The Captivating Life and Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe, an often misinterpreted literary mastermind known predominantly by his extraordinary tales of horror, the supernatural, forbidden love, madness, and mystery, is more than meets the eye. Though his genres of expertise may indicate otherwise, Poe was a very social person, having been raised as a gentleman, and he had more hands on military experience than any other major American author in history. As a writer, Poe gained a great deal of his inspiration from his surroundings. His stay in the army contributed significantly to his repertoire, said to have inspired some of Poe’s greatest works including â€Å"’The Gold Bug;’ ’The Man Who Was Used Up,’ a satire of southern frontier politics; ‘The Balloon Hoax,’ set along the†¦show more content†¦At West Point, Poe was older than the other cadets and as a former NCO (non-commissioned officer) did not take easily to the cadet-style and drills, such as â€Å"mandatory formations [and] inspections† (Beidler, Soldier 338), which, in his days as an enlisted man, he had always found ways to avoid. In class, Poe’s intellect made him a â€Å"quick study†, the coursework giving him little trouble. The start of the second semester, and a rekindling of hostilities with Allan, marked the beginning of Poe’s downfall at West Point. The hostilities ended with Allan pronouncing his disownment of Poe, and Poe getting himself thrown out of the Academy in spite. He was dishonorably discharged through a court martial charging him with insubordination; refusal to obey the order of a superior officer. Despite the ultimate failure of Poe’s military career, it proved to be some of the most vital years in Poe’s lifetime literarily, encompassing the production of his first three books of poetry; Tamerlane and Other Poems of 1827, Al Araaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems of 1829, and Poems of 1831, which reads â€Å"To the U.S. Corp s of Cadets This Volume is Respectfully Dedicated†. These books were the only book-length poetry compilations he would publish until the publication of The Raven and Other Poems in 1845. Following his departure from West Point, Poe took refuge in his biological father’s hometown, Baltimore,Show MoreRelatedEdgar Allan Poe Was A Master Of The Literary Elements And1092 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allan Poe was a master of the literary elements and used them greatly in all of his works. In the story, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† Poe uses these literary devices to really grab the audience and keep them wanting more. This skillful building of suspense is what makes this story so interesting and easy to keep reading. Poe drops small hints throughout the story in order to give the reader a little glimpse of how the story will come to an exciting end. With all of these elements coming togetherRead MoreBrianna Ruiz-Vannerson. Leonard Miller. Enc1102. Feb. 231548 Words   |  7 PagesMiller ENC1102 Feb. 23 2017 The Compelling Mind of Edgar Allan Poe Through: â€Å"Lenore† and â€Å"The Raven† Throughout the life of esteemed author Edgar Allan Poe, there have been many time that this extraordinary man’s life has been turned upside down with grief. His first encounter with this wretched demon was when he was no older than three years of age. The mother who birthed him dies and his father abandons them before her death (â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe†). He then is separated from his brother and sisterRead More Edgar Allen Poe Essay1637 Words   |  7 PagesEdgar Allen Poe Edgar Allen Poes life was bombarded with misery, financial problems, and death but he still managed to become a world-renowned writer. Although he attended the most prestigious of schools he was often looked over as a writer and poet during his career. His stories were odd and misunderstood during their time. However, now they are loved a read by millions. On January 19, 1809 Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts at a lodging house. His parents David and ElizabethRead MoreThe Peculiar Edgar Allan Poe868 Words   |  4 Pagesdisease of thought—from moods of mind exalted at the expense of the general intellect† (Poe); these are the words of a man born on January 19, 1809. As a child Poe’s parents had passed on making him an orphan. He then went on to live with the family of John Allan who was originally from Richmond, Virginia. During the period of 1815-1820, the family migrated to England. Living in England was beneficial to Poe for the reason that he gained his gothic style that appears so frequently in his work fromRead MoreEssay about Annabel Lee, Edgar Allan Poe1009 Words   |  5 Pagesthe most influential authors that contributed to this experience was Edgar Allan Poe. His work is almost immediately recognizable due to his common motif that is both melancholy and mysterious. Much of his writing concerns love and loss, such as in his poem â€Å"Annabel Lee.† The essence of this work is endless love and the death of a beautiful young girl. It is thought by many that most of his literature mirrors his actual life, which was riddled with heartbreak and sorrow. It is evident from theRead MoreLife and Talent of Edgar Allan Poe906 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Allen Poe was bone in Boston on January 19 1809 to David and Elizabeth Poe. He lost his parents at the age of two years and had to be adopted by John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan. John Allan was a very wealthy man but he only gave Edgar a third of his school requirements and this alienated him from Edgar. When Allan’s wife dies Edgar also decides to move out because he could not put up with John Allan. Edgar loved poetry from a tender age. He even wrote verses to girls that heRead MoreSymbolism Of The Red Death By Edgar Allan Poe1500 Words   |  6 PagesIn â€Å"Mask of the Red Death†, Edgar Allan Poe uses setting and symbolism to deliver the theme that n o one escapes death. The story follows the naà ¯ve and pompous Prince Prospero, and his feeble attempt to escape dying from the Black Plague. As the plague spread through his kingdom, the prince called one thousand of his closest friends to reside within the safety of the castle in order to seclude themselves from the horror and death going on outside. During the last months of their seclusion, the princeRead MoreEssay on The Life of Edgar Allan Poe4875 Words   |  20 PagesThe Life of Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe is considered to be the father of the short story by many. Over the course of his life, he wrote hundreds of short stories and poems. His writing style is unique and influenced by the tragedies that occurred over the course of his life. In fact, he is most well known for writing morbid stories and gruesome, dismal poems. Indeed his writing habits were heavily influenced by his life. His life was full of depression, angst, and woe. Many of theRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe: His Life and The Raven4939 Words   |  20 PagesEdgar Allan Poe: His Life and The Raven Edgar Allan Poe is considered to be the father of the short story by many. Over the course of his life, he wrote hundreds of short stories and poems. His writing style is unique and influenced by the tragedies that occurred over the course of his life. In fact, he is most well known for writing morbid stories and gruesome, dismal poems. Indeed his writing habits were heavily influenced by his life. His life was full of depression, angst, and woe. Read MoreThe Loyalty And Love That The Speaker1144 Words   |  5 Pagesportrayed to Annabel Lee was unforgettable. Poe uses sad tones when he writes, this poem is a sad love story. â€Å"Its popularity is probably attributable to its haunting rhythm, its lulling repetition† (Bily, 1) Poe always does a phenomenal job captivating the reader and getting the reader to feel the emotions. This is such a valuable trait that Poe is capable of doing because this story allows one to want to read on and feel the emotions with the speaker . Poe paints a sad, heart-wrenching story about