The Legend That All Other Horror Writers Measure Themselves Against

Edgar Allan Poe

Poe’s Early Historyhttp://www.biography.com/people/edgar-allan-poe-9443160/videos/edgar-allan-poe-full-episode-2104513528

Mother’s death was the

first of multiple abandonments

Eliza Poe

He was widely regarded as a genius – but

tortured in his private life.

Frances Allan

Poe did not have a positive

male role model growing

up .

Back in Baltimore

Though Poe experienced more than his share of troubled moments, he never stopped writing.

He was also a successful editor and in 1834had a somewhat steady income.

His cousin Virginia (1822-1847) was his only true love. He married her when she was barely thirteen.

Marriage to Virginia

Virginia’s family was very much in favor of the marriage, and, by all accounts, the marriage was happy.

A few years later, Poe was fired from his job due to his alcohol problem.

He and his mother-in-law begged for money.

Virginia became fatally ill. Poe never recovered from her

death.

Marriage to Virginia

Poe died only two years after Virginia.

There is mystery surrounding his death, but there is no doubt he was living in poverty and had an addiction problem.

Poe’s Demise

There was a duality to Poe’s personality. He was an idealist and a visionary.

He was also charming and quite personable.

Unfortunately, he had a very sensitive nature.

He was an insomniac. He suffered from harrowing

nightmares that influenced his writing and his art.

Poe’s Personality and Writing

The atmosphere in his stories is unparalleled in American fiction.

He is an American master. Other horror writers compare

themselves to Poe and usually fall short.

Poe’s Writing