Edgar Allan Poe

1809-1849

Major Works

• “Tell Tale Heart”

• “Cask of Amontillado”

• “The Black Cat”

• “Pit and the Pendulum”

• “Fall of the House of Usher”

• “Hop-Frog”

• “The Raven”

Only 1 NovelNarrative of Arthur Gordon Pymm

Poe lived the saddest life you have ever heard!

Childhood

• Parents are both actors in Boston.

• Dad abandons family when Poe is 1

• Mom dies of Tuberculosis while Poe is 2!

• Poe is adopted by the Allan family and moves to Richmond, Virginia.

John Allan

Tuburculosis melts your lungs and

crushes your body.

Poe’s home in Virginia

In Virginia

• Poe does NOT get along with John Allan.

• Goes to University of Virginia, but is expelled because he drinks and gambles too much.

• John Allan cuts off ties with him.

• Goes by the name, “Henri Le Rennet”

• Soon after, Mrs. Allan dies of tuberculosis

Military

• Poe and Allan make up• Poe agrees to go to Westpoint Military Academy• Poe fights with Allan again over illicit and

illegitimate children (did Poe have them?)• Allan once again ditches Poe. They never speak

again.• Poe gets intentionally expelled from academy.

Baltimore• Poe moves to Baltimore• Earns money as writer – wins awards

• He falls in love with a girl. She’s beautiful – her name is Virginia Clemm.

Weird thing is….

• She is 13 AND she is his first cousin! (They lie and say she is 21).

Happiness?

• Things seem to be going well

• Poe is CRAZY about Virginia

• One day, she’s playing the piano and singing and starts coughing up blood.

• Turns out, she had contracted Tuberculosis and dies a slow, painful death while Poe watches.

The Beginning of the End

• Poe gets engaged to a girl in Rhode Island

• She dumps him because he’s a drunk

• Poe gets engaged to a girl in Virginia.

• She dumps him because he’s a drunk

Suicide• Poe tries to kill himself in 1848 via an intentional

overdose.

• He didn’t take enough and survived!

The End of the End

• Poe is found on the streets of Baltimore delirious• Wearing clothes that don’t fit him, doesn’t know

who he is, or how he got there• Keeps yelling only one word: “Reynolds!” until

finally saying, “Lord help my poor soul!” and dying.

• Absolutely no records of his death or hospital visit! Spooooky!

His grave is in Baltimore, near the Hippodrome and about 5 blocks from

Ravens stadium.

Poe ToasterEvery year since 1949, someone has left roses and cognac on Poe’s grave

on January 19th.

Baltimore named its football franchise after Poe and his work.

Poe’s Artistic Vision

•Every single word in a piece of writing should be

aimed at creating a single, vivid emotion.