On this day in 1809, poet, author and literary critic Edgar Allan Poe is born in Boston, Massachusetts.
By the time he was three years old, both of Poe’s parents had died, leaving him in the care of his godfather, John Allan, a wealthy tobacco merchant. After attending school in England, Poe entered the University of Virginia (UVA) in 1826. After fighting with Allan over his heavy gambling debts, he was forced to leave UVA after only eight months. Poe then served two years in the U.S. Army and won an appointment to West Point. After another falling-out, Allan cut him off completely and he got himself dismissed from the academy for rules infractions.
Dark, handsome and brooding, Poe had published three works of poetry by that time, none of which had received much attention. In 1836, while working as an editor at the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond, Virginia, Poe married his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm. He also completed his first full-length work of fiction, Arthur Gordon Pym, published in 1838. Poe lost his job at the Messenger due to his heavy drinking, and the couple moved to Philadelphia, where Poe worked as an editor at Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine and Graham’s Magazine. He became known for his direct and incisive criticism, as well as for dark horror stories like “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Also around this time, Poe began writing mystery stories, including “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “The Purloined Letter”–works that would earn him a reputation as the father of the modern detective story.
In 1844, the Poes moved to New York City. He scored a spectacular success the following year with his poem “The Raven.” While Poe was working to launch The Broadway Journal–which soon failed–his wife Virginia fell ill and died of tuberculosis in early 1847. His wife’s death drove Poe even deeper into alcoholism and drug abuse. After becoming involved with several women, Poe returned to Richmond in 1849 and got engaged to an old flame. Before the wedding, however, Poe died suddenly. Though circumstances are somewhat unclear, it appeared he began drinking at a party in Baltimore and disappeared, only to be found incoherent in a gutter three days later. Taken to the hospital, he died on October 7, 1849, at age 40.
Poe’s room at UVA was (and I presume still is) marked with a plaque honoring his attendance when I was a student there many years ago. It is Room 13, West Range, on the original Grounds of the University.
” Poe married his 13-year-old cousin, ”
What do you call four women, in a bar, in West Virginia? A full set of teeth.
Actually Poe died from a specific disease (which I can’t spell or remember). Back in the late 1980’s a doctor read Poe’s symptoms and diagnosed it. He had the body exhumed so a tissue sample could be taken. It was confirmed that Poe did die from this disease, not as “an alcoholic in the gutter” as the story was put about. This story was put out at the time (and stuck) by someone who was jealous of Poe’s talent. There was also a strong temperance movement in the country at the time. Try to catch Biography Channel’s story on him. Poe had a very sad short life, but look at what a wonderful writer he was! Thanks for the great web site! P.S. I didn’t pick the frowning icon.
Edgar Allan Poe is arguably the most important American writer, and after such a tragically short life.
I love Edgar Allan Poe’s writing. Have a collection of his works.