What Do The Following Four Items Have in Common?
Edgar Allan Poe
The Original Godfather of Mystery, Horror and Suspense
Biography
• Born in 1809
• Died of mysterious causes in 1849
• Widely regarded as one of America’s finest and most controversial authors
• Wrote dozens of short stories and poems, as well as one full-length novel
• Considered the originator of the modern crime novel and the horror/shock genre
Early Life
• Born in Boston, MA
• Parents were traveling actors/performers
• Lost both parents at an early age
• Was raised by the Allan family in Richmond, VA
• “Foster parents”, the Allans, inherited a sum of money, and lived in relative wealth
College Life
• Poe attended the University of Virginia
• Was a mediocre student
• Became a compulive gambler and incrued a huge debt
• Left college after a year
• Moved to Boston to become a newspaper writer, joined the military
Young Adulthood
• Poe re-enlisted in a military academy
• Was court-martialed from West Point Academy in 1831.
• He moved to New York and Philadelphia to pursue newspaper and magazine writing.
• Was fired for repeatedly showing up drunk.
…Life is Strange
• Poe moved to Baltimore
• Lived with his aunt, Maria Clemm
• Married his cousin, Virginia Clemm (13)
• Poe embarked upon a serious attempt at creative writing
• Poe’s wife became sick with tuberculosis, and died three years later
The Downward Spiral…
• After his wife’s death, Poe’s drinking increased and his behavior soured
• His writing became increasingly morbid, evil, and mysterious
• “The Raven”, Poe’s most successful poem, earned Poe just $9
• Rumors of drug abuse and mental illness plagued his career
More problems
• Poe’s gambling debts returned
• His health deteriorated, and his strange style of writing became a target of ridicule by other American authors.
• In 1849, Poe was found unconscious in an alleyway
• He died just three days later
Literary Highlights
• After his death, Poe became known as the inventor of the crime/detective mystery, the horror story, and of gothic fiction
• Poe’s short stories are some of the most popular literary works among American teenagers.
• A few of his stories have been turned into motion picture horror movies, including “The Raven” and “The Tell-Tale Heart”
Poe’s Most Famous Works
“The Masque of the Red Death”
“The Tell-Tale Heart”
“The Pit and the Pendulum”
“The Raven”
“The Black Cat”
“The Tell-Tale Heart”
• A harrowing tale of a man driven to the murder of his beloved friend and roommate…
“The Pit and the Pendulum”
• The tale of a prisoner trapped in a dungeon, who must endure unspeakable torture…
“The Raven”
• The tale of a man tormented by a sadistic and possessed bird…