Poe's Most Productive Years


The six years that Poe spent in Philadelphia were some of the most creative years of his life. During that time, he published an astonishing amount of writing, including some of his most well-known works. Below, you will find a list of texts that Poe published while living in Philadelphia, as well as the publication in which it appeared and how much he was paid for his writing, if known.

In addition to these works, Poe also published about 60 critical reviews in Burton's Gentlemen's Magazine and Graham's Magazine between August 1839 and March 1844.

1838

  • September: "Ligeia" published in American Museum of Science, Literature, & Arts, $5
  • November: "The Signora Psyche Zenobia" published in American Museum of Science, Literature, & Arts, $5
  • November: "The Scythe of Time" published in American Museum of Science, Literature, & Arts, $4

1839

  • April: "The Haunted Palace" published in American Museum of Science, Literature, & Arts, $5
  • May 18: “The Devil in the Belfry” published in Saturday Chronicle & Mirror of the Times
  • August: “The Man That Was Used Up” published Burton’s Gentlemen’s Magazine
  • September: “The Fall of the House of Usher" published Burton’s Gentlemen’s Magazine, $24
  • October: "William Wilson" published Burton’s Gentlemen’s Magazine, $24
  • December: "The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion" published Burton’s Gentlemen’s Magazine

1840

  • "Why the Little Frenchmen Wears His Hand in a Sling" published in Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque
  • January - June: “The Journal of Julius Rodman” published in Burton’s Gentlemen’s Magazine, $69, unfinished
  • January 4: “Silence - A Sonnet” published in The Saturday Courier, $5
  • January 29: “Instinct vs. Reason - A Black Cat” published in Alexander’s Weekly Messenger
  • February: “Peter Pendulum” published in Burton’s Gentlemen’s Magazine
  • May: "Philosophy of Furniture" published in Burton’s Gentlemen’s Magazine
  • December: "The Man of the Crowd" published in The Casket

1841

  • April: “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” published in Graham’s Magazine, $56
  • May: “A Descent into the Maelstrom” published in Graham’s Magazine
  • Summer: "Eleanora" published in The Gift: A Christmas & New Year's Present for 1842
  • June: “The Island of the Fay” published in Graham’s Magazine
  • August: “The Colloquy of Monos and Una” published in Graham’s Magazine
  • September: “Never Bet the Devil Your Head” published in Graham’s Magazine
  • November 27: “A Succession of Sundays” published in Saturday Evening Post

1842

  • April: “Life in Death” published in Graham’s Magazine
  • May: “The Mask of the Red Death” published in Graham’s Magazine, $12
  • Summer: "The Pit and The Pendulum" published in The Gift: A Christmas & New Year's Present, $38
  • October: “The Landscape Garden” published in The Lady’s Companion, $5
  • November - December: "The Mystery of Marie Roget" published in The Lady’s Companion

1843

  • January: “The Tell-Tale Heart” published in The Pioneer, $10
  • January: “The Conqueror Worm” published in
  • February: "The Mystery of Marie Roget" published in The Lady’s Companion, $5
  • February: "Lenore" published in The Pioneer
  • June 24, July 1 and 8: “The Gold Bug” published in Dollar Newspaper, $100 prize money
  • August 19: "The Black Cat" published in Saturday Evening Post, $20
  • October 14: "Raising the Wind: or Considered As One of the Exact Sciences" published in The Saturday Courier

1844

  • March 27: "The Spectacles" published in The Dollar Newspaper
  • April: "A Tale of the Ragged Mountains" published in Godey's Lady's Book
  • Summer: "Morning on the Wissahickon" published in The Opal: A Pure Gift for the Holy Days

Last updated: September 22, 2017

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