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The birth of Poe/ Parents
Edgar Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He was born to David Poe Jr.and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins Poe. His mother and father were both actors. Poe had a brother named William and sister named Rosalie. His father later left him and mother died a year later. He was taken in by a Scottish merchant from Richmond named John Allan. Allan gave Edgar his famous name "Edgar Allan Poe." Though, John Allan never formally adopted Poe. Then, later in 1815 was with a foster family. -
Education
Poe's first experience of education was a grammar school in Irvine, Scotland and then in London he went to a boarding school in Chelsea. In 1820 Poe's foster family moved to Richmond, and Poe joined the University of Virginia. He studied languages at Virginia. Poe was later expelled from the University for not paying his gambling debts. -
Poe went in the Army
Poe joined the U.S. Army as a common soldier. He went by or under the name Edgar A. Perry. During his time in the Army he was sent to Sullivan's Island, South Carolina. While Poe was in South Carolina it helped him with the settings of 'The Gold Bug' in 1843 and 'The Balloon Hoax' in 1844. Also he published at his own expense, Tamerlane and Other Poems but it sold poorly. -
Career
Edgar Allan Poe could write poems, detective stories, horror tales, and famous books like The Raven. Other than publishing poetry and books he worked for literary journals and periodicals.Poe became famous for his style of literary criticism. Poe started this career as a staff member of different magazines. He worked at the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond, Burton's Gentleman's Magazine in Philadelphia, and Graham's Magazine. -
Marriage
Poe secretly married his cousin, Virginia Eliza Clemm, who was thirteen years old in Baltimore. He later discloed his marriage to Virginia and had a wedding ceremony in public. Sadly, within two years of their marriage she died of tuberculosis. After his wife's death he began to struggle with drinking and drugs. Poe did have several romances, including a affair with the poet Sarah Helen Whitman.Then, later he got engaged to Elmira Royster. -
Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym
This was Poe's longest tale and it was about the secret theme is the terror of whiteness. It was about tribes with one being black down to the teeth. The tribe is visited by men and white storms and so they are mixed together. They slaughter the crew of Pym's vessel. Some say that this book was related to his book Moby-Dick and in the chapter,'The Whiteness of the Whale.' -
The Conchologist's First Book
This book was based on Thomas Wyatt's work, but it sold poorly because it was at a high prize. Poe published it in 1839 and it was a success. Wyatt wanted Poe to abridge the book put his name on the title page. The first edition of Poe's was sold out in two months. -
Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque
This book was Poe's first collection. It contained his famous work called "the Fall of the House of Usher." The tale inspired some film adaptations. Roger Corman made a version in 1960 in fifteen days. -
The Raven
The Raven brought Poe national fame. The poem was described as a dark poem of lost love. This poetry came from a Boston author saying that in the English language the most effective letters were the o and r. The poems inspired many artists. -
Poe's Death
Poe died in Baltimore. It is said that his death was from excessive consumption of alcohol and other problems. When he died he turned up in a Baltimore gutter. His death most likely arose from him almost committing suicide in 1848.
