Edgar Allan Poe
Caroline Kiser
Who was Edgar Allan Poe?
Edgar Allan Poe was an author born in Boston of January 19th, 1809. He is also known as America's first great literature critic and theoretician. He was seen as a morbid, mysterious figure.
What was his childhood like?
His father left the family for reasons unknown. When Edgar was only three years old, his mother died of tuberculosis, leaving him as a foster child. He was taken in by a merchant named John Allan and his wife France Valentine Allan. When Edgar was seventeen, he was sent to University of Virginia in 1829 with only less than a third of the money he needed. He took up gambling since he was so poor to raise some money.
How big a part of his life was filled with sickness and death?
His wife, mother, brother, and foster mother all died of tuberculosis.
When did he publish his first written work?
The first book he ever published in 1827 is called "Tamerlane".
What was his most significant work?
"The Raven" was his most significant work. He published it in 1845.
What themes from his life are evident in his works?
Many people close to him, like his mother and wife, died of tuberculosis. He saw himself as a cursed figure.
Why was his death a mystery?
Edgar Allan Poe's death was a mystery because he died so suddenly with no reason.
what was Edgar Allan Poe's impact or influence on the world?
He is widely acknowledged as the inventor of the modern detective story and an innovator in the science fiction genre.
What genre does Poe's stories fall into?
The themes of his stories are usually terror and horror.