Edgar Allan Poe

His father, David Poe, a descendant of Ireland, abandoned Edgar and his family during his childhood. His mother, Elizabeth Arnold, a stage actress, bore Edgar’s other siblings, Henry and Rosalie, and died shortly thereafter

in 1811. A friend of the family, John Allan, too the younger Edgar

into his own family and then moved them to England in 1815.

During his time there, Edgar flourished in his school work, and demonstrated

his passion for Lord Byron and Literary works. Back in the United States, Edgar enrolled into the University of Virginia, and it was there that

he began to compose short stories and poetry. As an adult, Poe’s career consisted of editor and literary critic at various magazines, such as Grahams Magazine, which also published numerous stories and poems by Poe.

In his personal life, Poe married his younger cousin Virginia, and during his time with her, lived in between New York or Philadelphia, whichever held a job for him at the time. In 1844, the New York Evening Mirror published The Raven, was reprinted in a number of magazines, and became an instant success. Even though The Raven is not Poe’s best work, it became

prosperous mainly because of its haunting theatrical quality. It was in this time during the author’s life that he reached the height of his fame. This reputation brought him little money, and he continued to live a life of

near poverty. Shortly after the author achieved success with his poem, his wife Virginia became gravely ill with Tuberculosis, and died on January 30, 1847. With this tragedy, Poe turned to alcohol for solace, and was diagnosed

with a mental disorder. In his depressed state, Poe wrote the poem Annabel Lee, which mourns the tragic death of his wife. In 1848, the author

attempted to commit suicide, and on October 3, 1849, Edgar Allan Poe died of a long term illness.

Upon reading the great poetic works of Edgar Allan Poe, one will immediately notice that they hold a constant theme: Love, and untimely death. With the exception of a select few of his works, a chilling and melancholy account of mourning and loss are typical throughout his poems. Despite the seeming despair that constitute the works of Edgar Allan Poe, a particular romantic quality makes his poetry desireable , giving it a certain appeal to the sympathetic side of those who read his works. Furthermore, his emotional and dramatic style of writing allow for the genuine passion of the author to be clearly evident throughout each verse. This varying dramatic style of writing includes words that can convey urgency, woe, despondency and tenderness, all within the same poem.

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