Literature Study: Edgar Allan Poe

I can't remember a time that I wasn't familiar with the name, Edgar Allan Poe and his iconic poem, "The Raven". His name is synonymous with classic American literature among the greats such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Mellville, Harriet Beacher Stowe, and Emily Dickinson. Although I've always known his name, I've hardly known much about his life or his work until just recently. As I've stated many times before I tend to stray away from the horror genre, which was certainly Poe's specialty. However during this summer of Classic Literature, in search of better enlightenment, I've dove deep into my Norton Anthology of Literature and have read various works by Poe. He had a very unique and original style, and is often depicted as the father of the macabre.

As I recently wrote in my post regarding the American Literature Renaissance of the 1830s-1850s, I made the case that Edgar Allan Poe was the era's definitive figure. Prior to him, American literature was in it's earliest infancy and the works of Washington Irving and James Fenimore Cooper paved the way. However many critics felt these popular writers were merely copying the British literary format. It was Edgar Allen Poe who established an entirely new literary style in the 1830s. Influenced by Washington Irving and Mary Shelly (Author of Frankenstein) he specialized in the Gothic genre, that would later inspire fellow American authors, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Mellville. Furthermore his work influenced other great novelists such as Athur Conan Doyle and Fyodor Dostoevsky. 

Poe's work provided a new American identity, drawn to the Gothic horrors, mystery, psychological thrillers, and even romance. His work was no doubt influenced by the nation's dark past pertaining to the Salem Witch Trials, the bloody Revolutionary War, and even the conquest of Native Americans. His work reflects a psychological component unlike ever before. In reading his dark and twisted work, it should come as no surprise that the man himself was quite mentally unstable and lived a very short life. Just by looking at his photograph this much seems quite apparent, that he was a bit off. However just like many other great artists (Mozart, Van Gogh, Beethoven) quite often genius goes with madness, and Edgar Allen Poe most definitely had a bit both. 

The Life of Edgar Allan Poe

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19th, 1809, his parents were both struggling actors. Just a year later his father abandoned him and his mother died of tuberculosis thus making him an orphan. He was later adopted by a wealthy merchant John Allan who enrolled Edgar in grammar school. They lived in London for several years before returning to Richmond, Virginia in 1820. Despite losing his biological parents, Edgar was very fortunate to be brought up and educated by a wealthy family. He excelled at language and literature and by 1826 he enrolled in the University of Virginia.  

His enrollment at the University of Virginia was quite short-lived due to his lack of discipline and rising gambling debt. During this time he developed a rift with his foster father and experienced a major heartbreak which could have caused his failure at the university. He chose not to return to his hometown of Richmond, Virginia yet rather make it on his own in Boston. He managed to find several jobs as a clerk and a newspaper writer for a year, however due to the low funds he decided to enlist in the army in 1827. It was during this year that he published his first collection of poetry known as the Tamerlane and Other Poems. 

By 1830 Edgar was appointed to West Point military academy and had received some acclaim for his published poetry by the notable critic John Neal. This encouraged Edgar to continue to pursue his writing career, however at the same time he was disowned by his foster father after years of disputes. The following year he chose to withdraw from the military by court-martial and published his 3rd collection of poems dedicated to the West Point cadets. He then moved to Baltimore to pursue a career in writing and publishing, which he quickly found to be an unending financial struggle. At this point Edgar restored to heavy alcoholism as he wrote and searched for publishers. He married his cousin, Virginia Clemm in 1835, He was 26 years old and she was only 13, yet he loved her dearly. 

From this point on Edgar achieved better financial stability and had gained some recognition for his published work. He then moved back to Richmond with his new wife and published various popular works such as the Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque. However in 1842, Poe's fortune took another downward dip when his wife got severely ill from tuberculous. This led him to heavy drinking and madness yet he still continued to write some of his greatest works at this point. He wrote poems, tales/ short-stories, essays, and literary critics. In 1845 he published "The Raven" which brought him instant fame, although not the deserved wealth. 

In 1846 he moved to New York City and his wife Virginia finally gave in to her tuberculous sickness and died the following year. This drove Edgar into an even further alcoholism, strange behavior, and downright insanity. This lifestyle eventually got the better of him in October of 1849 when he was found in a drunken stupor on the streets of Baltimore and died several days later due to a brain hemorrhage. His death was a very mysterious one however and just like the character himself is shrouded with theories pertaining to suicide, illness, or murder as a victim of election fraud. Following his death he became the victim of a terrible character assassination by Rufus Griswold, one of his former publishers. It was not until 30 years later that Poe received the proper recognition and honor that was due of him. 

Upon reflecting on his downtrodden life it is no wonder he developed an eccentric behavior that gave way to madness. As an orphan he perhaps never felt fully loved by his foster parents, and experienced many episodes of disappointment and heartbreak. Yet despite this unusual upbringing, he was quite fortunate to be brought up in a wealthy environment that no doubt encouraged his passion for academics, specifically literature. Poe displayed great tenacity in his penmanship and ambition to be published. It should also be noted that before he truly went insane, he experienced some relatively satisfying years with his wife, Virginia. However as soon as she became sick, his life went on a sharp downward trajectory to eventual madness. All of Poe's brilliant yet disturbing work is reflective of this life of heartbreak, depression, alcoholism, and frequent psychological trauma. 

The Famous Works of Poe

• Tamerlane and Other Poems (1827)
• This was Poe's first published work, a collection of poetry inspired by the work of British poet, Lord Byron. He wrote the poems as a soldier in the army and they quickly garnished appraise from notable critics such as John Neal. He demonstrated his common themes of death, love, and pride in famous poems such as "Tamerlane", "Evening Star", "The Lake", "Song", "Spirits of the Dead", and "The Happiest Day".
• Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems (1829)
• This was his second publication as a soldier in the army, and dedicated to his literary critic John Neal. The collection was most renown for it's long complex poem of "Al Aaraaf", which pertained to an Islamic Purgatory full of allegory. This collection was not as warmly received as his first collection, yet still showed his creative potential. 
• Poems by Edgar Allen Poe (1831)
• His third publication inspired him to leave his military career and begin a full time life as a writer. While this lifestyle lead to financial struggle it also allowed him to dedicate more time to his writing. His third publication included famous poems such as "To Helen", "The City in the Sea", and "Israfel" (yet another homage to death, love, and Islamic lore). 
• Ligeia (1838)

• By 1832 Edgar Allen Poe had expanded from poetry to also writing short-stories pertaining to humor, mystery, and horror. The tale of Ligeia demonstrated his romantic element which is often lost in his dark themes. The narrator is obsessed with the raven-haired beautiful and wise woman named Ligeia. However she later dies and the narrator marries another woman without as much love, Rowena. His 2nd wife also dies and upon her death mysteriously transforms into the body of Ligeia. One analysis here could be that the spirit of Ligeia consumed the body of Rowena to return to life. This is an example of Poe's romantic and metaphysical style.  
• The Fall of the House of Usher (1839)
• One of his more famous short-tales which demonstrated his unique metaphysical and Gothic style. In the story the narrator visits a haunted house and finds the owner to be in a perplexing state. He later discovers that the owner of the house has entombed his sister which explains the mysterious sounds and his eccentric behavior. The sister later escapes her tomb and kills her brother. As the narrator flees from the site, he witnesses the house split into two, thus representing the end of the house and the family. Just as the title suggests this is an end of a family dynasty, quite literally, and Poe creates a very psychological and metaphysical account here. 
• William Wilson (1839)

• This tale appeared in Poe's publication of Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque. It is a horror tale of a man who is haunted by his doppelganger. He later murders his look-alike, but is then haunted by the image in his mirror. This is yet another example of Poe's psychological writing, taking the reader into the mind of a very troubled person. 
• The Man in the Crowd (1840)
• Yet another psychological story pertaining to an obsessive people-watcher in the streets of London. The narrator is clearly an odd character who enjoys to observe people, yet when he sees an unusual old man in the streets he becomes mad with curiosity. He follows the man thru the streets and markets of London for an entire day and later concludes that the man is simply one of mystery who thrives in crowds. The ultimate question Poe presents in this tale is who is the stranger, the narrator or the mysterious old man in the crowd. 
• The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841)
• Regarded as the first detective story, yet another claim to Poe's legendary author status. The main character of C. Auguste Dupin is a detective in Paris who is solving a murder thru rationale and reasoning. Dupin's unique methods allow him to analyze the murder from the perspective of the suspect. This original character created by Poe, later returned in his other detective stories of "The Mystery of Marie Roget" and "The Purloined Letter". These stories went on to inspire other detective/mystery writers, most notably the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle.  
• The Masque of the Red Death (1842)

• Another of Poe's great horror tales that excels in the development of psychological fear. The story takes place in a castle amidst a deadly plague known as the Red Death. Bold and fearless, Prince Prospero considers his castle a safe refuge and holds a masquerade for his fellow nobles. However despite the luxurious affair, fear is still evident with the silence after the chiming of the clock. At midnight the people at the party notice a peculiar dark figure in a shroud and the mask of a corpse. Prospero corners the figure with his dagger, demanding to know his identity. The figure then reveals his mask, in which there is nothing but death for everyone at the party.   
• The Pit and the Pendulum (1842)
• Here is another psychological horror from the perspective of a tortured prisoner during the Spanish Inquisition. The narrator is trapped in a cell and watches as a sharp pendulum swings back and forth lowering to his position. He is able to escape his bondage thanks to the rats of the cell, however once again faces death as the walls begin to close on one another. The narrator is miraculously saved at the end by the arrival of the French Army.  
• The Tell-Tale Heart (1843)

• Regarded as one of Poe's most famous short stories, this is another demonstration of his Gothic psychological thrillers. The narrator lives with an old man (the connection not made clear) that has a wicked vulture-eye. This eye begins to haunt and drive the narrator mad, to the point in which he murders the old man and buries him under the floor of the house. However overcome by guilt and paranoia he begins to hear sounds and thumping throughout the house which he believes to be the heart of the old man. During the police investigation of the murder, the narrator falls into a mad panic unable to block out the noise, and confesses to his crime. 
• The Gold-Bug (1843)
• Yet another of Poe's famous detective/adventure stories, it also demonstrates his keen fascination for cryptography. The story revolves around William Legrand who partakes in a treasure hunt of deciphering clues and code. Thru the help of the narrator and his servant he is able to discover the treasure of famous pirate Captain Kidd. The story was one of Poe's most popular works and also his most profitable. This story went on to influence Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island as well as Dan Brown's various "Robert Langdon" mystery novels pertaining to code-breaking.  
• The Black Cat (1843)
  
• This short tale was another of Poe's most iconic works and perhaps one of my favorites. It incorporates common themes of psychological guilt, panic, and total collapse. The story is quite similar to Tell-Tale Heart in which the narrator finds himself quite haunted by someone, this time a black cat that is missing an eye. He eventually gives in to this disturbance and hangs the cat however quite mysteriously that night his house catches fire. Overcome by guilt he later buys another similar black cat, that is also missing an eye. Yet again however he is overcome by the haunting demeanor of the cat and begins to avoid it. In a fury one night he attempts to kill it with an ax, yet when his wife stops him he kills her wife the ax. Shocked by his abrupt murder he conceals the corpse of his wife in the walls and is unable to find the cat. He finds peace however in that the cat has gone missing and has fled the property. Later however the police show up to his house to investigate the murder, of which the narrator is confident they will not find her. However in a fateful twist of fortune, the missing cat gives a loud shriek revealing the hidden location of his wife's dead corpse.     
• The Raven (1845)
  
• No doubt this is Poe's most well-known work, a poem yet again pertaining to psychological madness. The narrator is grieving in his room over the loss of his beloved Lenore. Unable to sleep, he seeks some solace by reading old books, however later hears a tapping at his window. As the narrator opens the window, a black raven flies inside the room and lands above his door, speaking only the word "Nevermore". At first the narrator is amused by this bird and begins to speak with it, then later presumes the bird will fly away from his life just as everyone else had, to which the bird responds, "Nevermore". The narrator then grows deeper with the bird and questions it whether he can forget Lenore or if he will be united with her in heaven, to which yet again the bird utters "Nevermore". At this the narrator is driven into a mad fury accusing the bird of being an evil prophet from hell, of which he must spend the rest of his days haunted by. The brilliance of this poem is shared by the haunting scene Poe creates, yet more so it's rhyme and rhythm. 
• The Cask of Amontillado (1846)
• Perhaps one of Poe's most twisted and cruel stories it tells of a man's quest for vengeance on a person who has insulted him. At a wine-tasting party the narrator Montresor leads his old friend, Fortunato into an underground wine cellar. Montresor convinces his enthusiastic friend that beneath the cave is a rare vintage of Amontillado. However he then quickly chains Fortunato in the cellar and begins to slowly entomb him, until he is fully enclosed. This is one of several depictions by Poe of a character being buried alive, which clearly fascinated or haunted the author. Unlike other stories however such as The Fall of the House of Usher, Black Cat, or Tell-Tale Heart, the murderer felt his actions were justified and is not haunted by his deed. 
• Annabel Lee (1848)
• This was one of Poe's last great works, a romantic poem yet again about the loss of a beautiful woman. Just like in Ligeia, The Raven, or Ulalume the narrator is grieving over the loss of a woman he once loved. He describes how they shared a strong love during their youth by the sea, a love that was so strong that even the angels grew jealous. The narrator is convinced the angels killed her beloved Annabel Lee, however even in death their love shines stronger than ever. He lies by her tomb each night and sees her eyes in the stars of the sky. It is believed Poe wrote this poem for his deceased wife, Virginia Clemm, whom he loved dearly. Despite it's grim matter it ends with an uplifting note, and demonstrates Poe's romantic quality which was almost equally as powerful as his horrific quality.