THE LIFE AND DEATH OF EDGAR ALLAN POE Logan Bell 10/18/2013 Sophomore English

DIRECTIONS  Arrows like this move forward.  Arrows like this move backward.  Arrows like this show bonus information.  This icon sends you to the quiz.  This icon brings you to the menu.

OBJECTIVES  You will be able to provide details about the life of Edgar Allan Poe, including specific important events such as his marriages and death.  You will be able to list at least five of Poe’s works and be able to provide basic information about some of his more popular writings.  You will be able to list several reasons why Poe is still studied and celebrated so long after his death.

MENU  Directions Teacher Slide  Objectives  Early Life  Writing Career  Death and Legacy  Summary  Quiz will become available after all sections are completed.

TEACHER SLIDE

EARLY LIFE Edgar Allan Poe was born Edgar Poe in the city of Boston, on January 19, He was the second of three children. His parents both came from theater backgrounds. After Poe’s father left the family in 1810 and his mother died of tuberculosis the year after, Poe was taken into the home of John Allan, a Scottish merchant. Poe took Allan’s name into his own, though he was never officially adopted by him.

AN ARTIST’S INTERPRETATION OF A YOUNG EDGAR ALLAN POE

In 1827, Poe enlisted in the Army, listing his last name as Perry and listing his age as 22, when he was actually 18. It was in this year that he published his first book, a collection of poetry entitled “Tamerlane and Other Poems”. Only 50 copies were originally printed, and the book was mostly ignored. The few surviving copies have become extremely valuable (one sold in 2009 for $662,500). Poe left the Army in 1829 and joined West Point in Poe soon sought to be discharged, disobeying orders so that he would be court martialed and relieved of duty. He plead not guilty to insubordination and was promptly discharged.

PHOTO OF WEST POINT CAMPUS

WRITING CAREER After leaving the military for good, Poe tried to support himself solely through his writing. In 1833 Poe won an award for his short story “MS. Found in a Bottle”. This brought him to the attention of Thomas White, who brought Poe on as the assistant editor of his periodical “ Southern Literary Messenger”. It was around this time, in 1835, that Poe married his 13 year old cousin, Virginia Clemm, who listed her age as 21 on the marriage license.

PORTRAIT OF VIRGINIA CLEMM

In 1842, Virginia began to show signs of what was known then as consumption, and what is now called tuberculosis. She died in January of Her death had a profound effect on Poe, causing him to drink to excess and influencing the themes of his works. It is believed that the death of both his mother and wife led to many of his works centering around the death of a beautiful woman. In 1845, Poe published “The Raven”, earning $9, but establishing himself as a household name. This newfound popularity led to an upsurge in interest in his older works, such as “The Murders in the Rue Mourge”, which is hailed as the father of the modern detective story, and “The Black Cat”, which is now considered a classic horror tale. Though these are now considered classics, the most Poe was ever paid for a work was $100

RESEARCH EXERCISE Using internet resources, research at least five of Poe’s works, either poetry or prose. You should provide the date published, genre, and a short summary of the plot. Some links to get you started-  List of Poe’s works (Wikipedia link, so only use it to find the titles of his works) List of Poe’s works  Short summaries (Do NOT plagiarize) Short summaries  More summaries More summaries

DEATH AND LEGACY On October 3 of 1849, two years after the death of Virginia, Poe was found wandering the streets of Baltimore, delirious and reportedly calling out the name “Reynolds”. Poe was taken to Washington Medical College, never becoming coherent enough to explain what had happened to him. Edgar Allan Poe died on October 7, Poe’s cause of death is not known, but theories alleging everything from cholera, epilepsy, syphilis, rabies, and even murder have emerged.

Despite his untimely death, Edgar Allan Poe had a lasting impact on the Gothic style of writing, as well as American literature as a whole. Poe is credited by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes) as the creator of the detective story. Poe was also an influence on early Sci-fi author Jules Verne, who would even write a sequel to Poe’s “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym”. Poe’s influence extends to contemporary literature, as he is listed as an influence by writes such as, Agatha Christie, H.P. Lovecraft, and Lemony Snicket. One of the last known images of Poe, taken in 1849.

THINKING ACTIVITY Take time to think about the ways in which Poe influenced modern literature and culture. What books, movies, music, and T.V. shows do you think were influenced by Poe? Do you think Poe gets too much or too little credit? Support your answers.

SUMMARY  Edgar Allan Poe was born January 19, 1809 and died on October 7, He was married to his cousin, Virginia Clemm until she died. Although he is widely celebrated today, Poe was never financially successful during his lifetime. Many modern writer cite him as an influence.  What’s Next? Reading and analyzing his more famous works. Gaining a better understanding of the themes and motifs of his works.

IF YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE REST OF THE SECTIONS, YOU MAY CONTINUE ON TO THE QUIZ Good Luck!

1.WHERE WAS POE BORN? A.PennsylvaniaPennsylvania B.BostonBoston C.LondonLondon D.AntarcticaAntarctica

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SLOW DOWN NOW! You either didn’t read the question or didn’t read the content. Maybe you should take your time.

2.POE’S FIRST WORK WAS TITLED WHAT? A. The RavenThe Raven B. The Tell-Tale HeartThe Tell-Tale Heart C. TwilightTwilight D. Tamerlane and Other PoemsTamerlane and Other Poems

3. WHAT DID VIRGINIA CLEMM DIE OF? A.Consumption/TuberculosisConsumption/Tuberculosis B.CancerCancer C.AlcoholismAlcoholism D.Laughing to deathLaughing to death

4.WHAT WAS THE MOST POE MADE FROM SELLING ONE OF HIS WORKS? A.$9$9 B.$3.50$3.50 C.$100$100 D.He was never paid for his workHe was never paid for his work

5. IN WHAT YEAR DID POE DIE? A B C D.He is still livingHe is still living

CONGRATULATIONS! Way to pay attention to the PowerPoint! Now that you know all about Edgar Allan Poe’s life, we can start to learn about the meaning in his works! This assignment is done, you may exit it now.

TEACHER SLIDE This CBI meets the diversity requirement by having large text, allowing collaborative work, and allowing for different ways of learning.