...mystery, and revenge. Edgar Allan Poe, a world renowned author, was a rather misunderstood man with many obstacles in his life such as alcoholism, opium abuse, and his wife’s premature death. Poe was born January 19, 1809, in Boston Massachusetts ( “Edgar Allan Poe”). Poe’s early life was very traumatizing. When Poe was a year old, his father ran out on him and the new mother of three, sadly only a year later his mother died of tuberculosis...
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...horrible sanity” (Poe). Edgar Allan Poe stated this in a letter to one of his admirers, referring to his depression and alcoholism. He was an American editor, writer, and literary critic. Poe was famous for his horror and mystery stories, but he had faced multiple tragedies within his family. Some of his popular works are The Raven, The Cask of Amontillado, and The Fall of The House of Usher. These stories tell of tragedies of madness that end in a death or an emotional problem. Poe died on October 7 in 1849 in Maryland, but the cause of his death is still disputed. The course of his life and the tales that he wrote have multiple similarities. Edgar Allan Poe’s personal life is reflected within his stories. To begin, Edgar Allan Poe’s own depression is shown in The Raven. At the end of the poem, the narrator says, “And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor / Shall be lifted—nevermore!” (The Raven 186). Poe had lost his mother, foster mother, brother, and wife to tuberculosis. These losses had sent him into a depression that could not be lifted. He had been taken in by the Allans when he was three after his parents died. Allan...
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...The Mysterious Mr. Poe ” All that we see or seem, Is but a dream within a dream” (http://quotations.about.com/cs/morepeople/a/bls_edgar_allen.htm), this quote is one of many Poe’s famous sayings. He was known as the inventor of the modern detective story and innovator of the science fiction genre. Although, many people know him because of his tales of horror as well as his haunting lyric poetry there is a whole other side to him other than a morbid, mysterious creature lurking in the shadows of moonlit cemeteries. His childhood was very tragic and his adult life full of sorrow. This death though, was something to for everyone to think about. Poe, I believe is one of the most unique characters in the literary world. Edgar Poe (his original name), was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston. Within three years of his birth, both of Poe’s parents had died. His two siblings, Henry and Rosalie, moved away to live with other families. Poe, however, went to live with a wealthy tobacco merchant, Mr. John Allan, (hence, acquiring the middle name Allan). Poe had always dreamed since his childhood to be a writer, but, Mr. Allan wanted him to be a businessman and a Virginia gentleman. Because of Poe’s immense interest in poetry, by the time he was thirteen, he had acquired enough poetry to make a book. In 1826, Poe left for the University of Virginia. While excelling in his classes he had also accumulated a considerable amount of debt. Because of Poe’s debt, he had taken up to gambling to...
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...EDGAR ALLAN POE Synopsis Born January 19, 1809, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. American short-story writer, poet, critic, and Editor Edgar Allan Poe's tales of mystery and horror initiated the modern detective story, and the atmosphere in his tales of horror is unrivaled in American fiction. His The Raven (1845) numbers among the best-known poems in national literature. Early Life With his short stories and poems, Edgar Allan Poe captured the imagination and interest of readers around the world. His creative talents led to the beginning of different literary genres, earning him the nickname "Father of the Detective Story" among other distinctions. His life, however, has become a bit of mystery itself. And the lines between fact and fiction have been blurred substantially since his death. The son of actors, Poe never really knew his parents. His father left the family early on, and his mother passed away when he was only three. Separated from his siblings, Poe went to live with John and Frances Allan, a successful tobacco merchant and his wife, in Richmond, Virginia. He and Frances seemed to form a bond, but he never quite meshed with John. Preferring poetry over profits, Poe reportedly wrote poems on the back of some of Allan's business papers. Money was also an issue between Poe and John Allan. When Poe went to the University of Virginia in 1826, he didn't receive enough funds from Allan to cover all his costs. Poe turned to gambling to cover the difference, but ended up in...
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...and images of darkness, dread, and depression in a reader as successfully as Edgar Allan Poe. Born in Boston in 1809 to impoverished actors David and Elizabeth Poe (Allen), Edgar’s entire existence seems to have been destined for struggle and loss. He was orphaned by age three, losing his mother to tuberculosis and his father by desertion (Allen). He was taken in by the Allan family, but during Edgar’s year-long stint at West Point in 1830—and subsequent expulsion—his relationship with his foster father suffered irreparable damage (“Biography”). His life soon became a mélange of depression, alcoholism, unemployment, and financial hardship (“Biography”). He died in 1949 while on a trip to Baltimore, under mysterious circumstances: theories of “congestion of the brain,” alcoholism, rabies, epilepsy, and carbon monoxide poisoning continue to swarm today (“Biography”). Having lived a life of constant struggle and turmoil, it is not surprising that his works are imbued with brooding and despondency, and that the common themes in his writings revolve around derangement and death. His short story “The Tell-Tale Heart” provides a perfect example of his fixation with madness, murder, and melancholy. It is this very fascination with all things grotesque, combined with his uncanny ability to weave multiple literary elements together to create a bizarre tapestry that appeals to readers, and what makes Edgar Allan Poe such a great writer. In “The Tell-Tale Heart,” an unknown narrator recounts...
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...interact with our lives and choice of living. Edgar Allan Poe didn’t have the chance to define his life with a phone, but imagine if he did. Edgar Allan Poe was an American novelist, short story creator, poet, and critic. From 1809 until 1849 cities such as Philadelphia, Richmond, and New York City along with a few stations around London were graced with Poe’s presence. Poe is known for his creation of the modern detective genre. Conflicting sources have stated that while some believe that Poe’s short story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” are what truly made him a famous figure, others believe that the poem “The Raven” is what truly pushed Poe to fame....
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...The Life of Edgar Allan Poe Does grief benefit writers? The idea is that sadness, despair, and heartache may be channeled and applied for creativity as emotional inspiration. A well known example is Edgar Allan Poe, who suffered from poverty, was orphaned before age three, and fought alcoholism during most of his life. After meeting and falling in love with his cousin, Virginia, Poe was not aware he’d have to endure the pain of losing her like so many of his loved ones before. He once stated, "The death of a beautiful woman is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world." (citation?) If it had not been for the tragic illness and death of Virginia, Poes' work may not have been as good or memorable, and we may not have gained some of...
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...To begin this paper I started with a short biography about poet Edgar Allan Poe and how he came to write poetry. After that I wrote about The Romantic Movement, how it affected poetry, and how to spot Romantic characteristics in poetry. Finally I explicated the poem Eldorado by Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer and poet born to Elizabeth Arnold Poe, and David Poe on January 19, 1809 (“Edgar Allan Poe Biography” 1). He was born in Boston, Massachusetts (1). After his father left and mother died of tuberculosis, Poe went to live with a tobacco merchant and his wife, their names were John and Frances Allan (3). He soon discovered his talent for poetry, but John wanted him to continue the merchant business instead of writing (“Poet Edgar Allan Poe” 1). Poe went to the University of Virginia...
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...How did Edgar Allan Poe’s life Affect his writing? Edgar Allan Poe”’s Life was tough, and so seemed his writing. His writing looked to be dark and horrific. Edgar Allan Poe’s life had important things such as The love of his life, Alcohol, and The deaths he had to deal with. Edgar had a very tough life, and so seemed his theme of stories he made. To begin with, The deaths. Edgar Allan Poe had to face with the death of his loved ones too much. He had to deal with his birth parents first. Then, he faced with his foster parents dying. Then he had to watch his wife (Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe) die. He later had died on October 7th, 1849. Furthermore, Edgar’s love of his life Virginia was the love of his life and would alway be. The couple were...
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...The Poe(t) Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 as Edgar Poe. He was the second son of David and Elizabeth Arnold Poe, both whom were actors. In 1810, shortly after Poe’s birth his father deserted the family. The subsequent death of his twenty-four year old mother on December 8, 1811 in Richmond, Virginia, left Poe an orphan at the young age of three. After his mother’s death, John, a strict unemotional tobacco merchant, and Frances Allan, a weak woman due to health problems, took in Poe; his paternal grandparents took in his brother William Henry; and foster parents cared for his sister Rosalie. Poe was educated with the Allan’s aid, in private academies, excelling in Latin, in writing verse, and declamation. However, despite his education, he was looked down upon and regarded as an outsider by the upper class of Richmond’s society; perhaps because the Allan’s never legally adopted Poe. Also, the culture of Richmond during Poe’s young adulthood did not regard actors in a high manner. This could have attributed to his reputation since his biological parents were actors. The loss of his mother at an early age definitely affected Poe. “The angels, whispering to one another, Can find, among their burning terms of love, None so devotional as that of ‘Mother’” Poe wrote that in To My Mother. In Tamerlane, he not only wrote about his father, but he wrote about his mother as well; he had more respect for his mother than he did for his father. This respect can be found in...
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...Conspiracy Theory Research Paper: Was Edgar Allan Poe Murderer? Have you ever wondered how the gruesomely poetic Edgar Allan Poe died? Was he in fact murdered or driven mad by sickness? There are many conspiracies leading up to his demise. Due to the lack of medical research and supplies back in the 1800’s it was hard to get an accurate medical examination of his body after his passing. He was also buried two days after his death, furthermore making it more arduous to examine his newly deceased corpse. Edgar Allan Poe was a famous ominous poet from the early 1800’s. He was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston, MA. Poe was gloriously known for his short stories on mystery and murder. He was an orphan by the age of two and his new family never...
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...Misty Derringer (Instructor Name) (Class Name) 18 September 2014 I find Edgar Allan Poe as one of the most innovative authors of all time. His work while dark and shrouded in mystery left the capabilities for readers of all ages of time to relate to his writings. He was considered part of the American Romantic Movement. He is also best known for his tales of mystery and macabre. His short stories were impeccably written and still remain to be taught in class rooms today. Edgar Poe was born in Boston Massachusetts, on 19 January 1809. He was the middle child of Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins Poe and David Poe. When Edgar was only 2 years of age he had already lost both his mother and his father. His father abandoned the family a year after his birth, while his mother died shortly after from consumption. Although Edgar was never formally adopted he was taken into the home of John Allan. John Allan was a merchant in Richmond, Virginia, who sold tobacco, clothes, tombstones, and even slaves. Despite the fact that Edgar was never adopted he did take their name leading him to become Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar failed in his attempt at attending the University of Virginia due to not properly budgeting his money and...
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...Outline for Edgar Allan Poe Research Paper I. Thesis: Edgar Allan Poe’s notorious drug and alcohol abuse combined with his dysfunctional and habitually unsupportive family play a large role in the development in the development of Poe’s unique writing styles and topics. a. Early age alcohol was commonplace Source 5 b. At later age small amount made him incapacitated Source 3 c. Used Alcohol as a Crutch Source 2 d. Kept him from achieving dreams Source 5 e. Couldn’t hold jobs Source 5 f. Separated him from everyone Source2 II. Alcohol and drug use kept Poe from achieving his dreams a. Wanted a magazine of his own Source 5 b. Got sick for weeks after a binge Source 5 c. Tried to go sober many times Source 5 d. Others Around him later in life attempted to intervene Source 5 e. Would Binge until he ran out of money or passed out Source 5 III. Due to the dysfunction of his family Poe was burdened with the constant availability of alcohol. a. From the start Poe didn’t know his real parents Source 6 b. He was the wine server at parties Source 5 c. As an adolescent not many saw signs of alcoholism source 1 d. Very fit through out his teenage and twenties Source 1 e. Got into the Military Academy Source 1 f. He was often on bad terms with his foster father Source 4 IV. Poe’s unique style of writing was...
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...Rough Draft In the three short stories, “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe, “Prey” by Richard Matheson, and “The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving, all partake in the use of grotesqueness and violence. All of the Gothic Elements in the short stories relate back to the story’s main idea or purpose of the story. Also it highlights the theme the author is attempting to intertwine with the story to the reader. To start off, in “The Black Cat”, Poe implements an abundant amount of violence, he- “..slowly slipped the noose about its neck and hung it to the limb of a tree...”(Poe 2). The vicious imagination of the cat being hung directly affects the reader with a sinister feeling, contrary to the plot getting more and more vivid. In addition to that, in “The Devil and Tom Walker”, Irving displays violence throughout the story as Tom, “Found nothing...
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...Critical Essay: Elements of Literature in Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado” Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” Is a well written shorty story filled with many significant literary elements. Firstly we will write about the plot, the overall summary of the story, and the main themes, the central ideas of this tale. The plot of "The Cask of Amontillado" is a great account of vengeance. The assassin promises “revenge” upon Fortunato for an “insult.” The main theme revolves around the assassin plans to pursue vengeance in support of his family motto: "Nemo me impune lacessit. This means “no one cuts (attacks) me with impunity.” On the coat of arms of his family, which bears this motto, looks "a huge human foot d'or, in a field of azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are embedded in the heel.” Thus reflects the theme of vengeance because the assassin’s plan of revenge on Fortunato for an insult. Secondly we have characterization, the personalities of the characters of the characters produced. The true focus lies upon the assassin, the wicked Montresor. Montresor is an evil man who is happy at his chance to murder. The costume that Fortunato donned on the night of his murder was that of a jester, while appropriate...
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