Edgar Alan Poe: A Man Of Secrecy

Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 asDeath is a time in life that scares Poe and he thinks of
Edgar Poe. He was the second son to Elizabethit as being evil, because the two women he loved
Arnold Poe and David Poe. Both parents were actors,dearly died. He did not always think of death as being
and shortly after Poe's birth, his father deserted hisan evil thing. In Tamerlane, Poe knew that death was a
family around 1810. Edgar became an orphan beforepart of life and he seemed content with the idea of
the age of three years, when his mother died ondying. "Father, I firmly do believe – I know – for
December 8, 1811 in Richmond, Virginia at the age ofDeath, who comes for me…. Else how, when in the
twenty-four years. His father died at the age ofholy grove" (Tamerlane).
twenty-seven years old. After his mother's death, theOver the years, Poe's works have endured much
childless couple, John and Frances Allan, took in Poe;criticism as well as much praise. Many professionals
his paternal grandparents took in brother William Henry;who have researched Poe's life and his writings feel
and foster parents cared for sister Rosalie. Allan wasthat many of his writings strongly show reflections on
a strict and unemotional tobacco merchant and hisPoe's real life. One critic and friend wrote, "Poe's
wife was overindulgent. Poe was educated by theattraction to the problem of death is so conspicuous
Allan's aid, in private academies, excelling in Latin, inthat the reticence of modern criticism on the subject
writing verse and declamation. However, regardless ofseems inexplicable" (Kennedy 3). Various critics
his education, he was looked down upon by the upperbelieved his interests in such dark subjects were due
class of society, perhaps because Poe was neverto early traumatic experiences (5). Many modern critics
legally adopted by the Allan's, nonetheless he wasof Poe fail to realize that although Poe's tales took an
regarded as an outsider by the Richmond elite.unusual perspective, at the time, death was looked at
However, being the child of former actor's could haveas being an elaborate celebration, it wasn't more
also added to his reputation of not fitting in withacceptable, but it was more of a subject of quiet
Richmond's culture at that time.fascination (17). Kennedy also wrote, "I have never
The loss of his mother at an early age definitelyknown, nor read of anyone, whose life so curiously
affected Poe, "The angels, whispering to one another,illustrated that two fold existence of the spiritual and
Can find, among their burning terms of love, None sothe carnal disputing the control of the man, which has
devotional as that of ‘Mother'" (To My Mother). Inoften been made the theme of fiction. His was
Tamerlane, he not only wrote about his father, but hedebauched by the most groveling appetites and
wrote about his mother too. He had more respect forexalted by the richest conception of genius" (Bohner
his mother than he did for his father. In Tamerlane he197). Poe was forever being misunderstood in his
speaks much nicer of his mother. "O, she was worthywords on paper. He was perceived as being a lonely
of all love! Love – as in infancy was mine –dark man, but inside his spirit, he had a burning desire to
‘Twas such as angel minds above Might envy; herbe loved.
young heart the shrine on which my every hope andEdgar Allan Poe has a way with words and a pen.
thought…" (Tamerlane). He thought of life with hisThe beauty he bestowed to the literary world has
mother and how it might have been.touched the hearts of many, mine included. Since Poe's
In 1831 Poe moved to Baltimore to live with his aunt,short stories first began to appear in the 1830's,
Maria Clemm. There he fell in love and married herreaders have been intrigued by the nature of the man
daughter and his cousin Virginia Clemm, who was notor the mind that produced them. Critics still wonder
even fourteen at the time. Ten years later she alsotoday if Poe was demonic or demented as the
died of tuberculosis. He dearly loved his wife and afterprotagonists of his horror tales, and as analytical or
she died his life just went to pieces. In "The Raven",psychic as the heroes of his detective and mystery
the character is morning over the death of "Lenore"stories. Contrary to popular critics legends of
when a raven visits him. Poe used the raven becausealcoholism, Poe was neither an alcoholic nor a drug
it is a bird that feeds on dead flesh – a symbol ofaddict, though he did struggle during much of his adult
death. "Thy God hath lent thee – by these angelslife against a tendency to drink heavily during periods
he hath sent thee Respite – and Nepenthe from thyof depression and anxiety. Poe is a highly complex
memories of Lenore!" (The Raven). Lenore is thoughtcharacter and was capable of the strictest artistic
of to be a representation of Poe's deceased wifecontrol and intellectual insight, at other times suffering
Virginia. He did not want to get over the loss of hisfrom emotional instability and dependence.
wife. "Leave my loneliness unbroken! – quit theyPoe's writing helped him cope with his troubles and
bust above my door! Take thy beak from out myexplore new territory in literature. His interest in the
heart, and take they form from off my door!" (Thesupernatural, retribution, and perverse cause them to
Raven). In the poem, To My Mother, Poe writes aboutbe included in his burial motifs; therefore sustaining his
his own mother taking care of Virginia in heaven andinterest. The supernatural is the phenomena of the
becoming her mother as well. The death and mourningunexplained and Poe was overwhelmed by it's
of his wife did, in fact, come out in his writing. Poe ismystique. With this comes an atmosphere of mystery
very lonely at this point in his life and misses his wifeand arousal of fear. To Poe, death in itself became the
Virginia. "For ‘mid the earnest cares and woes Thatsupreme mystery. Poe illustrates his views of the
crowd around my earthly path, (Sad path, Alas, wheresupernatural in The Black Cat.
grows Not even a lonely rose!)" (To One Departed).