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…