How did Edgar Allan Poe’s Life Affect his Writings

In a normal world, only the deranged people stand out. Known as being the master and originator of horror and detective fiction, Edgar Allan Poe Poe made a huge impact on American Literature. Poe was one of the greatest and unhappiest authors that wrote short stories and poems that were mostly dark. No matter what kind of story or poem he wrote, they always ended in tragedy. Poe had many hardships during his lifetime which inspired his works, including The Cask of Amontillado, The Tell-Tale Heart, and Annabel Lee.

To begin with, Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. Both of his parents died before he was three and was raised as a foster child in the home of John and Frances Allan in Richmond, Virginia. His father John Allan was a successful business man, so Edgar grew up in a good environment and his schools were first class (Giordano). By the age of thirteen, Poe had a interest in writing poetry, but he was discouraged by his father because his father wanted him to join the family business. Instead, he attended the University of Virginia in 1826 at the age of seventeen years old. After less than one year of school, however, he was forced to leave the university when Allan refused to pay Poe's gambling debts and had problems with drinking (William).

Poe and his father's relationship deteriorated and decided to join the U.S. Army in 1827. While in the Army, he had a collection of poems, for example, the poem Tamerlane, was published while in the Army. He then was dismissed because a lack of financial support from his father. He then moved to Maryland to live with his aunt and cousin Virginia. Poe then began selling short stories to magazines and became the editor for the Southern Literary Messenger. He married his thirteen year old Virginia in 1836 and continued to edit stories and journals for magazines. H

e became a famous editor, poet, and short story writer. His father died and never mentioned Poe's name in his will. His wife Virginia died of tuberculosis, where Poe's addiction of alcohol and depression worsened. Poe died on October 7, 1849, where his death still remains a mystery. Some experts say the main reason for his death was rabies. Other experts believe it was alcoholism, epilepsy, or carbon monoxide poisoning. He had a rough life and dealt with many hardships, but he succeeded well in Literature. In addition, Poe wrote a lot of short stories and poems based of his love life. He tremendously loved his wife Virginia, and was heartbroken when she died. Poems he talked about his love life included The Raven and Annabel Lee. Moreover, the addiction of alcoholism and the death of his father influenced him to write. (The Conclusion)

Works Cited

William Wordsworth. Poets.org, Academy of American Poets, 16 Mar. 2017, www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/edgar-allan-poe?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0tmGu6f63gIVSrjACh0yiQ4ZEAAYASAAEgIDBvD_BwE. Accessed 29 Nov. 2019. Giordano, Robert. Biography of Edgar Allan Poe. Poestories, https://poestories.com/biography.php. Accessed 29 Nov. 2018. Poe, Edgar Allan. Annabel Lee. The Heath Anthology of American Literature, edited by Paul Lauter, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2014, pp. 2767-2768. Poe, Edgar Allan. The Cask of Amontillado. 1846. PDF file. Poe, Edgar Allan. The Tell-Tale Heart. The Heath Anthology of American Literature, edited by Paul Lauter, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2014, pp. 2727-2731. Poe, Edgar Allan. The Raven. The Heath Anthology of American Literature, edited by Paul Lauter, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2014, pp. 2764-2767.

Cite this page