Edgar Allan Poe Research PaperEdgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809. He is considered part of the American Romanticism period. He is best known for his works of mystery and psychological terror. Poe is known for his gothic tales of mystery, death, terror, riddles and psychological problems (poets.org). He influenced many writers including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes series. Poe was different from other authors in that he was influenced by his own current life. He had endured many deaths and dark times. His mother died of tuberculosis, as did his adoptive mother later. His wife, Virginia Clemm, also died from this terrible disease. This was particularly evident in his works. She influenced him in his works “Annabel Lee” and “The Raven” (poets.org). Poe uses the themes of terror and mystery of the mind to show that in these circumstances anything can happen to anyone. In "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Rue Morgue Murders", "The Purloined Letter" and "The Fall of the House of Usher", Edgar Allan Poe explores horror, psychology mystery and riddles to show the depth of the human mind and its consequences. In "The Tell-Tale Heart", a man opens up by saying he will defend his reason while confessing that he killed an old man he cares for. The police arrive and ask him if he knows anything about the old man's screams. He tells them no and they believe him. At the end he hears them talking and laughing and assumes they are laughing at him and know he is lying. He ends up confessing to his crime and telling them that the old man's body is under the floorboards. In "Tell Tale Heart", horror is depicted...... middle of paper ...... as. “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “The Purloined Letter”. Each of these stories has a depth that explains the thought process one experiences in critical situations. Horror allows you to connect emotionally and observe the situation. The confusing effect that Poe leaves on us truly puts us in a rational state of mind that is necessary to commit crimes. Finally, the psychological theme brings it all together as Poe gives a detailed journey of mental positions and how they occur. As the reader progresses, he or she realizes that Poe also uses indirect messages. This is seen in “The Fall of the House of Usher”. Edgar Allan Poe uses themes of terror, riddles, and psychology in his written adventures to show and prove that the human mind is constantly evolving. Every action has a consequence.