Edgar Allan Poe Thesis

A famous writer, a renowned poet, and a American hero, Edgar Allan Poe has helped shaped modern day literature. Taught in schools as being a tortured soul, Poe’s dark writing has shaped American English for the better. Edgar Allen Poe’s early demise came as a shock to many during the time. Poe left this world in a mystery, much like some of his most famous works. The way in which Poe died, is never as simple as it seems. The limited details of his demise has left a hole in American literature and history. Modern day textbooks such as Great American Stories detail his death in zero to none detail, “A week later, he was found near Baltimore tavern-delirious, his clothing torn and wet from a raging storm. He died four days later” (95). This

Neither of his first two collections attracted much attention. "Poe married his 13-year-old cousin Virginia Clemn. She burst a blood vessel in 1842, and remained a virtual worthless until her death from tuberculosis five years later" (online-literature, pg. 2). He addressed the famous poem "Annabel Lee" to her in 1849. In 1836, he received an editorship at The Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond. Around this time, Edgar began using drugs and dinking very heavily. He even showed up at events drunk. Still, he was writing incredible stories and poems. Poe received a large amount of recognition, not only for his poetry and fiction, but as an exceptional literary critic. He also achieved popular success, especially following the publication of his poem "The Raven." Edgar had fallen for Merrie next and she died of brain cancer. After a period in which he was involved in various romantic affairs, Poe planned to remarry, but in late September, 1849 he arrived in Baltimore for reasons unknown. "Poe suffered from bouts of depression and madness, and he attempted suicide in 1848" (online-literature, pg. 2). In early October he was discovered nearly unconscious in a Baltimore gutter. Edgar was taken to Washington College Hospital. Some say that Poe called out the name "Reynolds" on the night before he died. He died on early in the morning of October 7, 1849. He was buried in the yard of Baltimore's Wesminster Presbyterian Church. People said that his

The life of Edgar Allan Poe is not a tale of ease. Poe’s life was full of personal and fiscal disaster. These disasters help to mold some of the most ominous and intellectually challenging poetry ever written. For the short duration of Poe’s life, he was seen as a literary critic rather than an author. To the modern generation his unbeknown status seems bafflingly inconceivable, considering his now acclaimed publications. Edgar Allan Poe’s writing was very much dictated by his life. The mournful tone of Edgar Allan Poe’s life created his literature; death and all his friends narrated Poe’s life. Edgar Allan Poe shows his life’s constant despair through his poetry and short story writings.

Love is the one thing everyone strives to find in their lifetime. Losing a loved one is one of the most traumatic experiences in a person’s life; Edgar Allan Poe explores the feelings and lives of his characters after they lose their loved ones. Poe’s most well-known poem “The Raven” is an excellent example of his beliefs. First published in January 1845, “The Raven” is frequently recognized for its stylized language and supernatural atmosphere. The poem tells the story of a talking raven’s mysterious visit to a distraught lover, and the man's slow fall into madness. Another one of Poe’s poems, “Annabel Lee”, has a similar plot involving a man mourning the loss of his loved one. Despite the differences in mood, Edgar Allan Poe uses similar

Many believed that Edgar Allen Poe was insane, while others thought he was just a troubled man. After reading through his letters to his “Pa”, it was evident to me that he was depressed, desperate, and hopeless yet hopeful. I did not sense that he was insane or mentally ill while reading his works. Instead I could tell that his life was not very easy and that he was faced with many challenges and hardship.

In 1830 Poe entered West Point. He was dishonorably discharged the next year, for intentional neglect of his duties. Apparently he did this out of his own strong desire to be released. In 1833 Poe lived in Baltimore with his father's sister Mrs. Maria Clemm. After winning a prize of $50 for the short story 'MS Found in a Bottle,' he started a career as a staff member of various magazines, some of which were; the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond (1835-37), Burton's Gentleman's Magazine in Philadelphia (1839-40), and Graham's Magazine (1842-43). During these years he wrote some of his best-known stories. Southern Literary Messenger he had to leave partially due to his alcohol addiction. In 1836 Poe married his 13-year-old cousin Virginia Clemm. She bust a blood vessel in 1842, and remained virtually invalid until she died from tuberculosis five years later. After Virginia’s death, Poe began to lose his struggle with drinking and drugs. He had several romances, including an affair with the poet Sarah Helen Whitman, who said: "His proud reserve, his profound melancholy, his unworldliness - may we not say his unearthliness of nature - made his character one very difficult of comprehension to the casual observer." In 1849 Poe became engaged to Elmira Royster, who was at that time Mrs. Shelton. To Virginia he addressed the famous poem 'Annabel Lee' (1849) - its subject, Poe's favorite, is the death of a beautiful

Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most mysterious authors that the world of writing has known. Although many critics have different views on Poe's writing style, Harold Bloom summed it up best when he said, "Poe has an uncanny talent for exposing our common nightmares and hysteria lurking beneath our carefully structured lives".(Bloom 7 ). Many of Poe’s works can be related back to his life. Poe had many problems such as psychological illness, alcohol addiction, and gambling issues. There is also the fact that Poe’s life was full of heart aches such as the fact that everyone that Poe would grow to love would leave him or die. Since Poe’s works are so closely related to his life or inspired by his life struggles one can correctly assume

Edgar Allan Poe was a phenomenal short story author. He now is nationally renowned as a result of his works. He did not just come up with some of these stories on his own accord though, rather he lived some of these stories. Edgar Allan Poe’s literature was greatly influenced by his experiences in life. To shed some light on the facets of his life that are seen in his stories, some background information on Poe’s past will be brought to light.

Edgar Allen Poe was born on January 19, 1809 to David and Elizabeth Poe. They lived in poverty as actors unable to meet ends meet. Elizabeth was

Known for his reputation of writing tales of terror and haunting, lyrical poetry, Edgar Allan Poe grew up in quite the opposite of infamy. His parents died three years after his birth on January 19, 1809 in Boston, MA, and left him to a life of financial struggle. As a child, he showed great intellect and an interest in becoming a writer, for he often tabulated his own poems instead of supporting the family by doing work on the farm. For this reason, he received little, if any, financial help and no moral support when he attended college. Eventually, he struggled to land a job with a magazine company where his potential and success as a writer began to grow. While his success continued to grow, so did his social life. In, 1835, Poe met his fiance, Virginia, whom he highly regarded and treasured. He happily married her one year later, but to his misfortune she contracted tuberculosis and died in 1847 (“Poe’s Life”). Although “The Raven” appears haunting and mysterious, it represents a beautiful piece in which Poe’s use of setting and

Known for his disturbing and sinister work, Edgar Allan Poe’s writing has captured the attention of readers for almost two centuries. His works and reputation were largely influenced by his childhood, education, adulthood, and struggles with his career, along with his legacy before and after his death.

At the outset, therefore, we are to assume that Poe is one of the most debatable figures in our literature. His life may be summed up as a pitiful struggle for a little fame and a little bread. When he died few missed him, and his works were neglected. Following his recognition in Europe came a revival of interest here, during which Poe was absurdly overpraised and the American people berated for their neglect

Poe, most likely made his success in fame in January 1845. Poe became a household name; he had published his two books within that year and started his own magazine business. There were rumors about Poe with a different woman his wife health made leave the city and go back. Virginia died of tuberculosis ten years later. Poe dearly loved his wife and when she died he fell apart. When he wrote “The Raven”, the character is grief over death of “Lenore” when a raven visits him. Raven is symbolic figure that is used in Poe poem to symbolize death. “ Thy God hath lent thee-by these angels he hath sent thee Respite- and Nepenthe from the memories of Lenore!”(The Raven). Which, Lenore is the representation of Poe’s deceased wife Virginia. Poe want to hang to his wife’s memory because he just doesn’t want to let go over her death. He was a lost soul and was devastate. Majority of the critics thought after the death of his wife, he would be done for good. The critics were right about Poe and he lived only about two more years in giving lectures and writing for his latest magazine, “ The Stylus”.

I. When asked to think of the great authors and poets of history, many think of names like Walt Whitman, Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde or Ernest Hemmingway. Few people would consider the nineteenth century poet Edgar Allan Poe. Poe wrote countless poems and short stories of the horror genre. Poe’s early life, military activity, romantic relationships and life as an author all played a significant role in his writings and the formation of his career as an author and poet. The work Poe did years ago still impacts the world of literature today and has provided a basis for which today’s short stories are written and formatted.

Today, Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most revered American authors as many consider him the inventor of the detective fiction genre and an influence on the development of the poetic movement of Symbolism, which favored “the derangement of all the senses” and the symbolic expression of emotion. However, Poe spent most of his life struggling as a full time writer. This is mostly attributed to the fact that he could not stay sober whenever he had a steady job. Poe’s battle with alcoholism led to the obliteration of his dream to publish his own magazine and eventually to his demise. The problems Poe faced in his life began when he was born and snowballed with tragedy after tragedy. Due to the constant hardships that he faced throughout his life, such as the abandonment of his father and the rocky relationship with his foster parents, the early deaths of his mother and young bride, and the persistent poverty that plagued most of his adult life, Edgar Allan Poe aimed his works towards a mysterious, gruesome, and tragic outlook on the world as portrayed through the characters in his novels.