In 1849, a litÂtle over 175 years ago, Edgar Allan Poe was found dead in a BalÂtiÂmore gutÂter under mysÂteÂriÂous cirÂcumÂstances very likeÂly relatÂed to vioÂlent elecÂtion fraud. It was an ignoÂminÂious end to a life marked by hardÂship, alcoÂholism, and loss. After strugÂgling for years as the first AmerÂiÂcan writer to try and make a livÂing from his art, and failÂing in sevÂerÂal pubÂlishÂing venÂtures and posiÂtions, Poe achieved few of his aims, bareÂly getÂting by finanÂcialÂly and only manÂagÂing to attract a little—often negative—notice for now-famous poems like “The Raven.” ConÂtemÂpoÂraries like Ralph WalÂdo EmerÂson disÂparÂaged the poem and a latÂer genÂerÂaÂtion of writÂers, includÂing William ButÂler Yeats, proÂnounced him “vulÂgar.”
But of course, as we know, a counÂterÂcurÂrent of Poe appreÂciÂaÂtion took hold among writÂers, artists, and filmÂmakÂers interÂestÂed in mysÂtery, horÂror, and the supernatural—to such a degree that in the preÂviÂous cenÂtuÂry, nearÂly every artist even passÂingÂly assoÂciÂatÂed with darkÂer themes has interÂpretÂed Poe as a rite of pasÂsage. We’ve feaÂtured a readÂing of “The Raven” by the often-sinÂisÂter ChristoÂpher Walken.
At the top of the post, you can hear anothÂer verÂsion of the Queens-born actor readÂing Poe’s best-known work, a poem designed to proÂduce what the author called a “uniÂty of effect” with its incanÂtaÂtoÂry repÂeÂtiÂtions. This recordÂing comes from a colÂlecÂtion of celebriÂty Poe readÂings called Closed on Account of Rabies, which also feaÂtures such unique takes on the clasÂsic horÂror writer’s work as that above, “The Tell-Tale Heart” as read by Iggy Pop.
Just above, hear a lessÂer-known poem by Poe called “Ulalume” read by Jeff BuckÂley, with an accomÂpaÂnyÂing soundÂtrack of low, pulsÂing, vagueÂly WestÂern-inspired music that well suits Buckley’s forÂmal, rhythÂmic recitaÂtion. The use of music on this album has dividÂed many Poe fans, and admitÂtedÂly, some tracks work betÂter than othÂers. On Buckley’s “Ulalume,” the music heightÂens tenÂsion and proÂvides a perÂfect atmosÂphere for imagÂinÂing “the misty mid region of Weir,” its “ghoul-hauntÂed woodÂland,” and the “scoÂriÂac rivers” of lava pourÂing from the poet’s heart. On MarÂiÂanne Faithful’s readÂing of “Annabelle Lee,” below, a score of keenÂing synths can seem overÂwrought and unnecÂesÂsary.
The remainÂder of the 1997 album, which you can purÂchase here, treats us to readÂings from 80s goth-rock stars DiaÂmanÂda Galas and Gavin FriÂday, Bad LieuÂtenant direcÂtor Abel FerÂrara, Blondie singer DebÂbie HarÂry, and gravÂel-voiced New Orleans bluesÂman Dr. John, among othÂers.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Why Should You Read Edgar Allan Poe? An AniÂmatÂed Video Explains
7 Tips from Edgar Allan Poe on How to Write Vivid StoÂries and Poems
Josh Jones is a writer and musiÂcian based in Durham, NC. FolÂlow him at @jdmagness
I’ve found strong eviÂdence that Edgar Allan Poe did not write either “The Raven” or “Annabel Lee.” He plaÂgiaÂrized both poems from MathÂew Franklin WhitÂtiÂer, younger brothÂer of poet John GreenÂleaf WhitÂtiÂer, who had writÂten them from real-life cirÂcumÂstances in 1841. Poe, in my opinÂion, was a masÂsive plaÂgiaÂrist, just as his forÂmer friend Thomas Dunn EngÂlish sugÂgestÂed, and a scam-artist, whose career was largeÂly a smoke-and-mirÂrors act.
How could u not menÂtion Hal WillÂner in ur artiÂcle.?
It’s obviÂous a WillÂner idea/ proÂducÂtion. Hal WillÂner passed in 2020 from Covid.
Tony MindÂconÂtÂrole
Google say jt proÂducÂtions “She dances in the wind ” or” ZapÂpa BeefÂheart ” Thanks
“The Raven” and the claim that Poe stole it from MathÂew Franklin WhitÂtiÂer is an unproven alterÂnaÂtive-authorÂship theÂoÂry, not the attriÂbuÂtion acceptÂed in stanÂdard Poe scholÂarÂship. The sources I found proÂmotÂing this parÂticÂuÂlar claim cenÂter on indeÂpenÂdent researcher Stephen SakelÂlarÂios (ial.goldthread.com)
Why do some peoÂple believe it?
SakelÂlarÂios builds his case around sevÂerÂal arguÂments:
A bioÂgraphÂiÂcal fit: He argues that the narrator’s grief reflects Whittier’s mournÂing for his wife, Abby, who died in 1841.
StylÂisÂtic simÂiÂlarÂiÂties: He comÂpares the poem’s rhythm, vocabÂuÂlary, and themes with writÂings he attribÂutÂes to WhitÂtiÂer, includÂing anonyÂmous and pseuÂdoÂnyÂmous pieces.
The name “QuarÂles”: “The Raven” appeared in the FebÂruÂary 1845 AmerÂiÂcan Review under “—— QuarÂles.” SakelÂlarÂios interÂprets this as a conÂnecÂtion to WhitÂtiÂer and Abby’s supÂposed admiÂraÂtion for poet FranÂcis QuarÂles.
A proÂposed opporÂtuÂniÂty for theft: He hypothÂeÂsizes that WhitÂtiÂer shared the poem with Poe before pubÂliÂcaÂtion and that Poe subÂseÂquentÂly claimed it. (ial.goldthread.com)
Why isn’t that conÂvincÂing proof?
Those conÂnecÂtions depend on interÂpreÂtaÂtions and disÂputÂed attributions—not a secureÂly docÂuÂmentÂed transÂfer of authorÂship. For examÂple, idenÂtiÂfyÂing an anonyÂmous poem as Whittier’s through stylÂisÂtic resemÂblance, then using that poem to estabÂlish his resemÂblance to “The Raven,” risks cirÂcuÂlar reaÂsonÂing. A poem’s emoÂtionÂal fit with someone’s life also does not estabÂlish that they wrote it.
The pubÂliÂcaÂtion record supÂplies an imporÂtant counÂterÂpoint: “The Raven” appeared under Poe’s name in the Evening MirÂror on JanÂuÂary 29, 1845. The Edgar Allan Poe SociÂety docÂuÂments that appearÂance, the “QuarÂles” verÂsion, and Poe’s subÂseÂquent reviÂsions as parts of the same pubÂliÂcaÂtion history—not eviÂdence of two difÂferÂent authors. (eapoe.org)
SakelÂlarÂios also openÂly describes his invesÂtiÂgaÂtion as origÂiÂnatÂing in a belief that he is WhitÂtiÂer reinÂcarÂnatÂed, includÂing expeÂriÂences under hypÂnoÂsis. He mainÂtains that his hisÂtorÂiÂcal arguÂments stand indeÂpenÂdentÂly, but those expeÂriÂences themÂselves canÂnot verÂiÂfy nineÂteenth-cenÂtuÂry authorÂship. (ial.goldthread.com)
BotÂtom line: PeoÂple who accept the claim find the bioÂgraphÂiÂcal parÂalÂlels, stylÂisÂtic comÂparÂisons, and pseuÂdoÂnym sugÂgesÂtive. But sugÂgesÂtive parÂalÂlels are not eviÂdence strong enough to overÂturn Poe’s docÂuÂmentÂed attriÂbuÂtion. There are legitÂiÂmate scholÂarÂly disÂcusÂsions of “The Raven” borÂrowÂing from earÂliÂer literature—particularly ElizÂaÂbeth BarÂrett Browning’s poetry—but that is a difÂferÂent quesÂtion from whether WhitÂtiÂer secretÂly wrote it. (academic.oup.com)