Edgar Allan Poe

Pit and the Pendulum

The Raven
The Fall of the House of Usher
Background
Jan. 19, 1809 Oct. 7,
1849 (age 40)
Adopted (unofficially) by
John and Frances Allan
when his mother died
Dropped out of numerous
schools
Eventually enlisted in the
army to make some
money

Life and Career
One of the first to try
to make a CAREER
out of writing
No international
copyright laws
Married Virginia (1
st

cousin)
He was 26, she was
13
Career
The Raven became
an instant success,
but was only paid $9
for the publication
Virginia died at 23
from tuberculosis
MANY of Poes story
focus on beautiful
women dying

Death October 7, 1849
Found in the streets of Baltimore in great
distress, and in need of immediate
assistance
Possible causes of death?
Alcoholism, heart disease, epilepsy, cooping,
syphillis, cholera, rabies. MYSTERY!!!
Poe critic slandered his name after his
death
Poe Toaster Jan. 19
Poe Toaster

Themes
Gothic Genre
Death (physical signs,
decomposition,
premature burial,
reanimation of dead,
mourning)
Inventor if the
detective-fiction