SUMMARY: Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849)
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Edgar Allan Poe was born as Edgar Poe on January 19, 1809 in Boston Massachusetts. His parents were actors Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins and David Poe; a brother Williams Henry and sister Rosalie. His mother died in 1811 and father in 1810. After the death of both his parents, Edgar was moved to the home of Frances and John Allan who were wealthy merchants that lived in Richmond, Virginia. While in school at the University of Virginia, Poe and his foster father John Allan became estranged because of a gambling debt that Poe had. John Allan cut off Poe from the finances that were supporting Poe.
Poe was unable to pay the debts that he had created and could no longer pay to attend the University of Virginia; he enlisted in the United States Army and served for two years. During the previous years and in the United States Army, Poe had written poetry and was able to publish his first book of poetry Tamerlane and Other Poems in 1827. Poe used his personal finances to publish his first book of poetry.
Two years passed before Poe reconciled with his foster father, John Allan. The reconciliation took place to honor Poe’s foster mother who died in 1829 and asked for the reconciliation on her deathbed. The reconciliation was brief, but would help Poe publish his second book in 1829 Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems and Poems. Shortly after Poe moved to Baltimore and moved in with his Aunt Maria Clemm. He would later marry his cousin Virginia Clemm at the age of fourteen. For the next few years, Poe placed his poems in different newspaper and magazine and became recognized by the community.
After Poe and Virginia were married, they moved to New York City. In 1838 Poe published the novel The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym. This would be the only completed novel that was written and published by Poe. The novel was full of mystery, cannibalism and murder. After the novel was published, Poe directed his attention back to stories and poems for newspapers and magazines. He started to write his first detective story and it was published in 1841.
The Raven and Other Poems were written in 1845 and is what helped make Poe famous. The book included the poems,
“The Raven”
“Eulalie”
“To Helen”
In 1847, Poe lost his beloved wife Virginia to tuberculosis. She passed away at the age of 24. Devastated by the lost, Poe turned to alcohol and started to be looked down upon by society. A year after the death of Virginia, Poe became engaged to his teenage sweetheart Elmira Royster. In 1849, Poe began to tour and do poetry reading to raise funds to begin his own magazine that would later by called The Stylus.
The death of Edgar Allan Poe is a mystery. He died on October 7, 1949 and was buried at the Old Westminster Burying Ground of Baltimore in an unmarked grave. The unmarked grave was marked with a headstone that has the following inscription:
Ouoth the Raven, Nevermore
Original Burial Place of Edgar Allan Poe
From October 9, 1849 until November 17, 1875
Mrs. Marian Clemm, his Mother-in-Law lies upon his right and Virginia Poe, his wife upon his left. Under the monument erected to him in this cemetery.
The poems and stories that were written by Edgar Allan Poe are those of mystery and despair. The intense writings are what made him famous. He was able to publish his first book of poems at the age of 18. After many books of poems, newspapers and magazines his poems and stories will always be remembered.
