1. Edgar Allan Poe 1809-1849 English 2 Mr. O’Connell Loyola High School

2. Introduction Emerson: “To be great is to be misunderstood”: Emerson: “To be great is to be misunderstood”: His ideas were in conflict with the spirit of his age His ideas were in conflict with the spirit of his age Took refuge as a “lonely and misunderstood artist Took refuge as a “lonely and misunderstood artist His neurotic personality often mirrored that of his fictional characters His neurotic personality often mirrored that of his fictional characters

3. Childhood Born in Boston, January 19, 1809 Born in Boston, January 19, 1809 Parents: Parents: David Poe (deserted wife 18 months later) David Poe (deserted wife 18 months later) Elizabeth Arnold Poe (died in 1811) Elizabeth Arnold Poe (died in 1811) Became ward of the Mr. & Mrs. John Allan family (never legally adopted) Became ward of the Mr. & Mrs. John Allan family (never legally adopted) John Allan—rich tobacco exporter John Allan—rich tobacco exporter Mrs. Allan—spoiled Edgar with the affections of a childless wife of an unfaithful father Mrs. Allan—spoiled Edgar with the affections of a childless wife of an unfaithful father Led to tensions and jealousies—estranged Poe from Mr. Allan Led to tensions and jealousies—estranged Poe from Mr. Allan

4. Education Received a genteel and thorough education in Virginia and abroad Received a genteel and thorough education in Virginia and abroad Lived in England and Scotland (1815-20) Lived in England and Scotland (1815-20) Attended a prestigious classical prep school Attended a prestigious classical prep school Attended the University of Virginia Attended the University of Virginia Mr. Allan removed him b/c of gambling debts Mr. Allan removed him b/c of gambling debts Entered the Army as “Edgar A. Perry” Entered the Army as “Edgar A. Perry” Entered West Point Academy in 1830 Entered West Point Academy in 1830 Felt out of place and grew sick of the Academy Felt out of place and grew sick of the Academy Received a Dishonorable Discharge for neglecting his duties Received a Dishonorable Discharge for neglecting his duties

5. Love Life Age 11: infatuated with Jane Stith Stanard, a classmate’s mother Age 11: infatuated with Jane Stith Stanard, a classmate’s mother Led to the poem “To Helen” Led to the poem “To Helen” High School: considered himself engaged to Sarah Elmira Royster High School: considered himself engaged to Sarah Elmira Royster She engaged another while Poe was at UVA She engaged another while Poe was at UVA September 1835: Secretly married his 13- year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm September 1835: Secretly married his 13- year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm 1849: Consented to marry Sarah Elmira Royster, his childhood sweetheart 1849: Consented to marry Sarah Elmira Royster, his childhood sweetheart

6. Early Writings 1827: Tamerlane and Other Poems 1827: Tamerlane and Other Poems Signed “By a Bostonian” Signed “By a Bostonian” 1829: Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems 1829: Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems 1831: Poems (New York) 1831: Poems (New York) 1831 to 1835: Lived as a hack writer in Baltimore 1831 to 1835: Lived as a hack writer in Baltimore Lived in poverty and struggled Lived in poverty and struggled October 12, 1833: published “MS Found in a Bottle” and won a $50 prize October 12, 1833: published “MS Found in a Bottle” and won a $50 prize Heralded the success of his short story formula Heralded the success of his short story formula

7. Writing Career Editor for Southern Literary Messenger (1835- 1837; Richmond, VA) Editor for Southern Literary Messenger (1835- 1837; Richmond, VA) Brilliant editor, attracted attention for his own critical articles Brilliant editor, attracted attention for his own critical articles Personal instability; quarreled with staff Personal instability; quarreled with staff 1838-1844: Period of greatest accomplishment (Philadelphia) 1838-1844: Period of greatest accomplishment (Philadelphia) Editor of Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine, Graham’s Magazine, and The Saturday Museum Editor of Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine, Graham’s Magazine, and The Saturday Museum

8. Writing Career Well-known in literary circles for critical articles Well-known in literary circles for critical articles Published Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque (1840) Published Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque (1840) 1843: Earned fame (and $100) for “The Gold Bug” in Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper 1843: Earned fame (and $100) for “The Gold Bug” in Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper Left Philadelphia and moved to New York and found sporadic employment Left Philadelphia and moved to New York and found sporadic employment Again lived in grueling poverty Again lived in grueling poverty

9. Writing Career In New York, Virginia sick with tuberculosis In New York, Virginia sick with tuberculosis Poe’s eccentricities increase; begins to drink Poe’s eccentricities increase; begins to drink Candid reviews and critical articles gained him many enemies, who ruined his reputation Candid reviews and critical articles gained him many enemies, who ruined his reputation Despite this, in 1845 published “The Raven” in the Evening Mirror and in The Raven and Other Poems Despite this, in 1845 published “The Raven” in the Evening Mirror and in The Raven and Other Poems 1846: Virginia died 1846: Virginia died 1848: Published Eureka, deemed a work of a demented mind, in which he attempted to unify the laws physical science with those of aesthetic reality 1848: Published Eureka, deemed a work of a demented mind, in which he attempted to unify the laws physical science with those of aesthetic reality

10. Death “His life ended, as it had been lived, in events so strange that he might have invented them” (Perkins et al, 529) “His life ended, as it had been lived, in events so strange that he might have invented them” (Perkins et al, 529) Consented to marry Sarah Elmira Royster Consented to marry Sarah Elmira Royster Left for Philadelphia on business Left for Philadelphia on business Six days later found unconscious on streets of Baltimore Six days later found unconscious on streets of Baltimore Died in delirium four days later: Oct. 7, 1849 Died in delirium four days later: Oct. 7, 1849 Obituary: Died of “congestion of the brain” Obituary: Died of “congestion of the brain”

11. Contributions “During a short life of poverty, anxiety, and fantastic tragedy Poe achieved” the following: “During a short life of poverty, anxiety, and fantastic tragedy Poe achieved” the following: establishment of a new symbolic poetry, which encompassed only 48 poems establishment of a new symbolic poetry, which encompassed only 48 poems the formalization of the new short story the formalization of the new short story the invention of the story of detection and the broadening of science fiction the invention of the story of detection and the broadening of science fiction the foundation of a new fiction of psychological analysis and symbolism the foundation of a new fiction of psychological analysis and symbolism the development of an important critical theory and a discipline of analytical criticism the development of an important critical theory and a discipline of analytical criticism

12. Literary Philosophy Emphasis on art that simultaneously appeals to REASON and EMOTION; both head and heart Emphasis on art that simultaneously appeals to REASON and EMOTION; both head and heart Influenced the course of creative writing and criticism Influenced the course of creative writing and criticism Art = an object created in the cause of Beauty Art = an object created in the cause of Beauty Involves the utmost concentration and unity, with the most scrupulous use of words Involves the utmost concentration and unity, with the most scrupulous use of words Works directed toward universal human response Works directed toward universal human response Like Hawthorne, Poe used symbolism Like Hawthorne, Poe used symbolism Unlike Hawthorne, Poe taught no moral lessons except the discipline of Beauty Unlike Hawthorne, Poe taught no moral lessons except the discipline of Beauty

13. Source Perkins, George, Sculley Bradley, Richmond Croom Beatty, and E. Hudson Long, eds. The American Tradition in Literature. 6th ed. New York: Random House, 1985. Perkins, George, Sculley Bradley, Richmond Croom Beatty, and E. Hudson Long, eds. The American Tradition in Literature. 6th ed. New York: Random House, 1985.