Why should you read Edgar Allan Poe? - Scott Peeples
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
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The prisoner strapped under a descending pendulum blade. A raven who refuses to leave the narrator’s chamber. A beating heart buried under the floorboards. Poe’s macabre and innovative stories of gothic horror have left a timeless mark on literature. But just what is it that makes Edgar Allan Poe one of the greatest American authors? Scott Peeples investigates.
Lesson by Scott Peeples, directed by Compote Collective.
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"And all I loved. I loved alone"
-Edgar Allan Poe
whats its mean
This hits so hard
That's my favorite poem
Poe was a visionary ahead of his time. The Absynthe running through his veins while he wrote
"Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears. All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream. Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality. I have no faith in human perfectability."
I included this quote in my 8th-grade essay. this moment is recalled because it was one of the few A letter grades I ever received. He pulled me in with his writings and helped me to imagine things that were just a mere mirage.
It's a shame that many famous artists live in poverty or are not recognized for their works until after they die.
It's a shame that many people live in poverty, never are recognized for whatever valuable traits they possess and then finally vanish from the face of earth without leaving any trace.
@@troelsmller3986 oh thanks for repeating what he said
Not in Europe, especially France. Baudelaire translated the works of Poe. Poe was really admired and respected throughout Europe. Maupassant was able to read Poe though Baudelaire. Here he was considered a hack, pernicious and extreme. The same fate had Lovecraft
@@sergiopacheco2939 it seems that Europe in general actually responds quite well to great art..even mediocre art..however in the u.s. you must have kairos &good looks on your side in order to "make it"...talent coumts for nothing in our country...
@@edgarcu12 no thanks for showing your stupidity
"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before."- Edgar Allan Poe
ട്യൂബോളി his writing is the most beautiful most visceral I've ever read!!
“The most powerful emotion is fear. And the greatest fear is fear of the unknown”
Machaa ✋✋
Dhe ividem malayali
I'm usually not much for poetry but The Raven is so striking in its beauty I can't help it.
You could have picked almost any pair of lines from that poem and it would have been equally good.
“The most powerful emotion is fear. And the greatest fear is fear of the unknown”
-H. P. Lovecraft.
Aka Poe's successor.
Sir Noodilius Rames
That’s a lovecraft quote, not very fitting
@@troglodyte4207 you don't think so? Why not?
So anxiety
@@joegarcia0 Um first thats HP Lovecraft, not even the full quote, and, and J-a Garcia, HP Lovecraft was looonng before Edgar Allen Poe
This voice was perfect for this video
IKR! I loved the tone, the adjectives - gah, just everything!
GraceDcastle yeah the main guy who does Ted Ed would completely change the feeling of this video
so trueee
Yes! He's perfect for horror audio books!
That’s fax
That picture of Edgar Allan Poe you described in the beginning. Pale skin, sunken eyes.
Well that was a picture taken after a failed overdose. They were taking a picture of him cause they thought he was gonna die and they were gonna use said picture to make paintings of him to remember him by.
*quite a common practice at the time*
He was actually quite a handsome man.
Oh, thats a bit of chilling history.
But there are several pictures of him all of which look simiral
@@johnora3857 I beg to differ. Those are most likely replicas of the same picture. Have you seen portraits of him in his younger and even older days. As well as his pictures when he was in the military???
Happy Shadows ok, interesting. Never seen other pictures
@@johnora3857 You can find them online and in the Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond.
"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream." Man! What a powerful quote. This quote itself explains why one should read Edgar Allan Poe
Aparna Dasgupta i don’t get the quote .. ?
@@sahibjot01 it's a metaphorical way of saying that what we perceive or understand, may not be the reality.
Thanks to Jehu in Excel for introducing him to me.
I think this might be the inspiration for inception.
Aparna Dasgupta can u explain it? Well in other words....
"And so, being young and dipped in folly I fell in love with melancholy." - Edgar Allan Poe
What poem was this from?
@@Gabriel-qc9pw Romance
edgar allan poe? more like edgar allan no
His words feel like they’re dancing on your tongue
@rachelciim5247 Why though
My absolute favorite quote is from his poem "Alone"
"From childhood’s hour I have not been
As others were-I have not seen
As others saw-I could not bring
My passions from a common spring
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow-I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone
And all I lov’d-I lov’d alone"
That's my favorite poem aw
One of my favorites as well : )
'Tis a masterpiece!
Beautifully written, with words deeply relatable.
My favorite part of that poem is how juxtaposes his social isolation in the first half and how he copes with that through his love of nature and wonder in the second half.
*loved
“Men have called me mad; but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence- whether much that is glorious- whether all that is profound- does not spring from disease of thought- from moods of mind exalted at the expense of the general intellect.”
I'm not aware of it referencing Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.
It's from a painting that I've always liked.
Le Désespéré by Gustave Courbet
Excellent choice of cover art for the book. Certainly the main character was a desperate man.
eleonora
Such a clever animation of a great writer. I can't help but smile and think that Poe would have approved of the style in which you portrayed him and his work.
Thump thump, thump thump ... goes the beating heart.
That it was. Made me somewhat emotional in parts.
@@AhimsaMedia same. It reminded me of a horror/mysterious story i once read that gave me shivers.
Also it made me feel sorry for the guy that both his wife and mother died that early. Poor fellow.
Can't agree more.
It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.
My favorite one💔
this was the poem that got be hooked to him 💙
@@renewannewithaneplease5546 same here
Faaaaavourite (obviously)🙂
God I will never tire of Annabel Lee
Ted-ED just keeps delivering
For real
Ted-ED is the Fed-Ex of educational videos.
The man is a great *Poe-t* , amiright?
I'll see myself out!
Ba-dum, tss!!
Eddie Poet. Writer, dreamer, tortured romantic soul. Lover of fine wine and intriguing young women. Lout. Genius. Bon vivant, in need of train fare. American. Citizen of the Astral plane. My old friend. Eddie. 😎🕸🍷💔🌌
Great music choice
AYYYYYYYYYYE
nah dude married his cousin when she was 13 and he was like twice her age
Finally, Edgar Allan Poe's video. His poems and muses are beautiful. I love his "Alone" poem the most. Thank you for making this video. ❤️
"And all I lov’d - I lov’d alone" ❤
@@cesarethesomnambulist
From the thunder and the storm,
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view. ❤️
I love 'The Tell-tale heart' the most
I've felt bad for poe
"Anabel lee" 😌😌
Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality.
-Edgar Allan Poe
So true. It’s why the best entertainment even of today, the kind that sticks with you, long after you’ve read or watched it, is often tragic. Tragedy leaves an imprint
I feel like both Poe and Lovecraft were on similar paths. Both passionate about what they wrote, they both suffered traumatic losses of their loved ones, antagonistic, lived in poverty. Yet, despite all of this, they both ended up as well loved writers and inspirations to others long after their deaths.
Not "despite" but "because."
Terrible lives are often the price of genius.
It feels sad to realise that his personal life was as haunted as his stories. But on the other hand, I feel happy that instead of breaking down or getting depressed, Edgar turned his adversities into a source of inspiration. To me, you are a true hero Edgar.
He probably was depressed judging by his stories and his addiction. I think what you meant to say is that he used this to make something constructive
I love Edgar Allan Poe’s books so much that I once stole his short stories book from a library and never return to it again.
You monster.
Angelica Marie Vivien McLaren it was really old already!
Angelica Marie Vivien McLaren beside I live Burma so the currency difference so huge that it is too expensive for me to own a book written in English. And not a lot of people in my country read English books anyway so my action could not affect anything or anyone.
@@naingchanmyae
Stop trying to rationalize your peculation! And get down on your hands and knees and pray to the godess Laverna to save your miserable mortal soul!
I'd have done the same thing if I was you
After reading The Cask of Amontillado back in high school, I was instantly captured by Poe’s writing. “Nemo me impune lacessit” and the narrator’s lack of regret- I have never encountered those themes before. Then I had this book which contains his famous short stories which I found hard to devour since I was still young, yet there’s something about the quality of his work that just pulls you in. Of course, if you ask me who my favorite writer is, it’s Poe. Always.
Great music choice
I don't know I just thought it was on point with the video,sorry
Do someone knows how to find the soundtrack?
Edgar Allan Poe is arguably one of the greatest writers of all time. Not only was he a master of writing about the macabre, but he was also the man who created detective fiction. If it weren’t for his very own sleuth C. Auguste Dupin, we would never see characters like Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. His influence was even felt outside of the west. In Japan, famed mystery writer Taro Hirai based his own pen name “Edogawa Ranpo” on the prolific poet. There’s so much I have to say about this man since he’s been a great inspiration to me as a writer.
when I came to my English teacher about doing my essay on Poe, and dedicating my whole semester to reading his work she was ecstatic, and I now understand why. after I did an in depth breakdown of the Raven I wanted to read more of his work. the narration of Artur pym( forgive me I forget the spelling) was one of my favorites and I was enthralled with all of his elaborate and deep views of everything. he is by far my favorite author and poet and this video captured his style amazingly.
You have a great teacher. So happy to hear of teachers who nurture the enthusiasm
Of their students. Here’s a little film, reading THE RAVEN I made for anyone who loves Poe… hope you enjoy. ua-cam.com/video/fv2HrnTXLrU/v-deo.html
Its cringy to say this but I only knew Poe from Bsd. But that doesn't stop my appreciation for the real Poe. I have always loved bsd's Poe and hearing about why he is such a iconic author only makes me love both Poes even more! I am glad i watched bsd because I am finally getting to learn about all these amazing authors
Ahhh yes the narrators voice with rain makes the perfect combo
E.A. Poe has a special place in my heart. While most things that we read at school were automatically ruined by the fact that they were school work, I found The Raven so enjoyable & intriguing that I went to research him & more of his works. His poems, stories, & melancholy style touch a part of the soul that not many writers can. I may have become addicted to sadness & stories of the insane, but his work feeds that dark & lonely side of ourselves with thoughtfully structured stories & lyrical writings that lure the reader towards the deep & unreliable mind of human beings.
Now that's a classic goth literature 😀
Mohammed Azharuddin 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀
True story! My babysitter, when I was 4, read me Edgar Allan Poe nightly. She taught me how to read and Edgar's collection was my first book! I have this book today! What I learned listening to her was visualization as Edgar was an amazing writer for that. This has most definitely carried me my whole life, at 61 I can hear someone telling a story and visualize it wonderfully. I never forget the visualizations!...I will never forget the Beating heart!!!
*pounding excitedly on the table*
Poe
POE
*POE*
The chanting of "POE" grows louder with every pound as more people chime in
So many great writers and artists in history lived difficult lives and were only posthumously celebrated and loved. I hope they all know and are all smiling with joy wherever they are now.
Every time I watch a literature video from you guys (as a non-native English speaker), I am always amazed at how many awfully specific yet useful English words there is. Sincerely thank you
There’s always a more specific yet tedious word out there I swear
"There is a kingdom by the sea, with a maiden named Annabelle Lee"
Not the exact line tho, but I love this poem.
We studied him for English class as part of our grade 9 curriculum
Certain names fill with tears the eyes of those who know the stories of the men and women who bore them: Poe, Lovecraft, Van Gogh, Curie, Tesla.
Greatness of mind and heart seldom pass unpunished.
Please do more "Why should you read" series! It would be awesome if you do Oscar Wilde or Christopher Marlowe...
Sunken eyes, sickly pallor, deep exhaustion & writes horror stories? I know whom!
me
Who*
Gaiman?
Howard phillips lovecraft
Franz Kafka?
Poe was one of my favorites in school. And I was not a big fan of English literature class in general. But Poe was great. So was Twain, Vonnegut, and Orwell. Anyone who challenges your mind with cleverly hidden meanings.
I really am a huge fan of Edgar Allan Pope’s works especially his short stories. I keep telling my friends that his stories are absolutely great and they always reply with “Who? If he’s so great how come I’ve never heard of him.”
Hope this video can make them understand why I love his stories so much. He also serves as my greatest inspiration as a beginner feature writer that’s slowly growing.
The music, the voice and the animation. Just perfect.
It's depressing that these authors will be forgotten one day in the very far future ,but Edgar Allan Poe will always stay in the heart.
Those who invent typically are not forgotten. As this video notes, he made tropes that we continue to use to this day and likely will forever. So I wouldn’t worry about Poe specifically if I were you.
Now that's classic horror and mystery. Maybe life wanted him to experience that so that he could turn his experience into words those awaited for the generations
This is amazing. Edgar Allan Poe was the very first classic author I've ever known when our English teacher introduced him when I was in high school. I love his short stories, especially Ligeia as it still gives me the creeps. Annabel Lee is my favorite poem of his.
The animation, music, colours, sound effects, narration, everything was _en pointe_ . Perfect.
Edgar Allan Poe surely makes my love for gothic novels more flourish day by day
The best writer ever. You're appreciated, Poe. Rest in peace, my guy.
I think he made fantastic haunting and endearing poems.
Rest in peace, Mr. Poe.
Will he be forgotten to lovers of literature?
Nevermore.
A perfect summary, beautifully narrated and illustrated.
The way he describes Edgar Allan Poe
is amazing; you get so much imagery from his description.
This reading series is addictive and amazingly produced, please, never stop uploading these beauties ♥️...
You should do more such video. It really generates interest in viewers and people get to know famous authors and there speciality
The animation & the background score is amazing ...loved it entirely 💗
The bg music piece adds so much character to this already profound video👏🏽
I love Edgar Allan Poe and one of my favorites from his works was The Cask of Amontillado, which was his first story that I have read in 6th grade. It gave such an impact on me as a kid, I don't know why, and it has never left ever. Since then I started reading his works. I'm so happy he's featured here in TED.
You persuad me to read edgar allan poe's stories
Thank you
I think my favorite short stories by him are The Cask of Amontillado and The Fall of the House of Usher. Both brilliant. And I also love his poem "To Ulalume. A Ballad".
Couldn't agree more. So eloquently put, Poe's stories speak volumes, and the themes mean even more than what's just on the surface.
"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night"
EAP 1809-1849
Lot of respect and admiration for the animation team Ted have ❤❤❤
Poe has been my favorite author since I was a young child. I absolutely love him.
Poe is on the same spectrum yet the opposite end to Vincent Van Gogh. The same spectrum being tragic, troubled, brilliant artists who poured their pain into what they made and tragically died before they got to see how beloved they’d become. The opposite being Vincent translating his sorrow into beautiful images that captured light and life, while Edgar’s sorrow was poured into words that found equal beauty in the dark and death.
I have watched bungou straydogs and now i know that some of the Charecters are based on real life people like ' Osamu Dazai ' , ' Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Edgar Allen poe '
It makes so much sense now . Dazai has the ability ' No longer human '
Fyodor has the ability ' Crime and punishment and poe can make people go inside his books . 😆
yup i was lloking for a bsd comment jsjs
Got recommend right after reading The Pit And The Pendulum. Nice video! Your voice is literally perfect for describing his work.
Stunning!! I fell in love with every way you captured to express Edgar Allen Poe. Thank you, he is one of my favorite authors. I rhapsodize your form of storytelling, hauntingly hypnotic.
Here’s a little film, reading THE RAVEN I made for anyone who loves Poe… hope you enjoy. ua-cam.com/video/fv2HrnTXLrU/v-deo.html
I just started reading, and his works were mysteriously mesmerizing.❤️
Will you ever make a video about H P Lovecraft?
Yes!! throw in some T.S. Elliot in there as well
Good idea
His inspiration was Poe by the way
❤ That would be great
Exactly what I was going to suggest. Would be a good follow up
I read The Raven and I was totally hooked to Poe after that. Also read the first story of C Auguste Dupin. Tim Burton’s adaptation of The Raven is also good.
4:34
Goosebumps. Real goosebumps ahhhh
There's just something about Poe smiling that seems so..
It's indescribable
And what a smile that would be! Here’s a little film, reading THE RAVEN I made for anyone who loves Poe… hope you enjoy. ua-cam.com/video/fv2HrnTXLrU/v-deo.html
Edgar preferred to be called by his Goth name “Nightpain”
Gothic not goth
I loved reading some of Poe's stories. They were just so interesting.
I want ted ed to do a video on H.P Lovecraft next! Please get them to notice this!
The parallels between Poe and Lovecraft are staggering
I love Poe. Of all the poems and stories I read, nobody grips me like Poe. I love his style and the rhyming, the rhythm. "Lenore" is a great example.
I am a ten year old who has just began reading Edgar A. Poe's poetry, and I love it!
Excellent video. Poe is one of my favorite authors and his work is fantastic. I would love to see Lolita or Vladimir Nabokov on your reading list - he's an interesting author and his most well-known work is largely misunderstood by popular culture.
Omg, this is one the best videos i've seen in UA-cam!!!!, rarely a short video like this could make few sou engageg , EXCELLENT JOB!!!!!!
I think 'The Old Man and the Sea' by Ernest Hemingway or 'The Pearl' by John Steinbeck would be great books to cover. Thank you for another inspiring video on some of literature 's greatest and most influential writers!
Such a good work with sound and obviously the wonderful animation, it's 2 am and I'm a little spooked
Wth man, I was just reading a book (Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare) that had Edgar Alan Poe's poem Dream-land in it and each chapter is named by a lyric of the poem! (For example, the poem sayz at one point
"Lakes that endlessely outspread
Their lone waters-lone and dead-
Their still waters-still and chilly
With the snows of the lolling lilly."
And the first chapter's name is still waters and another's is lone and dead). This freaked me out a bit. Oh well, it's probably just a huge coincedence
I just thought of Ogway saying: ~There are no coincedences~
Best of luck with that book lmao
@@user-kl8hm9ku1y is it good??
Natalija Cakovan yep
Let's just believe it's a coincidence 😉
Poe is famously featured in an outdoor mural on Liberty St. in Ann Arbor, along with Franz Kafka, Hermann Hess, Woody Allen and Anais Nin. Whenever I read Poe, I can't help but think back to that wall.
Me before Bungou Stray Dogs: Man, Edgar Allan Poe's writings are so cool
After Bungou Stray Dogs: Hehe, goth daddy with raccoon go brrrrr
Yes
From BSD with love
Finally a BSD comment😍
I'm a Poe fan since I'm a kid (I'm not American though).
Same 😂
Ted ed has never led down its readers...it was intimidating, captiving n informative to the point that i cant go without seeing their videos...thank you soooo much...
N can u please do on Alexander Pope, Wasteland by T.S Eliot, works ofGayatri Spivak, jacques derrida n ofcourse on kanthapur by Raja Rao...
Will be eagerly waiting...thnk u
Hi, Ted-Ed. What a great video! Thank you for making me discover Edgar Allan Poe and for making me curious. I actually really want to start reading his works now. I was also wondering if you could make a video on Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Love what you guys are doing!
I so enjoy these videos. Thanks, TED-Ed.
Amazing animation!!! Wall done!!!
Wall
Wall
I love reading Allan's poetry. I was ten when I he first read his poems and I got hooked since then .
They're wholesome and encompass literally what life's all about.
I also think that we live life and forget to ask ourselves why we live the way we do .Our priorities in life are at times misguided. What is this notion that if we live a healthy calm life it would be boring? And do we want to boring?
Anywho ,I think I also relate to his work a lot because of my life experiences and its satisfying to know i am not alone in the sad moments of life.
I digress, I am a bit biased to the poets who write simple poems with deep meaningful thoughts.
"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Oh I love this poem the perfect example of a ballad to me.
Poe is such a creative and talented writer, as well one of my favorites. 🖤 I would love to see a movie about him and his life and work. I also think that Joaquin Phoenix could make a great choice as Edgar Allan Poe and Rooney Mara as Virginia Poe.
That’s just my idea. Nothing really important or maybe not so interesting, so . . . 😅 🤷♀️
The music and anime along with the narrative itself is Gothic horror...and then Poe himself ...love it..
Omg this showed up in my recommendations the day I ordered a copy of his completed works haha. Now I'm even more impatient to read it
This would have helped me immensely in my exam if it was released earlier *cries*! The analysis is splendid!
"Poe's poems pwn posers" - Such an iconic line. Truly one of the greats
Edgar Allan Poe was one of the first authors to pen mystery stories. Sadly,such a versatile author had been underrated.
Edgar Poe is a genius writer! His language and style are unique! I was first introduced to his poetry, which made me fall in love with the author. “To ----. Ulalume: A Ballad” was the first poem that made me shed a tear. The psychological tension, horror, and misery had a huge impact on me. It is very well said in the video that the true darkness his writing explores is the human mind.
One of my favourite writers.
I’m in.
I just wish that those great poets, writers&artists would live the life they deserve even if it was for a short while before they die 😢
TEYA AND SELENA
I think it is pretty odd, but good that E. A. Poe should be making a comeback now. I used to teach his works to middle school-students years ago. Then most schools took his work out of the English curriculum. They need to put it back in because no contemporary authors can write like Poe, and kids need to see what exceptional writing looks like.
The Raven is really neat
Loved the animation!
If you're a Poe fan who hasn't read "The Philosophy of Composition," please give it a look. Brilliant and fascinating essay on his thought processes as he composed "The Raven."
This animation was gorgeous! Very stylized and unique