by Amul

Created on: August 03, 2009

Edgar Allan Poe does not need any introduction in the world of literature. He was an American writer and poet. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 19th, 1809. His mother and father were actors and Edgar Allan Poe was their second child. His childhood was not pleasant one, as his father left the family in 1810 and his mother died in 1811.

He was sent to the home of John Allan who was a Scottish merchant in Richmond, Virginia and from there he derived his middle name "Allan". His foster father was not very nice to him. John Allan shifted to England in 1815 with his family. He attended the grammar school in Irvine, Scotland. Later he joined a boarding school in Chelsea. In 1820, John Allan again came back to Richmond, Virginia.

In 1826, Poe joined University Of Virginia where he got indulged in gambling. The differences between John Allan and Poe took shape over the gambling debts. John Allan stopped providing financial support to Poe which forced him to leave the University. Poe did not return to Richmond and reached to Boston in 1827, where he worked as clerk and newspaper writer/editor. Later he joined the United States Army to meet his financial needs. He had remained in army for five years from 1827 to 1829. Later he was dismissed from the army for neglecting the duty.

After discharging from the army, Poe went to Baltimore to live with his aunt Maria Clemm and her daughter Virginia Eliza Clemm and his elder brother Henry Poe. His brother Henry died in 1831 because of alcoholism. After the death of elder brother, Poe started taking his writing career more seriously. He struggled very hard to establish himself as writer. He was the first American writer who tried to earn his bread and butter from writing alone. He began to sell short stories to magazines. In 1835, he became the editor of Southern Literary Messenger. However, his career as editor did not last very long. By the time, Poe published several poems, stories and reviews in the papers and magazines.

He was noticed by the literary world for first time, when he won the prize for his short story "Manuscript found in a bottle". His literary works were continued to be published in various papers, magazines and journals, but his success had not contributed in improving his financial condition.

Later he got married to his cousin Virginia Eliza Clemm. At the time of the marriage Virginia was only 13 years. She died at a very early age because of tuberculosis. Her death broke the Edgar emotionally. In October, 1849, he was found unconscious on the streets of the Baltimore and on October 7th 1849, he died in the hospital. Poe was found in such poor condition that he was not able to tell what happened with him and the cause of his death is still a mystery. He was buried in Baltimore.

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