Please read the following biographical information about Edgar Allan Poe and then write a comment to this post that summarizes 2-3 things about Edgar Allan Poe that you find interesting. I would also recommend recording the 2-3 things you post about Edgar Allan Poe in your notes. You will then be able to use these details on the quiz.
Poe's Childhood
Edgar Poe was born in Boston on January 19, 1809. His parents were David and Elizabeth Poe. David was born in Baltimore on July 18, 1784. Elizabeth Arnold came to the U.S. from England in 1796 and married David Poe after her first husband died in 1805. They had three children, Henry, Edgar, and Rosalie.
Elizabeth Poe died in 1811, when Edgar was 2 years old. She had separated from her husband and had taken her three kids with her. Henry went to live with his grandparents while Edgar was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. John Allan and Rosalie was taken in by another family. John Allan was a successful merchant, so Edgar grew up in good surroundings and went to good schools.
When Poe was 6, he went to school in England for 5 years. He learned Latin and French, as well as math and history. He later returned to school in America and continued his studies. Edgar Allan went to the University of Virginia in 1826. He was 17. Even though John Allan had plenty of money, he only gave Edgar about a third of what he needed. Although Edgar had done well in Latin and French, he started to drink heavily and quickly became in debt. He had to quit school less than a year later.
Poe in the Army
Edgar Allan had no money, no job skills, and had been shunned by John Allan. Edgar went to Boston and joined the U.S. Army in 1827. He was 18. He did reasonably well in the Army and attained the rank of sergeant major. In 1829, Mrs. Allan died and John Allan tried to be friendly towards Edgar and signed Edgar's application to West Point.
While waiting to enter West Point, Edgar lived with his grandmother and his aunt, Mrs. Clemm. Also living there was his brother, Henry, and young cousin, Virginia. In 1830, Edgar Allan entered West Point as a cadet. He didn't stay long because John Allan refused to send him any money. It is thought that Edgar purposely broke the rules and ignored his duties so he would be dismissed.
A Struggling Writer
In 1831, Edgar Allan Poe went to New York City where he had some of his poetry published. He submitted stories to a number of magazines and they were all rejected. Poe had no friends, no job, and was in financial trouble. He sent a letter to John Allan begging for help but none came. John Allan died in 1834 and did not mention Edgar in his will.
In 1835, Edgar finally got a job as an editor of a newspaper because of a contest he won with his story, "The Manuscript Found in a Bottle." Edgar missed Mrs. Clemm and Virginia and brought them to Richmond to live with him. In 1836, Edgar married his cousin, Virginia. He was 27 and she was 13. Many sources say Virginia was 14, but this is incorrect. Virginia Clemm was born on August 22, 1822. They were married before her 14th birthday, in May of 1836.
As the editor for the Southern Literary Messenger, Poe successfully managed the paper and increased its circulation from 500 to 3500 copies. Despite this, Poe left the paper in early 1836, complaining of the poor salary. In 1837, Edgar went to New York. He wrote "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym" but he could not find any financial success. He moved to Philadelphia in 1838 where he wrote "Ligeia" and "The Haunted Palace." His first volume of short stories, "Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque" was published in 1839. Poe received the copyright and 20 copies of the book, but no money.
Sometime in 1840, Edgar Poe joined George R. Graham as an editor for Graham's Magazine. During the two years that Poe worked for Graham's, he published his first detective story, "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" and challenged readers to send in cryptograms, which he always solved. During the time Poe was editor, the circulation of the magazine rose from 5000 to 35,000 copies. Poe left Graham's in 1842 because he wanted to start his own magazine.
Poe found himself without a regular job once again. He tried to start a magazine called The Stylus and failed. In 1843, he published some booklets containing a few of his short stories but they didn't sell well enough. He won a hundred dollars for his story, "The Gold Bug" and sold a few other stories to magazines but he barely had enough money to support his family. Often, Mrs. Clemm had to contribute financially. In 1844, Poe moved back to New York. Even though "The Gold Bug" had a circulation of around 300,000 copies, he could barely make a living.
In 1845, Edgar Poe became an editor at The Broadway Journal. A year later, the Journal ran out of money and Poe was out of a job again. He and his family moved to a small cottage near what is now East 192nd Street. Virginia's health was fading away and Edgar was deeply distressed by it. Virginia died in 1847, 10 days after Edgar's birthday. After losing his wife, Poe collapsed from stress but gradually returned to health later that year.
Final Days
In June of 1849, Poe left New York and went to Philadelphia, where he visited his friend John Sartain. Poe left Philadelphia in July and came to Richmond. He stayed at the Swan Tavern Hotel but joined "The Sons of Temperance" in an effort to stop drinking. He renewed a boyhood romance with Sarah Royster Shelton and planned to marry her in October.
On September 27, Poe left Richmond for New York. He went to Philadelphia and stayed with a friend named James P. Moss. On September 30, he meant to go to New York but supposedly took the wrong train to Baltimore. On October 3, Poe was found at Gunner's Hall, a public house at 44 East Lombard Street, and was taken to the hospital. He lapsed in and out of consciousness but was never able to explain exactly what happened to him. Edgar Allan Poe died in the hospital on Sunday, October 7, 1849.
The mystery surrounding Poe's death has led to many myths and urban legends. The reality is that no one knows for sure what happened during the last few days of his life. Did Poe die from alcoholism? Was he mugged? Did he have rabies?
Here is an example comment for this post:
ReplyDeleteName: Mrs. Sampson
Interesting facts about Poe: I found it interesting that Poe _________________. Also, it's interesting how he _________________. Finally, I think it's interesting that he _______________. These things are interesting to me because ____________.
Maddie Ladd
ReplyDeleteInteresting facts about Poe: I found it interesting that Poe married his 13 year old cousin. Also, it's interesting how he seemed like he had alot of success with the papers he worked at, but he couldn't make a living. Finally, I think it's interesting that he died in such an odd manner, and still today, no one knows how he died. These things are interesting to me because it all adds up to a really, really strange life.
Name: Jack Sveum
ReplyDeleteInteresting fact about Poe: I found it interesting that Poe married his 13 year old cousin. Also, it's interesting how he never really found a secure job. Finally, I think it's interesting that he that he died out of nowhere and no one knows why. These things are interesting to me because he was such a successful writer after he died and struggled to gain money while he was living. Also, how could nobody know how such a famous writer died.
Name: Casey
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that Poe went to school abroad and got a very good education, but later in life threw it away, becoming a homeless drunk. It also interests me that his background was so harsh and cruel. Finally I think it's interesting that his background heavily influences his writing style, dark, evil, just like his life.
As a part of American gothicism, Poe actually had an awful enough life to write like he did. It is really terrible that his adopted father refused to share anything with him or help him in any way. Also, later in his life he wrote many stories, but he never actually got the credit or money that he deserved for them. Finally, he married his 13 year old cousin. That's just messed up.
ReplyDelete-Sam Kodzik
Name: Jordyn Summerfield
ReplyDeleteInteresting Facts About Poe: I found it interesting that after his mom died and his dad left from the family, Poe and his siblings were all separated and lived with all different people. It was also unfortunate that he had to experience so many loved one’s deaths, like his mom, Mrs. Allan, and Virginia. Another interesting thing about Poe was that he married his own cousin who was only 13 at the time and he was 27. I found that very disturbing and abnormal because of the age difference, Virginia’s young age, and that they were cousins. One last interesting thing about Edgar Allan Poe was that his writing failed most all of the time. In New York , he wrote about 4 pieces of writing and they all failed. I thought this was interesting because he is still yet a well-known author today despite the fact of the many times he failed.
Name: Jory
ReplyDeleteEdgar Allen Poe had many struggles throughout his life that made him question what life could really be about. His relationship with his adopted parent John Allen, never had a good outcome, because Poe would often find himself out of a job, and in great need of money. Poe was also extremely poor and couldn't support his family, because his writing career was going down the drain. The final thing that was interesting was that Poe’s death is unknown; several myths and rumors came about, but no one is sure what happened to him.
Name: Liz Martin
ReplyDeleteinteresting facts about Poe: I found it interesting that Poe went to school in England for 5 years. Also, it's interesting how he was adopted by the Allan’s after his mother died. Finally, I think it's interesting that he couldn't make a living off of “The Gold Bug” even though it was successful. These things are interesting to me because it shows the things that influenced his writing and how hard it was to make a living back then
I found it interesting that even though the kids had parents, once one died the other left and they got adopted all in separate families. It was also a bit disturbing but a little understandable for that era was how married a 13 year old when he was 27 and how that 13 year old was his cousin. Also Poe helped all these magazine and newspaper companies prosper but whenever he tried working by himself he failed miserably.
ReplyDelete-Faisal Bartlett
Amara Green
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that at the age of 17 he became a heavy drinker and is adoptive dad John Allen disowned him, also I thought it was very strange that he married his 13 year old cousin when he was 27. Finally I thought it was interesting how in his life he had many jobs but seemed to quit them a lot because he felt like he was not getting paid enough but each time he quit he found himself struggling for a living.
Interesting Facts about Poe: Edgar was adopted by the Allan's after his mother died. Also found interesting that he drank heavily and became in debt so Mr.Allan disowned him. Had to quit school because of this. Even though he had a job he found many reasons to quit. From not making enough money to wanting to start his own company. Last, I found interesting that no ones knows how he died.
ReplyDeleteSarah Dempsey
ReplyDeleteFacts I found Interesting:
-Although Poe sold thousands of copies of his work, he couldn't even make a living with the money he made.
- Poe had a deep enough connection with his young wife that once she died he struggled. I always assumed that people at that time just married someone to get it over with, not because they actually care about the person.
- Poe helped many magazines grow and sell many more issues than they had been, but everytime Poe tried to go off and make something under his own name he would fail and end up having to go back to working for someone else.
I found it very interesting that when Poe was 6 he went to school in England and learned Latin and French. I also did not know that he joined the army in 1827. The way he died is also kind of eerie because no one knows what really happened, he could have been mugged or died of being and alcoholic or had rabies.
ReplyDeleteSarah Jung
ReplyDeleteEdgar Allen Poe had a very sad, interesting life. I found it interesting that when his mom died, his siblings were all split up and went to live with different families. He was in the military and earned the ranking of sergeant, and was accepted to West Point, but left due to his lack of money and a drinking problem. I also found it very strange how he married his 13 year old cousin when he was 27. There is a lot of mystery surrounding his death also. Poe lived a very strange and mysterious life.
I think its weird that as smart as he was Edgar allan poe started drinking heavily at the age of 17 became in debt was kicked out of school and then shunned by his adoptive dad.
ReplyDeleteHe failed multiple times as a writer and could not hold a job because the salaries were too low and publishers didn't believe in his writing
Its interesting that no one knows how he died
-Cody w.
Interesting facts about Poe: I found it interesting that Poe's mother separated the three children from their birth father. It's also interesting that Edgar and Rosalie both got adopted by different families, and Edgar's adopted father, John Allan, shunned him until his adopted mother died. He was also the sergeant major in the army.
ReplyDelete-Izzy Gallagher
Name: Sam Zanowski
ReplyDeleteInteresting facts about Poe: I found it interesting that Poe married his 13 year old cousin when he was 27. Also, it's interesting how he was actually very unsuccessful as a writer for a long time. Finally, I think it's interesting that the cause of his death is unknown. These things are interesting to me because .
I found it interesting how When Edgar Allan Poe was six years old he went to England for five years for school. While there he learned French and Latin. Then how he quit college less than a year into it, he then encountered lots of debt, and developed a drinking problem. Finally I found it sort of gross how he married his 13 year old cousin when he was 27.
ReplyDeleteJack Sullivaj
ReplyDeleteInteresting facts about Poe: I found it interesting that Poe married his 13 year old cousin when he was 27. Also, it's interesting how he solved cryptograms from his fans at a magazine. These things are interesting to me because nowadays people don't usually marry their cousins, and solving cryptograms sounds difficult.
I found it interesting how When Edgar Allan Poe was six years old he went to England for five years for school. While there he learned French and Latin. Then how he quit college less than a year into it, he then encountered lots of debt, and developed a drinking problem. Finally I found it sort of gross how he married his 13 year old cousin when he was 27.
ReplyDeleteLivia Quinn
ReplyDeleteI feel like it makes sense that he was so messed up and dark because he had a bad childhood. His mother died when he was two, and then he was separated from his brother and sister. Then, when he was older, his adoptive dad shunned him. I found it odd that he joined the army, but it kind of also makes sense because he enjoyed the concept of death. It is weird that he married his cousin, who was 13.
Name: Nicholas Gorr
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting when I read Edgar Allen Poe married his cousin who was 13 when he was 27 and that he would solve cryptograms that his fans would send in to him.
Edgar Allen Poe’s death was unknown and it started when he passed out and then landed in a hospital to die.
Julia Wulff
ReplyDeleteThe first thing i found interesting was that he went to school in England for 5 years when he was 6 years old. When he was there he learned Latin and french. Also I found it weird and disturbing that when he was 27 years old he married his 13 year old cousin.
Charlotte Utschig
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that Poe was actually born in America. We are studying the American Gothics, so I guess I should’ve figured that out but I always assumed he was from England for some reason. I also think it’s interesting that John Allan was so unsupportive of Poe. I don’t get it. Finally, I find it interesting that no one knows how he died, for sure. It’s fascinating, and adds to his Gothic aura, I think.
Olivia Storey
ReplyDeleteOne thing I found interesting is that Poe married his cousin when she was only 13, and he was 27. Also, he had to travel from job to job because he was very poor and unstable, yet today he is one of the best known writers. Lastly, no one truly knows how he died, which is interesting because you would think at least one person could know how he passed.
Gretchen Meyer
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that his cause of death is unknown and that he went to school for 5 years in England when he was only 6 years old. It was also gross that he married his 13 year old cousin when he was 27
3 things I found interesting about Poe were: He’s been in the army before, he married his cousin at a point of time, and with all the works he’s published of his own; he always managed to go broke. -Keori
ReplyDeleteJosh Erdtmann
ReplyDeleteMany interesting things happened in Poe's life. First off Poe married his cousin who was 14 years younger than him. Also he moved all over the country very frequently. Finally the thing that interested me most was that the cause of his death was unknown
Luci Hovel: I found it interesting that Edgar Allen Poe grew up with good surroundings in a stable family, yet became an alcoholic at a young age. I was also intrigued by the fact that Poe's job status was often unemployed, throughout his life (probably leading to some of his creepy feelings and views, along with the alcohol). However most interesting to me was that Poe married his 13 year old cousin at the age of 27. From reading this biography I have decided that his disturbing works of literature aren't at all surprising.
ReplyDeleteJohanna Taylor
ReplyDeleteTwo of the things that I pulled out of this biography about Edgar Allan Poe are, that after dropping out of school from his alcohol problem, he joined the army at 18, then somehow made his way up to being a sergeant major. My second thing is that at 27, he married his cousin who was only 13, which is a little weird.
Spencer Kuether
ReplyDeletePoe's mother died when he was only two years old leaving him to be adopted by someone from a completely different family that didn't help him financially. Even after he was grown up the bad luck didn't stop at his childhood, he had little to no friends where he was and had almost no success when he was writing short stories and poems in New York and had no stable job. His entire life was rough from childhood to marrying his 13 year old cousin even though there was a 14 year age difference between them.
Nathan Bahr
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that no one knows for sure what happened during the last few days of his life. He did well in the Army and attained the rank of sergeant major. Edgar drank heavily and quickly became in debt.
Jamesha Graham
ReplyDelete-I Found it really interesting that Edgar was adopted instead of moving in with his grandparents and he went to school in England at age 6 and later on in life married his cousin i also didn’t know he had a drinking problem.
Name: Sam Hantzsch
ReplyDeleteInteresting facts about Edgar Allen Poe: 1. When Poe was only 17 he attended the University of Virginia. 2. Poe attended West Point Academy but was only there for a short period of time because John Allen refused to send money to pay for schooling and he eventually dropped out. 3. Poe had over 300,000 copies of “The Gold Bug” in circulation but he could barely make a living off it and support his family. These facts are interesting to me because I am surprised that a successful writer and a smart man could not make any money. This proves that at the time people really did not appreciate the writings as we do today.
Grace Armstrong
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Poe’s biography, i have a better understanding as to why his work was so morbid. Poe never had a supportive family regardless of their wealth, and lost his siblings and parents at a very young age. i found it very interesting that almost all of this writing was rejected and he never really had a steady job or income. it was also interesting that his father wouldnt help Poe with his money issues, even though he was very wealthy.
Pierce The Fierce Williams:Three interesting things to me about Edgar Allan Poe is that he was broke, had no type of skilled, and was shunned by John Allan, and because of this he decided to join the army. Another interesting thing about Poe is that he MARRIED HIS COUSIN! that's weird, in our era, but i guess that was normally then. Lastly it is strange how he had a decent childhood,, but he was not successful as a young man.
ReplyDeleteTylon Neal
ReplyDeleteSomethings I found interesting about Edger is that he grew up going to good schools and living in good surroundings, but had to quit school at the University of Virginia due to John Allan not giving him all the money he needed. Another thing is that he died on October 7, 1849 in a hospital Sunday, but nobody knows how he died.
Marlee Kuhtz
ReplyDeleteThere were quite a few things that caught my attention in the bio, though 3 things in particular stood out to me the most. First I found it surprising that, in the end Poe was interested in Gothic Lit. because he was born in Boston, and Boston was a popular place for Transcendentalism. Another detail that surprised me was how unsupportive John Allen was of Poe throughout his whole life, though it seemed that John was generally wealthy. Lastly I was positively surprised by the fact that Poe had failed so many times, and yet he continued to stay motivated and work towards his goals to become a successful man.
Name: Jordyn Summerfield
ReplyDelete“Alone”
From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were -- I have not seen
As others saw -- I could not bring
My passions from a common spring --
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow -- I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone --
And all I lov'd -- I lov'd alone --
Then -- in my childhood -- in the dawn
Of a most stormy life -- was drawn
From ev'ry depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still --
From the torrent, or the fountain --
From the red cliff of the mountain --
From the sun that 'round me roll'd
In its autumn tint of gold --
From the lightning in the sky
As it pass'd me flying by --
From the thunder, and the storm --
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view --
Since I was a child, I have not been the same as other people, I have been different and have not seen things like others people do
The things I like come from the same thing
I couldn’t get rid of my sadness
I am always the same sad mood
Everything i enjoy, I feel like the only one
When I was a child, my life was dark and sad and that was what made me who I am today
And I am still confused
“From all of my surroundings”
“
“
“
“
“
“
The “demon” or sadness got in my way
SOAPSTone
Subject: Loneliness
Occasion: Edgar Allan Poe’s horrible life
Audience: Himself or other people to be able to recognize what he is feeling
Purpose: To get people to realize what he is feeling and going through and how he is all alone
Speaker: Edgar Allan Poe
Tone: Dark, sad, depressing
Name: Tyler Madden
ReplyDeleteInteresting facts about Poe: I found it interesting that Poe has such a depressing childhood. When he is very young his mother dies, and during his schooling, his father is not very supportive and willing to give money, although his father was pretty wealthy. I also found it interesting that he joined the army. I can not recall any writers we have learned about have been part of the military at some point in their life.
Name: Tori Yentz
ReplyDeleteBorn in Boston on January 19, 1809.
Many close people in his life died, leading him to have many problems as well as a drinking problem.
Most of his life he didn't have a steady job so he was financially unstable for a lot of his life.
Name: Gabby Procopis
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that in 1836 Edgar married his cousin, he was 27 and she was 13. He drank heavily and quickly became in debt and he had to quit school less than a year later.
I found it interesting and also very weird that he married his 13 year old cousin when he was 27 years old. He had to drop out of school because of his debt. He spent all of his money on alcohol, so after just one year of college, he had to drop out of school.
ReplyDeleteName: Cassidy Komp
ReplyDeleteInteresting facts about Poe: I found it interesting that Poe’s mother, Elizabeth Poe separated from her husband because in that time that was unheard of, also its interesting that Poe was always in and out of jobs because he seemed to be good at some of the jobs he had like working for the magazine.
Katie Fruendt--
ReplyDelete-He had originally gone to school, but became addicted to alcohol and became in debt. He had no money, no job, and his brother, John Allan, had shunned him. He went to Boston and joined the U.S. Army in 1827, when he was 18.
-He married his cousin Virginia, in 1836. He was 27, and she was 13. Virginia later died in 1847.
-He never really had a job for very long. Most of them lasted for less that two years. One job he had was when he joined George R. Graham, as an editor. There, he published his first detective story, which was called “The Murder in the Rue Morgue”.
-He died on October 7, 1849. No one really knows how he died...
Name: Nicholas Gorr
ReplyDeleteSince i was a child
I never did the same things
I never showed the same things
I have interests from the same place
But i have not done pursued those interests
My sadness has kept me lifeless
My heart with joy to the same tone
i loved things that only i could love
In my beginning or childhood
A cold and dreary life had started
From both good and evil
Either the torrent or the fountain
to the red cliff to the mountain
and even in the mysterious sun
there is a beautiful tint from fall
the lightning in the sky
it awed me as it never lasted long
The thunder and the storm
to which the large dark cloud that was made
when everyone else was light and happy
i saw a horrible view.
S: Sadness and loneliness
O: Edgar Allen Poe’s life
A: Others to see his pain
P:to show his horrible life
S:Edgar Allen poe
Tone: Dark sad tragic