hossick). With great success, however, it is important to analyze how this legendary writer came to be.