Allan Poe
Edgar Allen Poe lived a short forty years but he managed to create some of the best literature and poetry of the 19th Century. He was known for creating dark characters with a dark side that seemed to come from the experience that he had during his life which was full of poverty, disappointment and illness. Through this pain, one of the greatest American writers of his time emerged and changed the landscape forever.
Life of Hardship
The impression of Poe is that he grew up in a difficult environment but that is not the case. Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts at the age of two his mother passed away and he was adopted by a successful merchant who invested in giving him the best education available. Not surprising that Poe was able to spend five years being educated in England and learning how to write the language that would make him famous. When Poe returned home he did well in his studies and went off to college. Poe started to drink heavily and got into debt at college. Unfortunately he had to quit school within a year. Edgar joined the army and did well, and he had dreams of a military future. Unfortunately there was a rift between him and his step father and that poor relationship made a nearly permanent mark on his life. He then fell in love and got married with a very young girl but that was socially acceptable at the time. After the military, Poe became a successful editor of a newspaper, but left claiming that it didn’t pay enough. Poe’s wife died first and he passed on two years later. There are many rumors about the final days of Poe. Some say he died of alcoholism, some say he was shot and still others believe that rabies was the cause of his demise. It all combines to contribute to the legend that is Edgar Allen Poe.
Genius a Result
No matter the reason for the death of Poe, the life was a definite motivation for creating one of the greatest creative minds ever. The Raven, the Tell Tale Heart and the Black Cat are just some of the short stories that Poe created that left an indelible mark on the literary landscape. Poe created characters that encapsulated particular feelings and emotions and as much as his writing has influenced people, so have the details of his life. Today there is a lot of misinformation about him but the truth that can’t be argued is that Edgar Allen Poe was a tremendous writer that influenced the literary landscape of the world long after his death.