Edgar Allan Poe and His Works Essay

In May of 1836 he secretly married Virginia, his first cousin, who was then not quite fourteen years of age (Poe Chronology). In 1837 Poe resigned from the Southern Literary Messenger and moved his family to New York then to Philadelphia where he began to write for Gentlemen Magazine in 1839. He once again had problems with his publisher so he sought an editorial position at Graham's Magazine.

is known for his tales of the mysterious and macabre. He is reported to be the

Edgar Allan Poe was a literary critic who had experienced many traumatizing events, which later influenced his writings. These tragedies had contributed in his work of literature about murderous people. The tragedies of his life helped create the norm of his stories. In his works of literature, Edgar Allan Poe repeatedly had an unreliable narrator who contributed to the mood of his stories.

Out of all writers, one stands out above the rest. Edgar Allen Poe is considered America's literary genius with his Gothic romantic poems and stories. Poe writes twisted, mysterious stories that shock the reader. He is considered to be a pioneer of many genres of literature. He is the father of gothic fiction to science fiction, with his creative plots and shifts in his stories. In most of Poe's stories and poems he uses unreliable or untrustworthy narrators to tell his stories. This was very different from the stories of this time, as Poe gave readers a break from romance stories that always had a happy ending. His use of unreliable narrators is what draws readers into his unique genre.

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

     Over the years, Poe’s works have endured much criticism as well as much praise. Many professionals who have researched Poe’s life and his writings feel that many of his writings strongly show reflections on Poe’s real life. One critic and friend wrote, “Poe’s attraction to the problem of death is so conspicuous that the reticence of modern criticism on

"In one case out of a hundred a point is excessively discussed because it is obscure; in the ninety-nine remaining it is obscure because it is excessively discussed." This quote by Edgar Allan Poe describes his obscure works which have been discussed and criticized in great detail for many years to come. Some readers believe that his works are too dark and eccentric maybe even deathly. Others believe his works to be masterpieces. However, one thing that is not up for debate is the fact that Edgar Allan Poe is a literary genius. Edgar Allan Poe, the creator of the ratiocinative story and the amateur sleuth and leading contributor to the gothic genre, is the greatest author of the mid-nineteenth century.

Edgar Allen Poe is an author that contributed an abundance amount of knowledge and passion to American literature through his books and short stories. He was one of the first authors who made his living through writing alone. This resulted in a great deal of financial hardships in which he had to learn to prevail through and continue to write stories and books that contributed to American Literature as a whole. Through these hardships he gained a great deal of compassion for his work and for the lives he created through his novels.

Two years of service and Edgar Allan Poe decides he is done. John Allan sick and dying pays Mr. Poe out of service, gets him enrolled in West Point in 1829, but leaves Edgar with absolutely nothing. Feeling hopeless yet wanting to pursue a writing career still he drops out of West point and moves to New York with his cousin Virginia Clemm, 13, who he later gets married to. Around 1836 Edgar Allan Poe submits a short story titled, "MS: Found in a Bottle," which he won a critically acclaimed title and a cash prize for. Over the next nine years Edgar held several critic jobs for newspapers and upcoming writers, all of which he was fired from due to absences and an obvious drinking issue. He was thought to be a drug addict but this accusation was never proved. In 1847 Virginia died of tuberculosis creating a spiral effect of bad decisions. Edgar moved to Rhode Island pursuing three different women and kept a serious relationship status with none of them. His drinking grew worse and worse. On October 3, 1849, Edgar Allan Poe was seen stumbling into a local pub. After passing out he was rushed to a hospital where he sat in a coma for four days. Pronounced dead on October 7, 1849, to this day we can only take educated guesses as to the cause of his sudden death. Alcohol poisoning, heart failure, or a past diagnosed brain lesion are all

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.

Hoping for a new life, Poe joined the army but carelessly mishandled the job and somehow managed getting dismissed. Thus, unemployed he remained, but nevertheless, continued writing and publishing short stories. Feeling overwhelmed, Poe decided to reconnect with his biological family, confiding in his aunt Maria and cousin Virginia whom he later married. Many deemed the relationship strange whereas others assumed Virginia was merely a source of comfort. Career wise, Poe was somewhat accredited until the publishing of the renowned poem, “The Raven” by which he received great recognition.

Edgar Allen Poe was a legend throughout time. He impacted the world on so many levels.He brought about several changes in the literary style of his time period. He was one of the first writers to develop the genre of both detective fiction and horror. Stories like The Black Cat ,The Tell-Tale Heart, and The Fall of the House of Usher as well as poems like the Raven set him apart from other writers of his time.

Poe eventually married his thirteen-year-old cousin Virginia Clemm. She proved to be the great love of his life, but she too, unfortunately, died of tuberculosis at the young age of twenty-five. He struggled with alcoholism and opiate abuse, along with a rocky writing career in which he never received the accolades he deserved while living. After his death he became one of the most acclaimed short story writers and poets in history. His writing could be viewed as eerie and disturbing, but one thing is certain, he definitely stood out with his distinct style. One author wrote:

American literature is one of the most important parts of our history. From books to give us knowledge, to poems to inspire us, literature has helped shaped society. People today now define themselves on what genre and type of literature they like, what authors they like. Edgar Allen Poe helped shape these. Without him, the world would be dramatically affected by limiting types of genres, and how these genres are proposed. Edgar Allen Poe is a writer and poet that was born on January 19, 1809 and died on October 7, 1849. He is known as being one of the earliest writers engaged in short stories, and inventor of the detective fiction genre. His symbolism, ability to make beautifully infamous horror stories and poems, revolutionized the horror genre, and invention of the detection fiction genre proves that his talent helps greatly impact American literature.

Poe married his cousin Virginia Clemm in 1836,she was only 13, then in 1837 they went to New York there he published the narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym his only novel. In the summer of 1846 he moved with his wife to a cottage in what was a rural area in Bronx N.Y; she died there of tuberculosis in January of 1947.On October 3, 1949, in Baltimore a stranger found him delirious and in need of medical attention, a few days later he died at the age of 40 from unknown causes.