Poe is a very complicated author. His literary works are perplexed, disturbing, and even grotesque. His frequent illnesses may have provoked his engrossment in such things. In 1842 Dr. John W. Francis diagnosed Poe with sympathetic heart trouble as well as brain congestion. He also noted Poe's inability to withstand stimulants such as drugs and alcohol (Phillips 1508). These factors may have motivated him to write "The Tell-Tale-Heart", "The Cask of Amontillado", and "The Black Cat". All …showed first 75 words of 2582 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2582 total…Man, Volume II. Chicago, IL: The John C. Winston Co, 1912. Poe, Edgar Allan. The Black Cat. Online. Personal Computer. Simpatico. Internet. 18 March 1999. Available http://www.gothic.net/poe/works/black_cat.txt Poe, Edgar Allan. The Cask of Amontillado. Online. Personal Computer. Simpatico. Internet. 18 March 1999. Available http://www.literature.org/Works/Edgar-Allan-Poe/amontillado.html Poe, Edgar Allan. The Tell-Tale-Heart. Online. Personal Computer. Simpatico. Internet. 18 March 1999. Available http://www.gothic.net/poe/works/tell-tale_heart.txt