Author Biography

     Edgar Allan Poe was a big part of the Romantic Movement given that most of his works were grotesque and odd, but his work was not well respected during his time. His work is now more popular and recognized than it was while he was living (Dameron 1). He has written over 50 poems, more than 70 short stories, a novel, and numerous essays all by the age of 40 (Thompson). Even though many thought that his alcoholism would have led him into an early grave (Biography 2), his death was said to have possibly been caused by a cerebral hemorrhage (Dameron 15).
     Poe was born in 1809 and the son of two actors, Elizabeth Arnold Poe and David Poe, who both died at a very young age. When Poe grew up he was sent to Scotland and England to be given a traditional education that he continued in Virginia where he attended the University of Virginia. After he rounded up a great deal of gambling losses, his guardian John Allan took him out of school. Poe later joined the army out of poverty, attended U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and parted from his military career along with John Allan and his wife, Frances (Dameron 1-3). He then published his first set of poems, Tamerlane, and Other Poems. He soon after published another volume to the collection, Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems, but quickly changed his focus from poetry to prose and worked several years for literary journals and magazine’s. By this point, he was let go of several jobs, because of his excessive drinking (Biography 1). Poe moved back home to Richmond, Virginia in December of 1935 and by May 1836, Poe had married his 13 year old cousin, Virginia Clemm (Thompson).
     In 1841, Poe printed the first detective story, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” in a periodical, Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine. Poe didn’t invent detective fiction, but his story gave the genre form and character (Dameron 6). In January 1845, the poem that made a name for Poe was published in the American Review and gave Poe international fame, “The Raven” (Thompson). The death of Poe’s wife Virginia two years later from tuberculosis caused traumatic psychological damage to his consciousness. Poe drank more heavily and attempted to woo several women after his wife’s death, but failed at his quest for happiness. October 7, 1849, Edgar Allan Poe passed before he could publish his own journal The Penn later renamed The Stylus, but he left behind a literary legacy that is recognized and celebrated by many all over the world (Biography 2).

Link to all of Edgar Allan Poe’s work
http://poestories.com/index.php

Bibliography

Dameron, J. Lasley and Robert D. Jacobs. “Edgar Allan Poe.” American Literary Critics and Scholars, 1800-1850. Ed. John Wilbert Rathbun and Monica M. Grecu. Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol 59. Detroit: Gale Research, 1987. Literature Resource Center. 17 June 2009. The Richard Stockton College of NJ: Pomona, 2009.
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=richstockcol

“Edgar Allan Poe Biography.” The Biography Channel Website. 2008. 17 June 2009.
http://www.biography.com/articles/Edgar-Allan-Poe-9443160

Thompson, G.R. “Edgar Allan Poe.” Antebellum Writers in New York and the South. Ed. Joel Myerson. Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale Research, 1979. Literature Resource Center. The Richard Stockton College of NJ: Pomona, 2009.
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=richstockcol