Orientation

The selections of poetry, short stories, and criticism reflect the range of Poe's creativity. The poems include experimental works in sound, imagery, and symbolism, anticipating the movements of the symbolists, expressionists, and surrealists that would not materialize until decades after his death. The narratives include works from his "tales of ratiocination" and what he termed "ideal short stories." His review of Hawthorne's "Twice-Told Tales" contains Poe's most thorough statement of his theory of beauty and defense of the "ideal short-story" as its most appropriate expression.