ABOUT Edgar Allan Poe:
- Born in Boston.
- Poverty
- Alcoholic father (David Poe) abandons the family, leaving his wife with two small children (William and Edgar) and pregnant with another (Rosely). William is adopted by another family.
- Mother (Eliza) dies at 24 of tuberculosis. Edgar is 3.
- Rosely is adopted, and so is Edgar (two different families). Edgar moves to Richmond, Virginia, with the Allan family.
- The Allan family moves to England, where Edgar attends the best school, despite the financial setbacks.
- The family returns to the U.S. Difficult relationship between John Allan and Edgar who resents the fact that he was never formally adopted.
- Poe attends the University of Virginia, where he gets a reputation as a drunkard. He also attends West Point. He is dismissed because of his drinking.
- Foster mother (Frances Allan) also dies of tuberculosis when Edgar is 20. Frances Allan never formally adopted him.
- Poe sees himself as a curse figure and is haunted by death.
- John Allan breaks off all relationship with Poe. When he dies, he doesn't leave anything to Poe.
- Poe moves to Baltimore and works for "The Messenger."
- At 27, he marries a 13 y.o. first cousin, Virginia, against the wishes of the family.
- On 1837, Poe is dismissed from The Messenger. He moves to Greenwich in New York, where he tries his own publication: The Pen. The project never sees light. He is employed by Gentleman's Magazine and gains a better financial situation. He also gains respect in the literary world, befriending Dickens.
When Virginia gets sick, Poe's erratic behavior returns. He loses his job.- Poe is hired by the New York Mirror, and is stable again. He publishes "The Raven," his most famous poem.
- Poe works for the Broadway General, which he later buys, then loses.
- Virginia dies of tuberculosis at 24. Poe takes on drinking again. He is found dead in someone elses's clothes.
- Famous short stories: The Pit and the Pendulum. The Tell-Tale Heart.
- Videos watched on Discovery Education: 1) Great Books: Tales of Edgar Allan Poe. 2) Famous Authors: Edgar Allan Poe: 1809-1849. 3) The Oval Portrait. 4) Responding to Edgar Allan Poe.
