Тема / Топик по английскому языку:
Edgar А. Рое

Edgar Рое is one of the most brilliant and original writers and poets in American literature. He was born in Boston in 1809 in a family of artists. When he was two years old, his mother and father died. His godfather and his wife raised him. He entered the University of Virginia but didn’t stay there long.

Edgar Poe published his first book of poems, «Tamerlane and other poems», in 1827. Two more volumes of verse were published in 1829 and 1831. None of these books won recognition of critics or of public. After publishing these three volumes he was an editor, a critic and a short-story writer for magazines and newspapers. His criticism was direct and clever. It made him a respected and feared critic.

Edgar Poe became the editor of a literary journal, but soon lost his position because of his drinking. He edited other magazines and newspapers in different cities of the USA. At that time he also began writing mystery stories. His short stories, such as «The Masque of the Red Death» and «The Fall of the House of Usher», create a world which is real and fantastic. He is considered the father of modern detective story. One of his most popular stories of this kind is «Murders in the Rue Morgue».

His book «The Raven and Other Poems» won him fame as poet at home and abroad. His poems («The Raven», «The Bells» and «Annabel Lее») are rich with musical phrases, rhythm and repetition of sounds. They are full of images that are not easy to forget.

Though Edgar Poe was more famous as a short-story writer, his poems are popular all over the world and have been translated into many languages. They are on the curriculum of British and American schools and colleges.

Topical Vocabulary

- a brilliant and original writer and poet
блестящий и оригинальный писатель и поэт
a godfather
крестный отец
to raise smb.
воспитывать, растить кого-либо
- to publish a book of poems
выпустить, опубликовать книгу стихов
a volume of verse
сборник стихов
to win recognition of critics or of public
завоевать признание критиков или публики
to be an editor, a critic and a short-story writer
быть издателем, критиком и автором рассказов
criticism
критика
a respected and feared critic
критик, которого уважали и боялись
- a literary journal
литературный журнал
to lose one’s position
потерять свою работу
to edit magazines and newspapers
редактировать журналы и газеты
a mystery story
мистический рассказ
to create a world
создать мир
the father of modern detective story
отец современного детектива
- to win smb. fame as poet
завоевать кому-либо славу поэта
to be rich with musical phrases, rhythm and repetition of sounds
быть полным музыкальных фраз, ритма и звуковых повторов
to be full of images
быть полным образов
to be not easy to forget
оставаться в памяти

Answer the questions:

  1. What kind of education did Edgar A. Poe get?
  2. How did his career in literature begin?
  3. What kind of stories is he famous for?
  4. What were his first books of poems?
  5. What are his poems characterized by?

Translate into English:

  1. Эдгар По - один из самых блестящих и оригинальных писателей и поэтов Америки.
  2. Он не получил высшего образования.
  3. Эдгар По издавал сборники рассказов и стихов, был редактором и критиком.
  4. Его ранние сборники стихов не получили признания ни у публики, ни у критиков.
  5. Сборник стихов «Ворон и другие стихи» принес ему славу в стране и за рубежом.
  6. В его стихах много ритмических фраз.
  7. Стихи Эдгара По полны образов.
  8. По считают отцом детектива.
  9. Он был критиком, которого уважали и боялись.