What are some of Edgar Allan Poe's big stories?

His stories are full of psychological depth. In 'The Oval Portrait', Poe delves into the relationship between art and the artist, and how the artist's obsession can have unexpected and somewhat disturbing consequences. He makes the reader think about the human psyche and its complex nature.

His own experiences with mental illness, or at least his observations of it, are reflected in his stories. In 'The Tell - Tale Heart', the narrator's descent into madness could be related to Poe's own battles or awareness of the human mind's fragility. He often wrote about characters on the brink of insanity, which might have been inspired by his own life's hardships and the instability he witnessed.

'The Fall of the House of Usher' is also among his best. It has a very eerie atmosphere. The decaying mansion, the strange illness of Roderick Usher and his sister Madeline, and the ultimate collapse of the house all create a sense of doom and horror.

Some of his famous stories include 'The Tell - Tale Heart'. In this story, the narrator is haunted by the sound of his victim's heart, which drives him to madness.

'The Cask of Amontillado' is also among his top works. It's a story of revenge. The narrator, Montresor, lures his so - called friend Fortunato into the catacombs under the pretense of tasting a rare wine. He then walls Fortunato up alive, which is a very dark and chilling act, and Poe's use of the setting and the characters' dialogue makes it a classic.

One of the scariest is 'The Tell - Tale Heart'. The narrator's obsession with the old man's 'vulture - eye' and his slow descent into madness as he plots and then commits the murder is truly terrifying. The guilt that haunts him in the end, with him believing he can still hear the old man's heart beating under the floorboards, is a classic example of Poe's ability to create psychological horror.

Poe's difficult life, with the loss of his loved ones, influenced his stories. For example, the sense of grief and loss in 'The Raven' may be related to his own experiences of losing people close to him.

Among the 'top 25 edgar allan poe stories', 'The Black Cat' is a notable one. It shows the downward spiral of the narrator's mental state. The story is filled with elements of horror and guilt. 'Eleonora' is another good one, which has Poe's characteristic themes of love and loss. 'The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar' is a strange and macabre story that plays with the idea of suspended animation.

Another story is 'The Masque of the Red Death'. While it has elements of horror, it can also be seen as a story about the futility of trying to escape death. It's not as straightforwardly sad as some of his other works. It has a kind of allegorical and thought - provoking nature that makes it more complex than just a sad story.

Allan Edgar Poe's stories are often characterized by their dark and mysterious themes. His works, such as 'The Fall of the House of Usher', are filled with a sense of foreboding. The settings are usually gloomy, like old, decaying mansions. Poe's use of language is very detailed, creating a vivid and often terrifying atmosphere for the readers.