Written by Murray Ellison
Poe’s early schooling and military training inspire and shape his interest in science. According to Kenneth Silverman, Poe’s secondary education started after his foster parents moved from England to Richmond. In 1821, “Edgar attended the private academy of Joseph H. Clarke,” which served to prepare young gentlemen to obtain “an honorable entrance in any University in the United States.” One of Poe’s classmates wrote a testimonial that he was one of the top students in the class (23). In The Poe Log, Thomas and Jackson list the classes that students typically ...
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Poe & Science with Murray Ellison
"M.S. Found in a Bottle:" A Look at Poe's Skepticism of 19th-Century Science, Part II
Murray Ellison | August 31, 2017
By being unobserved, the unnamed narrator of Poe’s, “M.S. Found in a Bottle” is looking at the relics of science on the ship he is standing on as an outsider. He concludes that much of nineteenth-century science is outdated and largely based on theories of misguided scientists like Francis Bacon and Symmes. He describes the ship as having a “severely simple bow and antiquated stern,” that reminds him of “an unaccountable memory of old foreign chronicles and ages ...
August Newsletter Posted!
Our August Newsletter has been posted! Make sure to check it out down below for upcoming Museum events and more!
August Newsletter Link ...
Interactive Mock Trial Used As Educational Resource
For those unfamiliar with the Mock Trial, it's our most popular offering for school groups and it works really well for adults, too! We take Poe's great story "The Tell-Tale Heart" and treat it as though it were testimony from a murderer on trial in a courtroom. Before we read the story, we "cast" several roles: judge, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney and jury foreman. Everyone else is on the jury!
How Does It Work?
The judge calls the court to order and the defendant (a Poe staffer, typically the Education Coordinator) takes the stand. Poe's story serves as ...