An American Legacy : Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents David and Elizabeth Poe were professional actors. They had three children: Henry, Edgar, and Rosalie. When in 1817, Mrs. Poe died, Henry was taken to be raised with his grandmother, Edgar was adopted by the wealthy couple, Frances and John Allan, and Rosalie was taken by another couple. The luckiest one became Edgar because his new parents were very wealthy people, so he was able to go to different schools. When he was seventeen, he entered the University of Virginia, but because of his gambling and drinking problems he was dismissed from there.

To many, Edgar Allan Poe was considered to be one of the top authors of his time. Born In Massachusetts on January 19, 1809, he was the second born by his parents David and Elizabeth Arnold Poe, who were both theatrical performers. Poe was raised by John Allen after his father deserted the family and his mother died from illness. His foster father was a tobacco merchant who provided Poe many advantages as a child. Although Poe attended the University of Virginia, he left after only one semester and joined the army. After failing in the army, Poe began

“Although dissolute in his personal life, when Poe touched pen to paper, he became a disciplined craftsman.” (Carnes 300). Edgar Allan Poe cemented his place in American literature by publishing countless poems and short stories, including “The Raven” and “Masque of the Red Death.” Poe effectively invented the detective fiction genre and perfected the horror story. His style, visionary as it was, was not with its influences. A life filled with tragedy, disappointment, alcoholism, and depression shaped Poe’s seemingly strange and taboo mind. Many of Poe’s writings were directly impacted by events in Poe’s life. In the Romantic period of the mid 1800’s, Edgar Allan Poe succeeded among American

Many people enjoy the detective and crime shows, but what they may not realize is that Edgar Allan Poe was the one to pioneer this genre. For the short stories, poems, and a few books he wrote, Edgar Allan Poe is a recognized American writer. He lived in the era of westward expansion, slavery laws beginning to become an issue, and most influential to Poe, Tuberculosis(TB) was a major issue. There was not yet a cure for people with TB, in fact, there wouldn’t be a known cure for another 100 years after his life. He lost many people during his life; his father left before Poe was 3 years old, his mother died from TB when Poe was three. He moved into a foster home, but stories tell that his foster father did not like him so he struggled to find the support he needed both as a child and as a broke college student. Although many myths state that Poe was a drunkard and incapable of love, he was married. His outsiderness in his foster home likely influenced his writing, as well as his irregularity and uniqueness, and his horrid memories of how TB had taken some of his closes family. Poe’s unique literary techniques enhance his macabre writing style.

Poe was born to traveling actors in Boston on January 19, 1809. Edgar was the second child, his other brother William Henry Leonard Poe would become a poet before his early death, and Poe’s sister Rosalie would grow up to teach writing at a Richmond girls’ school. Within three years of Poe’s birth both of his parents died, an affluent tobacco salesman John Allan took him in and his wife Frances Valentine Allan in Richmond, Virginia while Poe’s siblings went to live

The author, Edgar Allan Poe, was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts to traveling actors David Poe, Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins Poe. He was the second child of three children or otherwise stated as the middle child. His older brother, William Henry Leonard Poe also became a poet and his younger sister, Rosalie Poe taught penmanship at Richmond girls’ school. In 1810, Edgar’s father David Poe Jr. left the family, leaving them in poverty. His mother, Elizabeth Hopkins Poe died of pulmonary tuberculosis when Edgar was at the age of three. Poe was sent away to live under the roof of John Allan, who was a considerably wealthy merchant and his wife Frances Valentine Allan in Richmond, Virginia. His siblings were sent to live with other foster parents.

Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most influential writers of the horror genre in American history. His horror stories have impacted numerous authors and their stories over the years. Various people have tried to copy his way of writing style, but they have failed to achieve the success he did. Even though Poe is no longer living, his impact on American literature can still be felt today.

"From the first day that the United States won its independance, thoughtful Americans have attempted to define the new national identity" that decolonization invited. Becoming an independant political nation forced citizens to suddenly devise a "community and character" (Finkelman, 63) worthy of this newborn America. It was believed that, once free from Birtish fetters, a unique American character would emerge automatically. But this was not so, and it was left up to the artits, politictians, scientists, businessmen and women, and every other citizen to contrive the American identity. Those who were most accomplished at scrutinizing the American identity and what it was, were the many authors and writers of the 19th century.

The life of 19th century American poet Edgar Allan Poe is one that the world of literary works and poetry will never cease to remember. Poe crafted several famous works of poetry during the American Romantic Movement, such as “The Raven”, a poem that helped gain him much fame after his death. Several poets have existed throughout time, but few became as well-known as Poe. The stories, conspiracies, and questions that lie behind his life are those of extreme popularity. Unlike many other great poets, Poe had a life of both mystery and melancholy that still interest readers today.

Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 to Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins and David Poe Jr. in Boston Massachusetts. The young child had a short-lived time with his biological parents because they split up in 1810. This happened because Mr. Poe decided to abandon his recently developed family. Poe traveled from place to place with his mother, who was an actor, until her death in 1811 which was a year after Poe’s biological father abandoned Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins. She is said to have died from what is considered to be pulmonary tuberculosis. A few days later (January 10, 1811) his biological father, David Poe, was pronounced dead from an unknown cause. After going through this horrific incident Edgar was taken in by Frances and John Allan while his two siblings were placed in different homes . His new father was a wealthy merchant in Richmond Virginia.

    Following death in 1849, the reputation of Edgar Allan Poe had been seen as nothing short of atrocious and faulty; regarding excessive use of alcohol and seemingly alarming sexual desire. Today, the works and aforementioned peculiarity are valued enough to be positively referred to over 100 years later, and ultimately earn Poe a place as an eminent literature pioneer. Edgar Poe, American poet and writer, swept the 19th century by provoking thought through writing pieces; many of which were an ultimate reflection of what Poe was dealing with. With multiple manipulating factors such as a scarring upbringing and the loss of lovers, Poe reconstructs all that American literature once was and all that future writings will be. Often perceived as dark and twisted, the pieces of Poe require thought and sensitivity to ensure deep and true meaning. The creator’s greatest impact regarding American composition gyrates around the constitution of  serving as a guide for genres and other authors. Edgar Allan Poe's childhood and influence from other writers allowed him to appreciably impact American literature and history by amplifying the genre of detective fiction, contributing to psychology, and employing writing techniques such as symbolism.

On January 19, 1809 Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston Massachusetts. Poe’s legal birth name was Edgar Poe. Poe’s Mother and father were Elizabeth Poe and David Poe Jr. They had three kids named William Henry Lenard Poe, Rosalie Mackenzie Poe and Edgar Poe. David left when Poe was very young and Elizabeth died when Poe was only two. After being separated from his siblings Edgar Poe went to go live with a successful tobacco merchant named John Allan and his wife Frances Allen in Richmond VA. Poe and John Allan never

Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19, 1809. As a child Poe’s father David Poe Jr, a professional actor abandoned him and his mother also a professional actor, who died when Poe was only three years old from tuberculosis. Later on, Poe moved to Virginia with is foster parents, which were very successful. Him and his foster father had a complicated bond. At the age of 13 Poe started writing poems that had meaning.

Edgar Allan Poe is a well known American author. His pieces are remembered by their innovative and ground breaking plots and characters that left readers more disturbed than previous works of literature did. Poe is often called a pioneer when it comes to his stylistic pessimism and darkness. The people and hardships that filled Edgar Allan Poe’s life leave their mark on many of his greatest works such as “The Oblong Box”, “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “The Cask of Amontillado”, and The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket.

IIA. Edgar Poe was born in Boston on January 19, 1809 to actors David Poe and Elizabeth Arnold (Bloom, 141). Poe was second of three children; his brother would eventually grow up to become a poet as well (Edgar Allan Poe Museum, February 2016). When Poe was a child, his father David abandoned the family and his mother died. This caused Poe and his sister to be taken into the home of John Allan while his brother was taken to be raised by his grandfather. John Allan was a general merchant and he and his wife had no children. John Allan also wanted to become a writer, allowing him and Poe to have a natural relationship. Poe was able to adapt to the Allan home quickly (Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore, August 2015). Although Poe was never formally adopted by John Allan, he took on the name Edgar ‘Allan’ Poe (Bloom, 141)