Edgar Allan Poe Biography

Dromo's Den

POE, Edgar Allan, noted poet, born in Boston, Mass., Feb. 19, 1809; died Oct. 7, 1849. He lost his parents when only two years of age, and was adopted by John Allan, a wealthy merchant of Richmond, Virginia. His father was a man of good family and his mother a professional actress. He attended school in England from 1816 till 1821, and at the age of seventeen entered the University of Virginia, at Charlottesville, where he showed distinguished ability as a student, but left the university at the end of one session principally because he had a great passion for card-playing and contracted many debts. This conduct caused a quarrel with Mr. Allan, and Poe joined the U. S. army as a private under the name of Edgar A. Perry. He returned to Richmond in 1829, and after remaining at home a year, entered the West Point Military Academy as a cadet. His ambitions at that time were wholly for literature, thus causing him to neglect his duties and disobey orders until he was finally dismissed from the United States service. From West Point he again returned to his home, but in the meantime Mr. Allan had become a widower and married a second time. The relations between Poe and Mrs. Allan were not entirely pleasant, and he was at home only at intervals, and at the death of Mr. Allan in 1834 the estate was left to his young son, while Poe was not mentioned in the will. Poe was now thrown upon his own resources for a livelihood, and became engaged wholly in literary work, contributing to various newspapers and magazines in Richmond, New York, and Philadelphia. His first regular contributions were made to the "Southern Literary Messenger," in Richmond, which he edited for some time, but in 1837 he removed to New York and had charge of editorial work on the "Quarterly Review." The following year he edited "Graham's Magazine" in Philadelphia, and remained its principal writer for four years. The entire literary career of Poe embraces fifteen years, most of which time he was connected with periodicals in some manner, but at intervals wrote various criticisms and excellent poetry. His first remarkable success was achieved in 1833, when he secured a cash prize of $100 by contributing the tale, "A Manuscript Found in a Bottle," under a competitive test to a Baltimore magazine. The best known poem from his pen is "The Raven," which he published in 1845.

Writers have differed widely as to the worth of Poe from a moral standpoint, but all have credited him with an unrivaled power in making friends and with marked ability as a writer of intricate sentences and beautiful verses. Perhaps, it is true that his tendency to indulge in gambling and strong drink largely affected his power as a writer. It rendered him sensitive and melancholy, and caused him to waste to a great extent his genius and throw away his life. However, the force with which he appeals to universal sentiments has never been surpassed, and his knowledge of the mechanism of composition is truly wonderful. Though his writings are limited, they will endure as representative compositions of the last century. He married Virginia Clemm, his cousin, in 1832, but she died childless in 1847, and Poe died soon after in Baltimore from the effect of excessive drinking. His principal writings include "Hans Pfaal;" "House of Usher;" "Arthur Gordon Pym;" "Descent into the Maelstrom;" "The Raven;" "Murders in the Rue Morgue;" "Annabel Lee," and "The Bells." He also published a compendium, entitled "Philosophy of Composition."

The Teachers' and Pupils' Cyclopædia, Vol. IV. (Kansas City: Bufton Book Co., 1909) 1467-1468.