by Claudia Durst Johnson (Editor)
Many have heard the beating of the Tell-Tale Heart or the screams of the man Montresor buried alive in The Cask of Amontillado, but few readers understand Edgar Allan Poe's motives for such chilling tales and poems. Macabre, elusive, and even sometimes supernatural, Poe's taste for the darkness, in many ways, pioneered the detective story. This compelling volume interprets Poe's expansive canon through the lens of social and psychological disorders. The book provides surprising insights into topics such as the sources of Poe's childhood despairs and his characters as self-portraits. Modern perspectives on social and psychological disorders are presented as well, touching upon subjects such as the impact of schizophrenia and what motivates people to engage in activities such as stalking.