Edgar Allan Poe 19 January 1809 – 7 October 1849

Born in Boston on 19 Jan – parents David and Elizabeth Arnold Poe are itinerant actors – father deserted the family when Edgar was 18 months old and Elizabeth died in 1811 (EAP was two years old). Sister Rosalie and brother Henry and EAP split up – all go to different homes and families Edgar becomes ward of John and Frances Keeling Allan, wealthy Scottish tobacco exporters. Frances dotes on child probably in response to her husband’s infidelity.

Edgar was never legally adopted by the Allans even though he enjoyed the good life, and great education that their money could give him. John grew very jealous of the child – house filled with tension. From the family is living in England and Scotland. EAP at Stoke-Newington. Purchased mansion called Moldavia for $14,950 when they returned to America. Frances is sick a lot so Edgar relies on mother of a friend for help (Jane Stith Stanard) but is devastated when she dies of a brain tumor.

Engaged to Sarah Elmira Royster but father objects to the marriage and marries her to someone else when EAP goes off to college at U. of Va. (1826) Edgar runs up gambling debts ($2000) and is forced to leave U. of Va. after a year. Instead of joining Allan in his tobacco firm, EAP runs to Boston and begins publishing poetry. Enters the Army under the alias Edgar A. Perry. Allan and EAP declare a truce following Frances’ death on 28 February 1829.

EAP secures an appointment to West Point on 1 July Finds military life unsuitable and draws a dismissal by refusing to attend classes or church (27 Jan ) Court- martialed on 8 Feb John remarried 5 Oct (19 months after Frances’ death) – died 27 March 1834 without naming EAP in his will > Poe working as a hack in Baltimore – moves in with Aunt Maria Poe Clemm and her daughter, Virginia.

1832 – the Philadelphia Saturday Courier published the first five of Poe’s short stories – “MS Found in a Bottle” wins $50 prize and publication in the Baltimore Saturday Visitor – first famous story – became editor of Richmond’s Southern Literary Messenger. Poe secretly married Virginia in September, 1835 – ceremony publicly repeated 16 May 1836 – Virginia is 13 and Edgar is 27, but this is a love match. Brilliant editor but personally unstable – insecure – devoted to Virginia – quarrelsome with associates

Moved to Philadelphia in 1838 and stayed there until 1844 – editing three literary magazines – becoming well-known for his critiques of other authors and works – won $100 for “Gold Bug” (about $2500 today) Moved to New York in 1844 – Virginia is dying of TB – Poe’s insecurity and their poverty contribute to his bizarre behaviors – drinking to excess – severe headaches force him to use opium to deaden the pain – his enemies spread rumors that he is having affairs (they were untrue)

29 January 1845 – literary life climaxes with the publication of “The Raven” – received $15 for it ($330 today) and the couple buys a cottage in Fordham – Virginia dies of TB there on 30 January November 1848 – Poe dating New England widow and poetess Sarah Helen Whitman – she agrees to marry him if he stops drinking but he has a relapse on 23 December and she cancels the engagement.

25 August 1849 – gets engaged to widow Sarah Royster again, even though she will have to give up a sizeable inheritance from her first husband. 27 September – Poe leaves for Philadelphia on board the Pocahontas but is found unconscious six days later in a Baltimore street gutter outside Ryan’s Fourth Ward Polls. He died in delirium four days later on October 7, 1849.

Theory about death: Poe may have been a victim of cooping and not in a self- inflicted drunken or drugged state as people want to believe. It was an election day – political gangs, intent on the win of their candidate, stole ballots, bribed judges and intimidated voters. Some gangs kidnapped innocent people and held them in rooms called “coops.” These people were forced to vote at numerous polling places. Many of them were forced to drink liquor and were beaten into compliance – their clothes would be changed so that they would not be recognized. Evidence suggests that Poe was not wearing his own clothes when he was found. In addition, Poe had a weak heart and brain lesions which could have contributed to his painful headaches and bizarre behavior. A beating by kidnappers could easily have been fatal.

Accomplishments: With only 48 poems, Poe established a new kind of symbolic poetry. Formalized the modern short story. Invented the detective story. Poe’s detective, Dupin, became the model for Sherlock Holmes. Made science fiction more acceptable to more readers. Developed critical theory and a discipline of analytical criticism. Writing can appeal simultaneously to reason and emotion. No moral lessons as with other writers of the day.