The essay commemorates the centenary of Poe's birth and reassesses his literary significance. It argues that Poe's work was misunderstood during his lifetime and that he was a pioneer of modern literature, influencing writers like Baudelaire and Swinburne. The writer praises Poe's innovative use of language, his exploration of the human psyche, and his creation of a new kind of poetic beauty.
By Edmund Gosse · First published 1909 · Genre: Biography, Literary Criticism, Historical