Edgar Allan Poe - A Literary and Biographical Study

"All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream." E. A. Poe

"E.A. Poe and the Homes Where Dreams Were Born" is an interactive, five-week course that explores the life of and selected works written by one of nineteenth-century America's most famous authors, while allowing students the opportunity to tour the homes where these works were written.  Each weekly session will introduce learners to the homes where Poe lived in the following cities: Boston, Richmond, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. Learners in this class will have the unique experience of attending a live virtual tour of the Poe House in Baltimore, Maryland.  They will be able to view pictures and/or video of both the exterior and interior of his other homes.

Weekly sessions will focus on a particular city and the works Poe wrote or published there.  Learners will read a mixture of Poe's short stories, poems, and sketches both in class and outside of class during this five-week course. Students will participate in small-group discussions and activities in the Breakout Room.  Students will also participate in a timed, in-class creative writing exercise. Using our Classroom Thread, I will also post questions and observations  to aid in deeper analysis that will prepare students for an engaging and lively class discussion.  Students should respond to the posts and comment on at least one other student response.  Learners will also have one opportunity to attend a virtual tour where they will be able to ask questions of the facilitating docent.

NOTE:  In this course, students will be assigned independent reading each week and will be expected to complete the readings prior to each class unless otherwise noted.   The live virtual tour of the Poe House in Baltimore may not be scheduled during class time, and may require students to attend on a date and time outside of our class time.  

In the first session of the course, students will learn about the author's early life in Boston, Massachusetts while viewing sites associated with Poe's birthplace.  Working in small groups, students will move to the Breakout Room to read and discuss two poems from Poe's first published collection.  I will introduce the theme of this course: the dream.  

The second session will introduce students to Poe's time in in Richmond.  Poe spent his formative years in Richmond and worked as a literary critic at the Southern Literary Messenger some years later.  Poe was returning to Richmond when he met his mysterious and untimely demise.  Students will read two of Poe's poems that more deeply reveal his connections to the River City. 

The third session will introduce students to Poe's time in Baltimore, Maryland and its significance to this early writings.  Students will do an in-class reading of a selected poem and work on a small group activity.  Arrangements have been made for learners in this class to participate in a live, virtual tour of Poe's Baltimore home.  Information about this "field trip" will be posted in the Classroom. 

The fourth session will introduce students to Poe's time in Philadelphia and his hand (literally and figuratively) in the emergence of the detective story.  We will analyze and discuss one of Poe's detective stories and view pictures of his home in Philadelphia. 

In the fifth session of this course, learners will follow Poe from Philadelphia  to New York and explore the last home Poe shared with his wife before her death.  Students will view pictures of the home and make connections to Poe's last published work.  Learners will participate in an in-class reading and discussion of Poe's most famous poem, as well.  

"E.A. Poe and the Homes Where Dreams Were Born" is a fun way to learn more about Edgar Allan Poe and a great opportunity to explore beyond our virtual classroom to see the spaces and places where dreams became literary masterpieces!