Background Information
Edgar Allan Poe was born in 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. At the age of three, Edgar lost both of his parents and started living with John and Frances Allan, his step parents. Edgar would often try to receive gratitude and recognition from his step father but failed to do so, as he would often get punished in school. While he had good grades, Edgar was not the most responsible of students. Along with this, John Allan was having monetary issues, resulting in Edgar getting kicked out of college. After this, Edgar joined a military academy, where he also did well but was expelled due to poor handling of duties. Edgar and his step father were also not getting along well at this time, and John Allan cut ties with him. He then started writing, and the dark, mysterious poems mirrored his sad feelings at the time. Shortly after, Edgar met his love, Victoria, a thirteen year old cousin when he moved to Baltimore with his aunt. He married Victoria later in 1836. Sadly, she died young and Edgar was heartbroken. Edgar was already a sad, depressed man dealing with alcoholism, but after the untimely death of his wife in 1847, his depression and alcohol problems worsened. This is reflected in his darker poems and writings that were written at the time. Just as mysterious and unexpected as one of his poems, Edgar Allan Poe died two years after his wife’s death, drunk and unconscious on the street. The reason why is unknown.