Edgar Allan Poe

1. Edgar Allan Poe The Legend That All Other Horror Writers Measure Themselves Against

2. Poe’s Early History http://www.biography.com/people/edgar-allan-poe-9443160/videos/edgar-allan-poe-full-episode-2104513528

4. Back in Baltimore Though Poe experienced more than his share of troubled moments, he never stopped writing. He was also a successful editor and in 1834 had a somewhat steady income.

5. His cousin Virginia (1822-1847) was his only true love. He married her when she was barely thirteen. Marriage to Virginia

6. Virginia’s family was very much in favor of the marriage, and, by all accounts, the marriage was happy. • A few years later, Poe was fired from his job due to his alcohol problem. • He and his mother-in-law begged for money. • Virginia became fatally ill. • Poe never recovered from her death. Marriage to Virginia

7. Poe died only two years after Virginia. • There is mystery surrounding his death, but there is no doubt he was living in poverty and had an addiction problem. Poe’s Demise

8. There was a duality to Poe’s personality. He was an idealist and a visionary. • He was also charming and quite personable. • Unfortunately, he had a very sensitive nature. • He was an insomniac. • He suffered from harrowing nightmares that influenced his writing and his art. Poe’s Personality and Writing

9. The atmosphere in his stories is unparalleled in American fiction. • He is an American master. • Other horror writers compare themselves to Poe and usually fall short. Poe’s Writing