Born:
January 19,1809
Parents
His father’s name was David Poe,
and he was a mediocre traveling
actor who drank heavily.
His mother was Elizabeth Arnold,
and she was deserted by her husband.
His foster parents
were John Allan
and Francis Allan.
John provided for Edgar’s education,
but never formally adopted him.
Edgar lacked a natural father and approval of his foster father.
College:
At 17, He entered the
University of Virginia.
In attempt to make extra money, Edgar gambled. As a result, Edgar went deep into dept. Allen refused to help his foster son and instead he withdrew Edgar from college.
When Poe couldn’t find any other work, he joined the army.
He did not like the enlisted man’s life.
For his dying wife, John Allan helped Poe enter the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
After his foster father remarried, Poe knew his hopes of becoming Allan’s heir were lost. Poe Dismissed himself from West Point.
Poe moved in with his aunt, Marie Poe, in Baltimore, Maryland.
In 1835, Poe married his 13 year old cousin, Virginia.
Virginia suffered from poor health; Tuberculosis.
Poe suffered from humiliating poverty and a serious drinking problem.
His work, “The Raven” brought him some fame in 1845.
http://my.hrw.com/la_2010/tx_lit/nsmedia/powernotes_portal/Grade_11/video/L11pn0212ppt_TheRaven.mov
In 1847, his wife, Virginia, died of Tuberculosis.
Poe grew unstable and contracted illnesses, including a brain lesion.
-In 1849, Poe traveled to Virginia to visit a woman he hoped to marry.
Poe disappeared, and never made it to Virginia.
Edgar Allan Poe was found delirious with his clothes torn and wet from a raging storm a week later in Baltimore.
Four days later, Poe died.
Edgar Allan Poe