Back in past decades, the journal Poe Studies ran an occasional series of ‘fugitive references’ to the writings of Edgar Allan Poe in the works of other writers. In that spirit, I offer a set of such references, gleaned from my reading in recent years. Here they are:
Dorothy L. Sayers, The Nine Tailors (1934) – quotes from Poe’s tale ’Berenice’ as epigraph to the fifth part of her detective story (also, the ‘tailors’ themselves are in fact bells and thus suggest Poe’s ’The Bells’)
Evelyn Waugh, The Loved One (1948) – the cremation which is the book’s last act is accompanied by a recital adapting the first verse of Poe’s ’To Helen’
John Betjeman, Summoned by Bells (1960) – as a schoolboy, the poet learns by heart Poe’s ‘The Bells’ out of his school’s ‘dog-eared poetry books’
P.G. Wodehouse, The Code of the Woosters (1938) – Jeeves summarises Poe’s ‘The Purloined Letter’ for Bertie Wooster’s benefit
Stephen King, Carrie (1974) – passing allusion to a school production of ‘The Raven’, prompted by a bust of Pallas in the school’s storage
Poe is everywhere, and I will be pleased with any suggestions for additions to this list!
ADDED 11 February 2024 – three more Wodehouse references, for which I am pleased to thank Helen Swallow.
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P.G. Wodehouse
Right Ho, Jeeves, 1922
But, dash it!” I cried. “Do you know what’s happened? Madeline Bassett says she’s going to marry me!”.”I hope it keeps fine for you,” said the relative, and passed from the room looking like something out of an Edgar Allan Poe story. I don’t suppose I was looking so dashed unlike something out of an Edgar Allan Poe story myself, for, as you can readily imagine, the news item which I have just recorded had got in amongst me properly.
Summer Lightning 1929
The atmosphere of Blandings Castle has changed all of a sudden from that of a normal, happy English home into something Edgar Allan Poe might have written on a rainy Sunday.
Barmy in Wonderland, 1952
He gave him a nasty look. It was a look that seemed to bring into the office an Edgar Allan Poe-like atmosphere of wailing winds and family curses.
Dr Christopher Rollason: BILINGUAL CULTURE BLOG - ENGLISH/SPANISH - CASTELLANO/INGLÉS 