The Purloined Letter is a short story by Edgar Allen Poe that was first published in 1844 It is considered one of his most famous works and is an example of detective fiction, an extremely popular genre at the time. The story follows Dupin, a detective-like character, who is asked by a Parisian prefect of police to locate an important letter that has been stolen from the Minister D___. Dupin succeeds in retrieving the letter but not through the usual investigative strategies of the time, instead, he uses observation and logic.
Five Interesting Essay Topic Ideas related to The Purloined Letter:
1. ‘The Purloined Letter’ and its Impact on Detective Fiction: How did Edgar Allen Poe’s story shape the future of detective fiction as a genre?
2. Analyzing the Character of Dupin: Explore and examine how Poe’s character of Dupin is used and depicted in the story, and how this affects our perception of him.
3. Symbolism in ‘The Purloined Letter’: What symbols are present in Poe’s story and how do they relate to the themes and characters of the story?
4. Comparing ‘The Purloined Letter’ to Other Works by Poe: Analyze and discuss how this work compares to other works by Edgar Allen Poe.
5. ‘The Purloined Letter’ and Identity Theft: What are the parallels between identity theft today and the plot of ‘The Purloined Letter’?