Edgar Allan Poe

1. Death

1.1. In 1849, Edgar Allan Poe traveled to Virginia to visit a woman he had hoped to marry but he disappeared. A week later he was found delirious, with his clothes torn and wet from a storm, in Baltimore tavern.

1.2. He regained enough consciousness to pray "Lord, help my poor soul" and died 4 days later.

1.3. Poe lived a tortured life, obsessed by loss and death

2. The Raven

2.1. He was paid only $10 for it

2.2. In 1929, a manuscript of the poem was sold for $100,00

2.3. 'The Raven' was written in 1845. The poem brought him some fame but not financial security.

3. Important Dates

3.1. In 1835, Edgar married his 13 year old cousin, Virginia.

3.2. Virginia died of tuberculosis in 1847

3.3. In 1845, Poe wrote "The Raven"

3.4. in 1929, a manuscript of the poem was sold for $100,00

3.5. In 1829, Poe published his 2nd book of poems, "El Aaraaf" and got his 1st recognition

3.6. In 1835, Poe worked as an editor of several magazines while writing his only full-length novel, "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym".

4. Growing Up

4.1. Edgar was abandoned by his father, David Poe, who was a drunk actor.

4.2. His mother. Elizabeth Arnold, was an actress who died during a tour before Edgar was 3 years old, which let to Edgar becoming a baby orphan.

4.3. Edgar was taken in but never adopted by John & Frances Allan.

4.4. At age 17, he entered the University of Virginia. Since Mr. Allan hardly gave him money, Edgar began gambling & fell in serious debt. Mr. Allan found out and tool Edgar out of college.

4.5. Poe joined the army & was promoted to sergeant major, but he did not like it.

5. Works

5.1. When Edgar was taken out of college by Mr. Allan, Poe went to Boston where he published his 1st volume of poems, "Tamberlane", but did not attract much attention.

5.2. His detective stories inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to create the detective character of Sherlock Holmes.

5.3. Poe also wrote "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado".

5.4. Poe became a master of psychological thrillers with distraught narrators, deranged heroes and doomed heroines.