illustrated portrait of American author of gothic fiction Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe

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Edgar Allan Poe Biography

Edgar Allan Poe's life story makes it easy to see where the author got his ideas and how his work relates to his experience. First, his father abandoned the family; then his mother died when he was very young, and his foster father, John Allen, erratically swung between lenience and extreme discipline; finally, Poe married his much younger cousin Virginia, who died at an early age. Is it any wonder, then, that Poe's work focused on the macabre, the bizarre, and the outcast? No. The wonder is that he found a way to make such striking art from his suffering. Before his death at age forty, Edgar Allan Poe raised the American short story to a new level, writing works that completely modernized detective fiction, science fiction, and, of course, the horror story.

Facts and Trivia

  • Poe attended the University of Virginia—until he had to drop out due to lack of money. It seems that Poe had a gambling problem, and his foster father got tired of bailing him out.
  • Broke, Poe lied about his age and joined the army. He served two years before getting himself dismissed by court martial.
  • Poe’s short stories featuring C. Auguste Dupin shaped the modern mystery story so much that Arthur Conan Doyle compared Sherlock Holmes to Dupin, and the Mystery Writers of America give an award named the Edgar—after Poe, of course.
  • Bizarre events related to Poe didn’t stop just because he died in 1849. He was buried in an unmarked grave, and when gossip finally led to a stone being ordered, it was destroyed in a train accident.
  • Ever since 1949, someone has left a bottle of cognac and some roses on Poe’s grave. Who is leaving these things? And why?

Biography

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Edgar Allan Poe, an eminent figure in American literature, is often remembered for his mastery of macabre tales and his pioneering contributions to the detective fiction genre. His life, marked by personal turmoil and literary triumphs, began on January 19, 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts. Orphaned at a young age and later taken in by a wealthy merchant, Poe's early years were a prelude to the tumultuous career that lay ahead.

Early Life and Education

Born to actors living in poverty, Poe faced adversity from the start. Following the death of his parents when he was just three, he was taken in by John Allan, a prosperous merchant from Richmond, Virginia. This new arrangement led Poe to England, accompanying the Allans from 1815 to 1820, where he attended a private school. Upon returning to the United States, he continued his education at private institutions until 1826, when he enrolled at the University of Virginia. Unfortunately, financial mismanagement and gambling debts forced him to leave the university after only a year, as John Allan declined to settle these obligations.

Military Endeavors and Early Literary Pursuits

Poe's decision to join the army under a pseudonym came after a falling out with his guardian. Despite the regimented life of a soldier, he managed to publish his first collection of poems at the age of eighteen, albeit self-financed. The death of John Allan’s wife in 1829 marked a turning point; Poe was discharged from the army and momentarily reconciled with his guardian, earning an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. However, dissatisfaction with military discipline and inadequate financial support from Allan led Poe to intentionally neglect his duties, culminating in his dismissal from the academy.

Life in Baltimore and Literary Breakthroughs

Settling in Baltimore with his destitute aunt and her daughter Virginia, Poe began weaving the bizarre and romantic narratives that would become his signature style. "Metzengerstein," published in 1832, was his first foray into the realm of eerie storytelling, exploring themes of familial feuds and supernatural vengeance. The following year brought a significant breakthrough; Poe's "MS. Found in a Bottle" won a fifty-dollar prize from a Baltimore newspaper and garnered considerable attention. This accolade secured him an editorial position at a Richmond-based monthly magazine, launching his career in literary editing.

Marriage and Continued Literary Output

In 1836, Poe married his cousin Virginia, who was merely thirteen years old at the time, and moved to Philadelphia with her and her mother the following year. During this period, he penned his only novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, an adventurous tale replete with themes of mutiny, shipwreck, and encounters with exotic cultures. The narrative, although sprawling, showcased Poe's flair for crafting compelling, albeit dark, stories.

Prominence in American Magazine Publishing

From 1838 until his death in 1849, Poe played a pivotal role in the burgeoning American magazine scene. As editor for various publications, he wrote insightful reviews and critical essays alongside his stories, demonstrating his incisive literary acumen and forthrightness. During these years, Poe produced some of his most acclaimed works, including unsettling gothic tales like "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "Ligeia," as well as the groundbreaking detective stories "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" and "The Purloined Letter." His narrative prowess extended to haunting poems such as "The Raven," which earned him widespread acclaim and established his reputation as a master of dark romanticism.

Struggles and Final Days

Despite his literary achievements, Poe's life was marred by financial instability. The loss of his young wife Virginia to tuberculosis in 1847 compounded his personal anguish, leaving him in deep despair. In October 1849, while en route from Richmond to New York, Poe detoured through Baltimore, where he succumbed to excessive drinking—a habit against which he had little resistance. Discovered in a dire state near a polling station on October 3, Poe's final days were shrouded in mystery and sorrow. He succumbed to delirium tremens on October 7, and was laid to rest in a Baltimore cemetery. To this day, a mysterious visitor pays tribute to him each Halloween by placing flowers on his grave.

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