The Philosophy of Composition

Poe provides a step-by-step account of how he wrote “The Raven,” arguing that he proceeded “with the precision and rigid consequence of a mathematical problem” (545). Regardless of whether he wrote the poem in this manner, why do you think that Poe took the time to describe his writing process as a step-by-step process?

Poe claims that, when writing “The Raven,” his goal was to produce a work that was “universally appreciable.” Do you agree with his views that there are topics that will be appreciated and liked by everyone? Justify your answer.

Poe proposes that a writer must first think about the end of a work (the outcome of the plot or the effect of the poem) and proceed backward. Can you think of positive or negative aspects of this method?