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This class will meet at the George Peabody Library to take advantage of a concurrent physical exhibition of Poe-related books and manuscripts. We’ll immerse ourselves in the world of Edgar Allan Poe: his literary past, his ongoing presence, and the possible future of his work. We’ll begin by extensive reading of Poe’s fiction, verse, and criticism, and study selected critical perspectives on his work. What inspired Poe’s many literary innovations? How was Poe’s work affected by publishing possibilities in his time? How was his reputation tarnished and then recuperated? In the second half of the term, we’ll turn to popular Poe “continuations” in the present: texts and digital projects that imaginatively extend Poe’s work and/or legacy. For the final project, students will collectively curate a digital exhibition of Poe-related objects from area institutions. The way we approach this project will have implications for the way Poe is seen in the future. While our focus in this class is on Poe, we will also ask broader questions about cultural heritage preservation and engagement. How is literary history transformed as it is passed on? How does the popularity (or lack thereof) of a figure from the past affect access and understanding in the present? What differences do our platforms make?