Edgar Allan Poe

1. Edgar Allan Poe 1809-1849

2. Born in Boston to David Poe, an alcoholic traveling actor, and Elizabeth Arnold, also an actress • David deserted his wife and child when Edgar was a baby • His mother died while on tour in Richmond, leaving Edgar an orphan before his 3rd birthday

3. Poe was taken in, but never formally adopted, by John and Frances Allan, wealthy merchants who had no children of their own • The Allans provided for Poe’s education and in 1826 he entered the University of Virginia • Poe was forced to leave school after racking up large gambling debts which his adopted father refused to pay

4. Poe joined the Army under an assumed name and in 1827 published a volume of poetry Tamerlane and Other Poems • In 1829, he published a second volume, Al Aaraaf

5. In 1830, John Allan helped him get into West Point Military Academy, but was expelled for academic violations within a year • This behavior caused a severe break in the relationship with John Allan • It is believed that Poe got himself expelled on purpose because Allan’s wife had died and he had remarried a younger woman who could still have children. Poe thought that there was no way that he could be Allan’s heir, so he quit the military life that Allan wanted him to have

6. Poe moved in with his aunt, Maria Poe Clemm • In 1835 he married her 13-year-old daughter, Virginia • Poe supported his family by working as an editor at various magazines and wrote when he could find the time

7. Although he wrote many poems, and one full-length novel The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, it was his short stories that had the great effects on people

8. Although many of his works were greatly acclaimed by critics, he was never able to escape poverty • He died two years after his wife, alone and unhappy