USH - Edgar Allan Poe - Church

Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 and died on October 7, 1849, 40 years old. A poet, short-story writer, editor, and literary critic, Poe was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing along, something that resulted in a financially difficult life and career. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts under the name “Edgar Poe.” His parents died when he was young, and he was taken in (but never formally adopted) by John and Frances Allan (hence the name). After Poe spent a short period at the University of Virginia and briefly attempted a military career, he parted ways with the Allans.

His publishing career began modestly, his first published work being an anonymous collection of poems. Poe then switched his focus to prose and spent the next several years working for various literary journals and periodicals, becoming known for his distinctive style of literary criticism. His work wasn’t steady, though, and he was forced to move between several cities, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City. In Baltimore in 1835 (aged 26), he married Virginia Clemm (his 13-year-old cousin), but she died of tuberculosis ten years later.

Poe’s best known fiction works deal with questions of death (including its physical signs, the effects of decomposition, concerns of premature burial, the reanimation of the dead, and mourning) and many are generally considered to be part of the dark romanticism genre. Although he is best known for his work in the horror genre, he also wrote satires, humor tales, and hoaxes, using irony and ludicrous extravagance for comic effect. Much of his work was written using themes specifically catered for mass market tastes.

One of his more well-known works, the poem “The Raven” was published in January 1845 (when he was 36 years old), to instant success. Other famous works include “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” “Annabel Lee,” “Lenore,” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.”
His works influenced literature in the United States and around the world. His work appears throughout popular culture in literature, music, films, and television. A number of his previous homes are dedicated museums today.