Edgar Allan Poe, The Purloined Letter

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Poe wrote to J.R. Lowell in 1844 that “The Purloined Letter” is probably “the best of [his] tales of ratiocination” (

Poe

3:972). Mabbott believes that its “great merit” lies in the “purely intellectual plot” and “absence of the sensational” (

Poe

3:972). The tale was “hastily completed” for the Philadelphian annual

The Gift,

in which it was published in September of 1844; an abridged version followed in Chambers’

Edinburgh Journal

in November of that same year (

Poe

3:972). By 1845 the tale was again reprinted, in Poe’s own collection

Tales,

and a French translation soon followed in the Parisian

Magasin pittoresque

for August of 1845 (

Poe

3:973). While possible that the Queen of France at the time, Marie Amélie (c. 1830s), is being referenced in the story, as is…

3987 words

Citation: Sucur, Slobodan. "The Purloined Letter". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 16 January 2017 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=7496, accessed 19 March 2024.]

7496 The Purloined Letter 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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