Who is Edgar Allan Poe?

This lesson will provide an outline on a few of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous works. The students will gain knowledge and familiarity on these works and the style of Poe's writing. 

"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."

A Dream Within a Dream- Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic best known for his dark and mysterious stories. He is celebrated as a key figure of American Romanticism. 

For this Webquest assignment you will be looking at 4 different Poe poems. You will click on the links to both websites, and then you will answer the questions listed. The goal is to explore how the poems are similar, how they are different, and what the overall theme of the poem could be. 

The answers to the following questions should be in complete sentences. It can be turned in as a word or google document through Canvas, or you can turn it in on a piece of paper with the questions, answers, and name on it. 

Click here for the poem, "The Raven". 

Click here for audio version. 

• What is the narrator doing at the beginning of the poem? 
• Why is he in this state of mind? 
• Why does the narrator continue asking the raven questions even though he knows the bird can only answer with one word?
• How does the setting reinforce the narrator's emotional turmoil? 
• Identify one example of alliteration or personification. How does it enhance the imagery? 

Click here for the poem, "A Dream Within a Dream".

Click here for audio version. 

• What event is happening in the opening lines of the poem?
• What emotions does the speaker express as he watches the sand slip through his fingers? 
• Identify three words or phrases that help create the tone in this poem. 
• What is the effect of ending the poem with a question rather than a statement? 
• How does this poem reflect the themes of loss, time, and uncertainty? 

Click here for the short story, "The Tell Tale Heart".

Click here for audio version. 

• What reason does the narrator give for wanting to kill the old man? 
• What clues suggest that the narrator is unreliable? 
• How does the darkness of the setting contribute to the narrator's fear? 
• How does Poe use repetition to show the narrator's growing anxiety? 
• How does the narrator's attempt to prove his sanity actually demonstrate the opposite? 

Click here for the short story, "The Masque of the Red Death".

Click here for the audio version. 

• What is the Red Death? 
• How does Poe describe its symptoms? 
• What might the seven colors rooms symbolize? 
• How does the final paragraph serve as a thematic reveal for the entire story?
• How does the Red Death function as both a literal plague and a symbolic force? 

Instructions for Content

Write or type a 5-8 sentence essay style answer that fits the criteria of one of the following prompts.

This Webquest has exposed you to two of Poe's poems and two of his short stories. They all dealt with different themes, but they were written by the same person. You will pick one one of the following prompts to write your essay answer over.

1. Compare and contrast two of the required readings from this Webquest. 

2. Dive further into one theme you found in the reading. You can use one of the readings 

or multiple readings that discuss the same theme. 

3. Write about the things that stand out to you about Poe's writing.

Make sure to include an example from one of the poems or short stories in your essay question that addresses your prompt. Double check spelling and grammar as well. 

Once you have completed your short answer prompt, you have completed this Webquest. You will have read or listened to four of his most famous works, answered comprehension questions about each of the readings, and demonstrated you understanding through the different prompts of this assignment. 

Click here to view Webquest rubric.

STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED:

9-10.RC.1 Analyze what a text says both explicitly and implicitly (e.g., inferences and interpretations) by citing strong and thorough textual evidence. (E)

11-12.RC.1 Analyze what a text says explicitly and implicitly (e.g., inferences and interpretations) by citing strong and thorough textual evidence to support and explain how the evidence develops the analysis, including where the text leaves matters uncertain. (E)

9-10.RC.3 Analyze and evaluate how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a work of literature, order events within it (e.g., parallel episodes), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) contribute to the overall meaning and effect of a work.

11-12.RC.3 Analyze and evaluate how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a work of literature (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall meaning and effect of a work. (E)