Influences

Edgar Allan Poe

This is the place where Edgar Allan Poe rests.

We have alreadyy given facts about his biography, but our intention now is to compile files which show how life has influenced HIS LIFE.

His parents, who left him at the age of two, worked as actors in theaters. His alcoholic father, abandoned him and his mother died of consumption. These facts may have influenced his health and his low tolerance towards alcohol. It is also important to highlight that since he was a child he lived from the charity of his relatives.

The social factors that the United States was undergoing have also contributed to his perception of life. Slavery and the confrontations between the North and the South, among others, formed his way of viewing reality.

The boy was raised by a rich and mean man who worked with tobacco in Virginia. He studied in England and North America, but he never had a good relationship with his uncle.

During his adolescence, he started to write poems, which made that many women fell in love with him. During College time he was a rebell and obstinate boy. It was due to the little economical support received. It is during these times that he starts to drink alcohol, but just a few cups and he was already drunk. He was finally expelled from College due to gambling.

Misery accompanied him and he had to unroll the army, which was done for a short period of time.

He gained a lot of enemies due to his severe criticism toward other writers, which were written in the numerous newspapers where he worked.

His mental strenght became almost inexisting after the death of his young wife. Virginia also died of consumption, and he felt miserable.

It is impotant to highlight the fact that he lived all his life in misery, with just short periods of calm. He could only achieve success with his work, but not money.

After his wife's death he had two more relationships and was near marriage, which failed because he was found almost dead by his friends. He died four days after that and his last words were "God help my poor soul".

Biography

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), the father of the modern mystery, was born in Boston on January 19, 1809. His life was full of breakdowns. His mother died of consumption when he was a little child and many years later he suffered from another lost due to the same problem. He never reached an economical success despite the fact his writings were well-known. After becoming an assistant editor at the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond, Virginia, in 1835 did Poe's literary talents start to blossom. It was at this time in his life that Poe fell in love with his 13-year-old cousin Virginia. Their marriage forced him to find a source of income. In early 1836, Poe was credited with "between 80 and 90 reviews, six poems, four essays and three stories, not to mention editorials and commentaries." It wasn't until the 1845 publication of Poe's famous poem "The Raven" that he achieved the true rise to fame that had been denied him until then. The public's reaction to the poem brought Poe to a new level of recognition and "could be compared to that of some uproariously successful hit song today." In February 1847, Poe's young wife died of consumption. Poe was devastated by her death and penned these words, "Deep in earth my love is lying and I must weep alone." During the years following Virginia's death, Poe's life was taking a steady turn downward. He suffered through a suicide attempt, several failed romances and engagements, and a largely unsuccessful attempt to resurrect his failing career after a long bout with alcoholism and depression.
Poe died at the age of 40 in October 1849 in Baltimore. Although the exact circumstances of his death remain unknown, it seems clear that his death can be attributed to the effects of alcoholism. A contemporary of Poe's at the time remarked, "This death was almost a suicide, a suicide prepared for a long time." (Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-Ending Remembrance)