Edgar Allan Poe: Master of the Macabre

Edgar Allan Poe and HP Lovecraft
I’ve been reading a lot of H.P. Lovecraft lately, and one of the things that has stood out to me most about Lovecraft’s writing is just how much inspiration he derived from the works of Edgar Allan Poe. In fact, even though Lovecraft typically wrote about supernatural horror instead of the more worldly horror that is seen in most of Poe’s works, it is clear that Lovecraft had a profound admiration for Poe. This admiration is clear in Lovecraft’s writing not only because Lovecraft attempted to mimic Poe’s style in a number of his stories but also because Lovecraft made references to Poe and his macabre style regularly throughout his works. However, in order to truly appreciate the effect that Poe had on Lovecraft, you have to understand the power of Poe’s stories, and if you’re looking for a way to truly experience the power of Poe, you will definitely want to head over to Gore Place in Waltham on Saturday.

This is because Gore Place is hosting Edgar Allan Poe: Master of the Macabre at 2:00 and 3:30 P.M. on Saturday, January 23, 2016. This event, which is primarily intended for horror fans over the age of 15, will allow you to experience Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death” and several of Poe’s other works as if the literary scholar reading them was actually Poe himself. Best of all, you can get tickets to the event for half price ($7.50 instead of $15 a person for nonmembers) by ordering your tickets on the Goldstar Events website. For more information on Edgar Allan Poe: Master of the Macabre, please visit the Goldstar Events website or the Gore Place website.

Photo credit: gregveen via Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Edgar Allan Poe Rises Again

Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven
If you have been having a long interval of horrible sanity and you haven’t had a chance to get into the Halloween spirit just yet, you’re in luck because The Scarlet Letter Press has the perfect opportunity for you to peer deep into the darkness. In fact, The Scarlet Letter Press is hosting An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe tomorrow night (Saturday, October 17, 2015) from 5:45 PM to 7:00 P.M. This event will give you the opportunity to experience a dramatic reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” and “A Tell Tale Heart”.

Each of these stories will be read by an actor, but the tale will be told as if the actor was the author himself, which, combined with the eerie ambience of Whynott’s Wands (located at 127 Essex Street in Salem), will make the stories even creepier. Even creepier still is the fact that some believe that “A Tell Tale Heart” is actually based on a real event that occurred in Salem in the 1800s, so you will never find a better place to hear the tale than here. Best of all, you will receive a special gift if you attend, so you will remember the occasion for evermore. For more information on An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe and/or to order tickets for the event, please visit The Scarlet Letter Press’ website or call The Scarlet Letter Press at 978-741-1850.

Photo credit: vidalia_11 / Foter / CC BY