Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American writer and poet and one of the most preeminent figures of Gothic Literature.He is widely recognized as a master of the short story form,but also delved into poetry,essays and literary criticismo His work often revolved around dark and macabre thernes,using death and the human mind's deepest fears to craft cornplex stories about a vast array of subjecrs. He laid the groundwork for the modern detective story,he elevated his prose with poetic imagery and he always pushed the limits of his portrayal of the most basic human nature at least for the standards of the time.