Edgar Allan Poe
The Greatest Gothic Writer of All Time
The Life of Edgar Allan Poe
Born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19, 1809 to David and Elizabeth Poe.
Parents separated and Elizabeth took Edgar and his brother and sister (Henry and Rosalie) with her.
Elizabeth died when Edgar was two
Henry lived with their grandparents and Edgar and his sister were adopted by two separate families.
Edgar was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. John Allan where he grew up in a fair environment since John was a merchant.
Interesting Facts About Poe
He participated in the U.S. Army but was soon removed because he lacked the necessary funds to continue, all thanks to his foster father’s neglect.
His foster father refused to mention Poe in his will simply because he disliked Edgar.
Poe married his cousin Virginia when she was only thirteen years of age.
He lost both of his mother and his wife to tuberculosis
Their deaths molded him as a writer and their deaths also inspired him to write “The Masque of the Red Death.”
He attempted to publish many of his now well known short stories in newspapers and magazines but they refused to publish them simply because they were far too grotesque and elaborate.
Poe's Final Days
Found at a public house in Baltimore called the Gunner’s Hall.
He was taken to the hospital by the people who found him.
He lapsed in and out of consciousness and was unable to state what had happened to him.
He died on Sunday, October 7, 1849 at the age of 40.
His death has sparked many myths and various urban legends.
The most popular ones are that: he died of alcoholism or that he was mugged or even that he had rabies.
To this day his death remains unexplained and it seems as if it will be that way forever.
Works Cited
"Biography of Edgar Allan Poe." A Short Biography of Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849). Web. 05 Apr. 2016.