Introduction – About Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was born on 19 January 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. He was an American writer, editor, poet, literary critic, and novelist and was famous for his short stories and poems, specifically for the writing of mystery and the macabre. He is the first known writer to earn his living with the help of writing only. Poe was counted among the country’s earliest practitioners of short stories. He has contributed significantly to the detective fiction and science fiction genre.

The work of Edgar Allan Poe influenced the literature globally and even the specialized domains like cryptography and cosmology. His poem – The Raven, 1845, is considered among the national literature’s best poems. He died on 7 October 1849 in Baltimore, Maryland, the United States and his death’s cause is unknown.

Education and Early Childhood

David Poe Jr (father) and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins Poe (mother) were the parents of Poe, who both were actors. He was born a second child to them and had an elder brother, Henry. He also had a younger sister, Rosalie. David Poe was their grandfather, who, in 1750, had moved from the Country Caven, Ireland. After Poe’s mother died in 1811, he was raised by John Allan, a well-known merchant and exporter in Richmond, Virginia.

Poe attended the best schools, such as the grammar school, where he studied briefly. Until the summer of 1817, he studied at the boarding school in Chelsea. He was even sent to the University of Virginia, where Poe excelled academically and learned modern and ancient languages. Poe left the university, and he traveled to Boston, where he engaged himself with jobs as a newspaper writer and clerk. 

On 27 May 1827, Poe enlisted in the United States Army. During that year, his first book was released – Tamerlane and Other Poems, and in 1829, his second collection – Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems, was released.

Career as Author and Journey of Edgar Allan Poe

After the death of his brother, Poe was willing to start his career as a writer. While placing a few stories with the Philadelphia Publication, he started working on his only drama – Politian. Poe also published some of his well-known poems and stories, including The Raven, The Tell-Tale Heart, and The Fall of the House of Usher.

On 29 January 1845, his best poem, “The Raven,” was published in the Evening Mirror, and since then, he became a household name. Many of his homes are now dedicated museums, and for unique work in the mystery genre, an annual Edgar Award is presented by the “Mystery Writers of America.”

Also Read Some Other Authors – 

• Dr. Seuss Biography and Their Famous Books
• Indu Sundaresan Biography and Their Famous Books
• Devdutt Pattanaik Biography and Their Famous Books

Personal Life and Interests – Edgar Allen Poe

In 1836, he married his cousin, Virginia Clemm, who, in 1847, died of tuberculosis.

Poe’s well-known fiction works are primarily Gothic Horror, and most of his works are generally considered as the segment of the dark romanticism genre. He also wrote humor tales and satires.

Famous Books and Work of Edgar Allan Poe

Short Stories

• Ligeia
• Morella
• The Black Cat
• The Oval Portrait
• The Tell-Tale Heart

Poetry

• The Raven
• Al Aaraaf
• The Bells
• Tamerlane
• A Dream Within a Dream

Other Works

• 1835 – Politian (Only Play of Poe)
• 1840 – The Journal of Julius Rodman (The second and unfinished novel of Poe)
• 1846 – The Philosophy of Composition (Essay)
• 1848 – The Poetic Principle (Essay)
• 1849 – The Light-House (The last and incomplete work of Poe)