Edgar Allan Poe (1809 – 1849)
Edgar Allan Poe Statue in Boston
Born Edgar Poe, he was an American writer, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories.
Edgar Allan Poe: A Critical Biography by Arthur H. Quinn
The Raven
Annabel Lee
Ligeia
The Fall of the House of Usher
A longer animated version read by Christopher Lee
The Black Cat
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
An American poet and educator whose works include “Paul Revere’s Ride”, The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline. He was also the first American to translate Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, and was one of the five Fireside Poets from New England. Longfellow Wikipedia
A few generations ago, Longfellow’s reputation and popularity were so robust that there was no need to introduce him. He was a living bard that outsold all the best known Victorians of the age. His busts were a staple of colleges and libraries. He was America’s greatest living scholar and poet. His home was a tourist attraction. He was a skilled translator and world-famous artist.
By the 1920s, his popularity and familiarity became a gesture of condescension. Because he was so well known and loved, there was no need to teach him in the classroom. He remains a “best loved poet” but is not as studied as others.
A Psalm of Life
Psalm – a sacred song or hymn
Professor Ramos' Blog 