Edgar Poe's biography is full of white spots. The reason for this is the neglect of many of his contemporaries and the plight of the writer. In fact, the history of the poet began to be impartially restored only in the 20th century, but by that time there was little information about his life. Today, Edgar Allan Poe remains one of the most mysterious personalities. There were many assumptions about the circumstances of his death already in 1849, but the real reason for the death of the poet, most likely, will remain unsolved forever. However, this fact does not prevent millions of people today from enjoying the prose and poetry of the great writer.
Loss of parents, foster family
The story of Edgar Allan Poe begins on January 19, 1809 in Boston (USA). A future writer appeared in the family of stray artists. Edgar did not live with his parents for long: his mother died of consumption when he was only two years old, his father either disappeared, or died even earlier. Then the boy, by and large, the only time in his life was lucky - he was taken up by the wife of Allana. Francis, the adoptive mother, fell in love with the baby and persuaded her husband, a wealthy merchant John, to adopt him. He was not happy about the appearance of Edgar, but lost to his wife, who could not give birth to her own son.
Childhood Edgar Allan Poe spent in Virginia. He did not need anything: he was dressed in the latest fashion, he had at his disposal dogs, a horse, and even a servant. The future writer began training in a London hostel, where he was given at 6 years old. The boy returned to the United States with his family when he was eleven. There he went to college in Richmond, and then, in 1826, at the University of Virginia, which opened the year before.
End of luck
Edgar quickly acquired knowledge, was distinguished by physical endurance and a passionate, nervous character, which later caused him a lot of trouble. As biographers note, the latter feature predetermined his quarrel with his father. The exact reasons are unknown: either the young writer forged the signature of his stepfather on bills, or he got angry because of the card debts of his adopted son. One way or another, and at the age of 17, Poe was left without funds and left the university, having studied only in the first year.
The young man returned to Boston, where he studied poetry. Edgar According to poems written at that time, he decided to publish under the pseudonym "Boston". However, his plan failed: the book did not come out, but already scarce funds ran out.
Short military career
In this situation, Edgar Allan Poe made an unexpected decision. He enlisted under an assumed name. In the army, Poe spent about a year. He received the rank of sergeant major, was considered one of the best, but could not stand such a regulated life. Presumably, in early 1828, the young poet turned to his stepfather for help. After persuading his wife, he helped Edgar free himself from service. The writer did not have time to thank her stepmother: she died on the eve of his arrival in Richmond. So the poet lost the second woman truly dear to him.
Baltimore, West Point and the much anticipated publication
Safely parting with the army, Edgar for some time went to Baltimore. There he met with his father’s relatives: Aunt Maria Klemm, Uncle George Poe, his son Nelson. Being in a constrained financial situation, the writer settled with his aunt, and a little later returned to Richmond.
During his stay in Baltimore, Edgar met with W. Gwyn, the editor of a local newspaper, and through him with J. Neal, a writer from New York. To them, Po handed over his poems. After receiving positive reviews, Edgar decided to try publishing them again. The collection entitled Al-Aaraaf, Tamerlan and Small Poems was published in 1829, but was not widely known.
The stepfather insisted on continuing the training of his adopted son, and in 1830 the young man entered the Military Academy at West Point. Despite the strict daily routine, Edgar Allan Poe found time for creativity and entertained fellow practitioners with satirical poetic sketches of life at the academy. He was supposed to serve five years, but, like the last time, at the very beginning of his studies he realized that a military career was not for him. Edgar tried again to turn to his stepfather, but another quarrel broke his plans. However, the poet was not at a loss: having ceased to observe the charter, he achieved expulsion from the academy in 1831.
Attempts to gain recognition
The biography of Edgar Allan Poe is extremely scarce on information about his life in the period from 1831 to 1833. It is known that he lived for a while in Baltimore with Maria Klemm. There he fell in love with her daughter and his cousin Virginia. The girl was then only 9 years old. Since the fall of 1831, practically nothing is known about the poet's life. Some researchers of his biography believe that he could go on a trip to Europe. Numerous detailed descriptions of the Old World, found on the pages of the writer's works, indirectly testify to this fact. Nevertheless, there is no other evidence for this theory. Many biographers note that Po was very limited in funds and could hardly afford travel expenses.
However, all researchers agree that the three years following the expulsion from West Point were productive. Edgar Allan Poe, whose books were not yet popular, continued to work. In 1833, he submitted six short stories and poems to the Baltimore weekly contest Saturday Visitor. Both of them were recognized as the best. For the story "The manuscript found in the bottle," Poe was rewarded with a cash prize of $ 100.
In addition to money, Edgar received some fame, and with it the invitation to work in magazines. He began working with Saturday Visitor, and then with Southern Literary Messenger, published in Richmond. In the latter, the writer published the novels of Morella and Berenice in 1835, and a little later, The Adventures of Hans Pfalle.
Gorgeous virginia
In the same year, Edgar Poe, whose works were already more famous than before, received an invitation to become editor of Southern Literary Messenger. To take office with a fee of $ 10 per month, it was necessary to move to Richmond. According to agreed, but before leaving, he wished to marry his beloved Virginia, who was then less than 13 years old. A girl of extraordinary beauty has long captivated the writer. In the heroines of many of his works, you can guess her image. Virginia's mother gave her consent, and the young ones secretly married, after which Poe went to Richmond, and his lover lived in Baltimore for another year. In 1836, an official ceremony took place.
Less than a year later, Edgar Poe, after a quarrel with the publisher of Southern Literary Messenger, resigned as editor and moved to New York with Maria Klemm and Virginia.
New York and Philadelphia
Two years, lived in New York, were mixed for the writer. Edgar Poe, whose poems and prose were published on the pages of several city magazines, received very little for his work. He published works such as Ligeya and The Adventures of Arthur Gordon Pym, but earned the most from the chronology manual, which was an abridged version of the work of the Scottish professor.
In 1838, the family moved to Philadelphia. Edgar got the job of editor of Gentleman's Magazine, where he published several of his works. These included The Fall of the Escher House and the beginning of the unfinished Julius Rodman Notes.
Dream and reality
Working in various publications, Edgar Allan Poe was looking for something more. He dreamed of his own magazine. Closest to the realization of the idea, he came close to Philadelphia. Announcements of a new magazine called Penn Magazine were published. There was not enough money to realize the dream - money, but this obstacle turned out to be insurmountable.
In 1841, Gentleman's Magazine teamed up with The Casket - the new Graham's Magazine was released, with Edgar Allan Poe as its editor. Shortly before that, he had combined short stories, poems, and short stories into two volumes and published the collected works of Grotesques and Arabesques at the end of 1840. It was a short period when everything seemed to be going well. However, in March 1842, Edgar was again without work. The magazine broke up, and Rufus Wilmot Griswold was invited to the editorial office of Gentleman's Magazine. The latter, according to one version, was the reason for the departure of Poe: to put it mildly, he did not like Griswold.
Then there was work at the Saturday Museum and the publication of several fairy tales and short stories for mere pennies. The exception, perhaps, was only the Golden Beetle. Edgar sent him to a literary contest. The Golden Beetle won and brought its author $ 100. After the story was repeatedly reprinted, which, however, did not bring income to the writer, since copyright law was then a thing of the future.
New misfortune
Edgar Poe's biography is full of sad events. According to researchers of his life, the reason for many of them was his passionate nature, a tendency to depression and alcohol. However, one of the main tragedies - the death of Virginia - was not his fault. The poet’s wife was ill with tuberculosis. The first sign of a serious illness, throat bleeding, appeared in 1842. The patient was on the verge of death, but after some time recovered. However, the consumption that claimed Edgar’s mother did not give up. Virginia was slowly dying for several years.
For the writer’s unstable nervous system, it was a heavy blow. He practically stopped writing. The family again urgently needed money. In 1844, they returned to New York. Here were published new works written by Edgar Allan Poe. Raven, the poet’s most famous poem, was published in the Evening Mirror magazine.
The culmination of creativity
Today, Edgar Allan Poe is considered one of the best American authors. He laid the foundation for the genre of "science fiction", the writer's books became the first examples of a mystical detective. The main work of Poe, who brought him fame and recognition, but not wealth, was Raven. The poem perfectly conveys the writer’s attitude to life. Only a brief moment, filled with suffering and hard work, is released to man, and all his hopes are in vain. The lyrical hero yearns for the deceased lover and asks the talking bird if he can ever see her again. Such is Edgar Allan Poe: “Raven” is distinguished by a special inner tension and tragedy, which completely capture the reader, despite the almost complete absence of the plot.
For publication, the writer received $ 10. However, the Raven brought him more than money. The poet became famous, they began to invite him to lectures in different cities, which somewhat strengthened his financial situation. In the year that the “white” streak lasted, Poe published a collection of Raven and Other Poems, published several new short stories, and was invited to the editorial office of Brodway Journal. However, even here the indefatigable character did not allow him to prosper for a long time. In 1845, he quarreled with other publishers, remained the only editor, but due to lack of funds he was soon forced to leave his post.
Last years
Poverty came into the house again, and with it cold and hunger. Virginia died in early 1847. Many biographers note that the suffering poet was on the verge of insanity. For some time he could not work because of grief and alcohol and survived only thanks to the care of a few faithful friends. But sometimes he gathered strength and wrote. During this period, the creation of such works as "Yulalum", "Bells", "Annabelle Lee" and "Eureka". He fell in love again and, shortly before his death, was about to marry again. In Richmond, where the writer lectured on The Poetic Principle, his literary work, Edgar Allan Poe met childhood friend Sarah Elmira Royster. He swore to the bride that binge and depression were over. Before the wedding, it remained only to settle some matters in Philadelphia and New York.
The Mystery of Edgar Allan Poe
On October 3, 1849, Edgar Allan Poe was found in a semi-insane state on a bench in Baltimore. He was taken to a hospital, where he died without regaining consciousness on October 7th. There is still no consensus on the causes of the death of the writer. Many researchers of the issue are inclined to the version of the so-called cooping. By discovered on election day. Then in Baltimore, outraged groups drove citizens into secret shelters. People were pumped up with alcohol or drugs, and then forced to vote several times for the “right” candidate. There is evidence that Edgar Poe was drunk at the time of discovery, and not far from the unfortunate bench was one of such shelters. On the other hand, the writer at that time was famous in Baltimore and would hardly have been chosen as a victim.
Among the possible causes today are called various diseases, from hypoglycemia and brain tumors to alcoholism and an overdose of laudanum. The reason for this confusion is the lack of medical documents and the first biography of Edgar Allan Poe, written by Griswold, the enemy of the writer. He made the poet a drunkard and a madman, not worth the trust and attention. This point of view on the personality of Poe dominated until the end of the XIX century.
Creative heritage
One version says that the death of Poe was planned by the writer himself, as the last spectacular gesture for the public, greedy for mysticism and horror. The poet subtly felt what the reader wanted. He understood that romanticism was far inferior in popularity to mysticism, tickling nerves and holding in tension. Edgar Allan Poe, whose stories were full of fantastic events, skillfully combined imagination and logic. He became a pioneer in the mystical detective genre . A significant place in the writer's works is science fiction. The books of Edgar Allan Poe are distinguished by a combination of imagination and logic. He laid a tragic tradition in American literature, formulated the principles of science fiction, gave the world a mystical detective story.
Today, Edgar Allan Poe, whose books are an inspiration to many people, is considered a representative of intuitionism - a philosophical trend that recognizes the primacy of intuition in the process of cognition. However, the writer knew well that creativity is also painstaking work. He created his aesthetic paradigm and several works on the theory of poetry: “Philosophy of Creativity”, “Novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne”, “Poetic Principle”. In Eureka, the writer outlined philosophical and epistemological ideas. The contribution of Edgar Allan Poe to the development of literature, including many genres loved by modern readers, is invaluable. Studying his biography makes you think about fate and destiny. Who knows, would Edgar Poe have created so much if life had been more favorable to him?