Edgar Allan Poe
THE LIFE OF EDGAR ALLAN POE
● Born in 1809 to Elizabeth Arnold Poe and David Poe.
● Both of his parents were actors, however, his mother
was considered the better of the two.
● David Poe abandoned his family while Poe was just a
young boy.
● Poe was orphaned, along with his older brother and
infant sister in 1811.His mother died of tuberculosis in
Richmond, Virginia.
Poe`s mother, Elizabeth, died
December 8, 1811, in Richmond, Virginia.
● The three children were separated and raised by
different families.
● Poe was taken by John and Frances Allan.
● John Allan was a successful merchant.
John and Frances Allan, Edgar`s foster parents
● The Allans raised Poe, but never formally adopted him.
● Poe attended the University of Virginia and was very well
in Latin and French.
However, John Allan refused to pay Poe`s gambling debts,
and Edgar Allan Poe Had to drop out of college.
● Due to fights with his foster-father, Poe went to Boston.
While there, he wrote a book of poetry,
Tamerlane and Other Poetry.
● In an attempt to support himself, Poe enlisted in the
Army.
● In 1829, Frances Allan died of tuberculosis.
John Allan and Poe briefly reconciled their differences.
● John Allan helped Poe received an appointment
at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point.
● Poe moved to Baltimore, where he lived with his very poor
aunt, Maria Poe Clemm and her young daughter, Virginia.
Maria Poe Clemm
Virginia Clemm Poe
● In 1833, he wrote, “Mrs. Found in f Bottle”. It lead
to a job offer as an editor for a magazine in Richmond,
Virginia.
● In 1835 he accepted the position of editor and married
his thirteen year old cousin, Virginia.
● In 1842, Virginia became ill with tuberculosis and in 1847
she died.
● On October 7, 1849, Poe died at the age of 40.
There are many mysteries concerning Poe`s death.
It has been attributed to “acute congestion of the
brain” to drug and alcohol overdoses.