Which of the following is not a prominent characterization of Edgar Allen Poe's work?

1. Idealistic and progressive views on life

2. Dark, gloomy, eerie setting

3 Mental or physical torment

4. Macabre or violent characters leading to an unreliable narrator

1. Idealistic and progressive views on life

Answer: The correct answer is 1. Poe lived a tormented life himself and was not an upbeat individual. He married his cousin Virginia when she was 13 and he was 26. She died of tuberculosis at age 26. Poe, who had been a drinker, became an even heavier drinker after his wife's death and soon thereafter, "The Raven" was published.