Edgar Allen Poe

Question 1

1827
Poe’s first published work, a collection of poems that includes “Tamerlane,” a lengthy poem about a historical conqueror. The themes revolve around lost love and ambition.

Answer 1

Tamerlane and Other Poems

Question 2

1829
A collection that further explores themes of beauty and death. “Al Aaraaf” is a complex and obscure poem inspired by a passage in the Quran.

Answer 2

Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems

Question 3

1831
This collection includes revised versions of earlier works and new poems such as “To Helen” and “The City in the Sea.”

Answer 3

Poems

Question 4

1833
A short story about a man who finds himself on a ghostly ship after a shipwreck. This story won Poe his first literary prize.

Answer 4

MS. Found in a Bottle

Question 5

1838
Poe’s only complete novel, a maritime adventure involving shipwreck, mutiny, and mysterious Antarctic regions.

Answer 5

The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket

Question 6

1840
A collection of short stories that includes “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “William Wilson,” exploring themes of madness, decay, and identity

Answer 6

Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque

Question 7

1841
Considered the first modern detective story, introducing C. Auguste Dupin, who solves the brutal murder of two women in Paris.

Answer 7

The Murders in the Rue Morgue

Question 8

1842
A short story about a prince who tries to avoid a deadly plague by isolating himself and his nobles in an abbey, only to be confronted by the personification of the Red Death.

Answer 8

The Masque of the Red Death

Question 9

1842
A harrowing tale of a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition who faces psychological and physical tortures.

Answer 9

The Pit and the Pendulum

Question 10

1843
A short story about a man who commits murder and is driven to madness by the sound of the victim’s still-beating heart.

Answer 10

The Tell-Tale Heart

Question 11

1843
A tale of an unreliable narrator who descends into madness and commits heinous acts, driven by his guilt and superstitions

Answer 11

The Black Cat

Question 12

1843
A short story involving a cryptographic puzzle that leads to a hidden treasure, showcasing Poe’s interest in codes and ciphers.

Answer 12

The Gold-Bug

Question 13

1845
One of Poe’s most famous poems, depicting a man mourning his lost love, Lenore, and his descent into despair as he converses with a mysterious raven.

Answer 13

The Raven

Question 14

1846
A chilling tale of revenge in which the narrator lures his victim into a catacomb under the pretense of tasting a rare wine, only to seal him alive within a wall.

Answer 14

The Cask of Amontillado

Question 15

1848
A lengthy philosophical work in which Poe explores the nature of the universe, blending science and metaphysics.

Answer 15

Eureka: A Prose Poem

Question 16

1849
A hauntingly beautiful poem about a love so strong that it transcends death, often considered a tribute to Poe’s late wife, Virginia.

Answer 16

Annabel Lee

Question 17

1849
A poem that captures different emotions and states of mind through the rhythmic sound of bells, moving from joy to terror.

Answer 17

The Bells

Question 18

1839
A gothic horror story about the decline of the title family and their ancestral home, exploring themes of madness and supernatural terror.

Answer 18

The Fall of the House of Usher

Question 19

1838
A short story about a man’s obsession with his deceased wife, who he believes returns to life through his second wife.

Answer 19

Ligeia

Question 20

1844
Another story featuring detective C. Auguste Dupin, this time solving the mystery of a stolen letter with his powers of deduction.

Answer 20

The Purloined Letter