Edgar Po - biography, information, personal life. Biography of Edgar Poe, military career, creativity Loss of parents, adoptive family

Edgar Allan Poe(English) Edgar Allan Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer.

Brilliant prose writer. Brilliant poet. A tragic fate from birth to death. The very concept of genius - capacious and difficult to precisely define - was precisely for Edgar Allan Poe. His influence as a writer and poet on world literature huge - Charles Baudelaire and French Symbolism, almost the entire Russian Silver Age.

For more than 150 years separating us from the death of the brilliant writer, many of his biographies have been written - voluminous books and small notes, serious studies and erroneous theories. Despite their significant number, the life and death of Edgar Allan Poe continues to remain a mystery. It is difficult to imagine whether it will be solved in the future. The lack of documents (there is not even a certificate of his birth), the inconsistency of memories, and the desire of some authors to either hide the facts or adjust them to their own assumptions also have an effect.

Edgar's parents, actors David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins, married in 1806. The eldest son - William Henry - was born in 1807, Edgar - on January 19, 1809, a year later their sister Rosalie was born. Edgar's mother died in December 1811 in Richmond (the most likely cause being pneumonia). Around the same time, their father died, having left the family shortly before. The story of the death of Edgar Poe's parents in the fire of the Richmond Theater is nothing more than a legend.

The children ended up in different families. Edgar Poe was taken in by tobacco businessman John Allan and his wife Frances. Allan Edgar received his middle name at baptism in 1812. Allan did not officially adopt him. From 1814, Edgar attended various schools in the USA and England (1815-1820).
The first (documented) work dates back to 1824. This is a two-line poem, not included in any of the collections. In 1826, Poe entered the University of Virginia, from which he was expelled for large gambling debts. John Allan refused to pay them, and subsequently did not mention Edgar in his will. There was a break between them. At the same time, his engagement to Elmira Royster, who married someone else, broke down.

Poe enlisted in the army under the name Edgar Perry. In 1827 in Boston in the amount of 50 copies. His first book, “Tamerlane and Other Poems,” was published, signed “The Bostonian.” For many years, the search for this book was unsuccessful (which allowed Rufus Wilmot Griswold - the “black demon” in the fate of Poe’s legacy - to declare that this book did not exist at all, and Poe himself was a deceitful person). In 1880, one of the copies of this book was found in the British Museum.

Having risen to the rank of artillery sergeant, Poe left the service and settled in Baltimore with his aunt Mary Poe Clemm (whose daughter Virginia later became his wife). Here he published his second collection of poems.

In 1830, Edgar entered the West Point Military Academy, but since military career he stopped liking it, he began to skip classes, and by decision of a military court he was expelled. In 1831, Poe's poems were published in New York. His short stories are published in Philadelphia, although without indicating the author's name. In 1833, he received his first fee ($50) for the story “The Manuscript Found in a Bottle.” In 1836-37 Poe served as editor of the Richmond Southern Liyerary Magazine. In 1836 he married Virginia. They moved to New York, and a year later to Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia period of creativity was the most fruitful. Poe wrote poems and stories. He worked as editor of "Gentlemen's Magazine", then "Graham's Magazine". Attempts to organize his own Penn magazine ended in failure.

In April 1841, Graham's magazine presented Edgar Poe's story "Murder in the Rue Morgue" - the first detective story. A new literary genre is born.

In 1842, Poe left Graham. It seemed to him that he was not paying enough for his work, but in the future he would not be able to earn even the money that he received from Graham. In 1846 Poe moved to New York. Attempts to open a new magazine - "Stylus" - remained unfulfilled. Due to financial problems, the Broadway magazine closed in 1846, the owner of which had by that time become Edgar Allan Poe. Poe moved to Fordham. Here Virginia dies in January 1847 (currently there is a museum of the writer there). In 1848, Edgar proposed to poet Sarah Whitman, but she rejected him due to Poe's addiction to alcohol. Then he proposes to his ex-fiancee Elmira Royster Shelton, who was widowed by that time. She agrees, and Poe begins to attend the anti-alcohol society “Sons of Temperance.”

On September 28, 1849, Poe arrived in Baltimore. A few days later, he was discovered in serious condition and wearing someone else’s clothes by a random passer-by on a city bench. Delivered to the hospital, he died there on October 7, 1849.

The death of Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most insoluble mysteries. He was discovered by Joseph Walker, who, at his request, contacted Dr. Snodgrass and the writer's uncle, Henry Herring. The doctor's first impression was that Poe was in a state of severe alcohol intoxication.

The first (and most common) version of death is alcoholic. The writer's father and older brother were chronic alcoholics. It is common knowledge that Poe drank, but his addiction was of a binge nature. He could drink for weeks (as during his wife’s illness) or go without touching alcohol for months. This version is supported by the testimony of doctors who treated Edgar and warned him about the possibility of serious consequences from alcoholism. In addition, it is difficult to explain otherwise why Edgar ended up in Baltimore again if he had left it the day before. The only reason that came to mind for many researchers was that Edgar mixed up the trains and took the return train to Baltimore.

The second version (also medical) is based on the possibility of a mental disorder. In the last years of his life, Edgar suffered from mental disorders of the brain. The third (weakest) version insisted that the writer could have become an accidental victim of gangster violence. In those days, unscrupulous politicians often hired thugs to intimidate voters. Since local elections were taking place in Baltimore in those days, Poe could have been accidentally injured, and the stranger’s clothes on him should have made identification difficult.

The latest version talks about a banal robbery. According to one account, Poe had $1,500 on him to start a new magazine, and the money was not found on him. Poe's detractors, unable to comprehend the scope of his talent, found an explanation for his imagination in alcohol and drugs. Allegations about drug addiction were based solely on the writer’s creative manner of telling the story from the first (including in those works where opium was mentioned). Thus, there was an erroneous identification of the narrator of the works with the personality of the author himself.

The detective work of Edgar Poe is small in volume - a cycle of three stories about Auguste Dupin: “Murder in the Rue Morgue” (1841), “The Mystery of Marie Roger” (1842-1843), “The Stolen Letter” (1844); a short story “You are the man who did this” (1844) and, considered by some researchers to be one of these works, “The Golden Bug” (1843). But the writer’s creative discoveries in these several works became invaluable for the development of a new genre. This is a logical analysis used to solve a crime, a method of highlighting the unusual mental abilities of the investigating hero against the background of the presence of a close friend, acquaintance or police officer, and much more.

Poe's misadventures did not end after his death. On the day of his funeral, a slanderous obituary was published in the New York Tribune, signed "Ludwig." Behind him was the same Rufus Griswold, who, with the consent of Poe’s aunt (and mother-in-law), for many years arrogated to himself the sole right to publish the writer’s works.

In 1860, Sarah Whitman (the same one who once rejected a marriage proposal) published the book “Edgar Poe and His Critics” in defense of the writer. Griswold's monopoly was ended in 1874 (by that time he had already died), and the publication of books began to be led by John Henry Ingmar, who found Poe's first book in the British Museum and wrote a two-volume biography of the writer.

In 1910, Edgar Allan Poe was inducted into the New York Hall of Fame. In 1922, the writer's museum, Old Stones, was opened in Richmond, so named because it was built from blocks from Poe's house and the building of his first magazine.

In memory of the great writer, the highest award of the Mystery Writers Association of America began to bear the name of Edgar Allan Poe.

😉 Greetings to regular and new readers of the site! Gentlemen, in the article “Edgar Allan Poe: a short biography”, interesting facts» - main points life path writer: childhood, career and personal life. Video on the topic.

Edgar Allan Poe (01/19/1809 - 10/07/1849) - American writer, founder of modern detective fiction and psychological prose. Became famous as an author mystical stories, poems. Zodiac sign - .

Edgar Allan Poe: biography

Edgar Poe was born in Boston. At the age of two, he lost his parents, who were actors, and his only closest people were his older brother and younger sister. The elder brother was taken by his father's parents, and Edgar and his sister Rosalie were taken into different families.

There were no other children in the foster family, and he received all the love and care of his new parents. At the age of six he entered a London boarding school and studied there for five years. Returning to the USA, he began studying at college. The next stage was the University of Richmond.

Studying was easy: at the age of five he began to read, and at school he received a varied education - English literature, general history, mathematics, natural sciences. He was physically well developed, his studies were accompanied by collective pranks.

From an early age he was fond of poetry, made fantastic plans, and loved psychological experiments.

His wealthy life ended in his first year at university. Edgar had an uneven, eccentric character, as a result, in his youth it became difficult for him to find a common language with his adoptive father. There are different versions of what caused the breakup.

After leaving home and university, our hero went to his hometown of Boston. There he publishes a collection of his poems, Tamerlane and Other Poems. This does not bring him success, and in order to have a livelihood, at the age of eighteen he enlists in the army, in an artillery regiment.

He successfully served for a year under the name Edgar A. Perry and even received the rank of sergeant major. The strict military confines are not for him, and at his request, his adoptive father found a replacement for his son, releasing him from service.

The beginning of a creative journey

Finding himself free from service, Edgar devotes himself to creativity. His paternal uncle Georg Poe introduces the young man to the editor of a Baltimore newspaper, William Gwin. They publish a collection of poems, “Al-Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Small Poems,” but this does not bring success.

In March 1830, Edgar was sent by his adoptive father against his will to a military academy. The young man had to study at the academy for five years. But at the age of 22 (a year after admission) he was expelled, and the relationship with his adoptive father was spoiled again. Edgar leaves for New York and publishes a third collection of his poems there, again without success.

Career

After the unsuccessful publication of his third collection of poems, he returns to Baltimore, where he lives with his mother's aunt. A difficult period begins. Poe writes short stories, poems, and short stories. Over the course of two years, his life became financially meager, and by the autumn of 1833 he was simply hungry.

So in 1833, he sent six of his stories and an excerpt from the poem “The Colosseum” to a competition in a Baltimore weekly. His works are recognized as the best, and he receives a $100 prize.

After this, life changed. He begins working for the Southern Literary Messenger magazine, which is published in Richmond. At this time, many of his stories and poems were published. In 1838 he and his family move to Philadelphia.

The move involves working in new magazines. In 1844, the writer's fame reached its peak. This is due to the publication of the poem "The Raven". Next came the story “Without Contradiction.”

Personal life

The writer married at the age of 27 his cousin Virginia Klemm, who was 13 years old at that time.

In 1847, Virginia dies from tuberculosis and the consequences of a burst blood vessel. The writer suffered a severe nervous breakdown, which was not the first in his life. At first, his friend Mrs. Shew helps him.

But after Edgar's mental state continued to deteriorate and his bouts of alcoholism became more frequent, Shew distanced himself from him. Next, the writer tried to find his happiness in communicating with women, but did not get married.

The trip to Richmond, where he lectured on the “Poetic Principle,” turned out to be the last of his life. At the age of 40 (10/07/1849) he dies in a Baltimore hospital.

The twenty years during which Poe wrote his works made him famous. Jules Verne revered his work, considering him the founder of the genre in which they later worked.

Edgar Allan Poe: short biography (video)

American writer, poet and critic Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston (USA) into a family of actors of a traveling troupe. At the age of two, he was left an orphan, after which he was adopted by a merchant from Virginia, John Allan. He was brought up in a boarding school in England; in 1826 he entered the aristocratic University of Virginia in Charlottesville. During my student years I was interested in gambling, participated in revelry, which provoked conflicts with his stepfather. After one of these quarrels, the future writer left the house foster parents.

In 1828, with the financial support of his adoptive parents, he returned to Boston, where he published the collections Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems (1829) and Poems (1831), but these endeavors were not successful. had.

In 1830 he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, but soon left his studies, which provoked a final break with John Allan. Left without financial support, Edgar Allan Poe again found himself on the brink of poverty.

In 1833, he made his first appearance as a prose writer with the story “A manuscript found in a bottle,” for which he received an award from the Baltimore Saturday Visitor magazine.

During the 1830s he continued to write short stories and published regularly in the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond, where he gained a reputation as an original and witty critic. These publications later formed the famous two-volume book “Grotesques and Arabesques” (Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque, 1840).

In 1836, Edgar Poe married his cousin Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe.

In 1837, in search of better paying work, he moved to New York, but due to the financial crisis, he was unable to find work there.

In 1838-1843 he lived with his wife and her mother in Philadelphia, worked at Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine and Graham’s Magazine, and tried to publish his own magazine, The Stylus. He published about thirty short stories and many literary critical articles.

In October 2009, 160 years after his death, Edgar Allan Poe was honored with a second funeral service. The costume ceremony took place at the writer's museum in Boston, where the coffin with a mannequin of Edgar Allan Poe was on display.

The originality of Poe's style did not find followers in America. In the European literary tradition, Poe's influence was felt by Charles Baudelaire, Stéphane Mallarmé, Maurice Maeterlinck, Oscar Wilde, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and Robert Louis Stevenson. Russian symbolists such as Dmitry Merezhkovsky, Konstantin Balmont, Valery Bryusov were also keen on Poe’s work.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Edgar Allan Poe. Born January 19, 1809 in Boston, USA - died October 7, 1849 in Baltimore, USA. American writer, poet, essayist, literary critic and editor, representative American romanticism. The creator of the form of modern detective fiction and the genre of psychological prose.

Some of Edgar Poe's works contributed to the formation and development of science fiction, and such features of his work as irrationality, mysticism, doom, and anomalousness of the depicted states anticipated the literature of decadence.

Edgar Poe was one of the first American writers to make the short story the main form of his work. He tried to make money exclusively from literary activities, as a result of which his life and career were fraught with severe financial difficulties, complicated by a problem with alcohol.

Over twenty years of creative activity, Edgar Poe wrote two stories, two poems, one play, about seventy short stories, fifty poems and ten essays, published in magazines and almanacs, and then collected in collections.

Despite the fact that during his lifetime Edgar Poe was known primarily as a literary critic, later he works of art had a significant influence on world literature, as well as cosmology and cryptography. He was one of the first American writers, whose fame in his homeland was significantly inferior to that in Europe. Symbolists paid special attention to his work, drawing ideas for their own aesthetics from his poetry.

Edgar Poe was highly praised by Arthur Conan Doyle and Howard Phillips Lovecraft, recognizing his role as a pioneer in the genres that they popularized.

Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston., in the family of actors Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins Poe and David Poe Jr. Elizabeth Poe was born in Great Britain. At the beginning of 1796, she and her mother, also an actress, moved to the USA, where from the very beginning early years started performing on stage.

Poe's father was born in Ireland, the son of David Poe Sr., who emigrated to America with his son. Edgar Poe's grandfather had the rank of major, actively supported the revolutionary movement in the United States and was a direct participant in the War of Independence. David Poe Jr. was supposed to become a lawyer, but against the wishes of his father, he chose the profession of an actor.

Edgar was the middle child in the family, he had an older brother, William Henry Leonard, and a younger sister, Rosalie.

The life of touring actors involved constant moving, which was difficult to do with a child in hand, so little Edgar was temporarily left with his grandfather in Baltimore. There he spent the first few months of his life. A year after Edgar's birth, his father left the family. Oh him future fate nothing is known for certain. On December 8, 1811, Poe's mother died of consumption.

The little boy, left without parental care, attracted the attention of the wife of John Allan, a wealthy merchant from Richmond, and soon the childless family took him in. Sister Rosalie ended up with the Mackenzie family, who were neighbors and friends of the Allans, while brother Henry lived with his father's relatives in Baltimore.

Edgar Poe's adoptive family was one of the wealthy and respected in Richmond. John Allan was a co-owner of a company that traded in tobacco, cotton and other goods. The Allans had no children, so the boy was easily and happily accepted into the family. Edgar Allan Poe grew up in an atmosphere of prosperity, they bought him clothes, toys, books, and he was taught by a certified teacher at home.

In 1815, the family (as well as Anne Valentine, the elder sister of Frances, John Allan's wife) went to Great Britain. John Allan, whose business was experiencing certain difficulties associated with the decline of the economy after the Napoleonic wars, sought to improve trade relations with Europe. Arriving in Liverpool, the family went to live with Allan's relatives in Scotland, in the cities of Erwin and Kilmarnock. A few weeks later, another move took place - to London, where Edgar Allan Poe graduated primary school Madame Dubois.

In 1817, studies continued at the school of Reverend John Bransby in Stoke Newington, a suburb of the capital. Edgar Poe's memories of this period of his life are reflected in the story "William Wilson".

Your last academic year Edgar finished early. The reason for this was a hasty return to the United States - John Allan’s business in England was not going well, serious financial difficulties arose, and his wife Frances was seriously ill. The merchant even had to borrow money for the return journey from his companion. In the summer of 1820, a transatlantic sea voyage took place, and on August 2 the family arrived in Richmond.

On February 14, 1826, Edgar Allan Poe left for Charlottesville, where he entered the newly opened University of Virginia. Education at the institution founded by Thomas Jefferson was expensive (in a letter to his stepfather, Poe calculated the total costs and indicated the amount at $350 per year), so the university students were the children of wealthy families in the state.

Upon admission, Edgar Allan Poe chose two courses to study (out of a possible three): classical philology (Latin and Greek) and modern languages(French, Italian, Spanish). A seventeen-year-old poet who left parents' house, for the first time was left to his own devices for a long time.

Edgar Poe's school day ended at 9:30, the rest of the time was supposed to be devoted to reading educational literature and preparing homework, but the offspring of wealthy parents, brought up in the “true spirit” of gentlemanliness, could not resist the temptation of card games and wine, “eternally fashionable” in high society. Edgar Poe, educated in London and raised in a respected family, undoubtedly considered himself a gentleman. The desire to confirm this status, and later the need for a livelihood, led him to the card table. At the same time Edgar Poe started drinking for the first time.

By the end of the school year, Poe's total debts amounted to $2,500 (about $2,000 of which were gambling debts). Having received letters demanding payment, John Allan immediately went to Charlottesville, where a stormy discussion took place with his stepson. As a result, Allan paid only a tenth of the total amount (fees for books and services), refusing to acknowledge Edgar's gambling debts.

Despite Poe's obvious success in his studies and successfully passing his exams, he could no longer remain at the university and after the end of the academic year, on December 21, 1826, he left Charlottesville.

Returning home to Richmond, Edgar Allan Poe had no idea about his future prospects. Relations with John Allan were seriously damaged; he did not want to put up with his “careless” stepson. At this time, Poe was intensively engaged in creativity. It was probably in the Allan house that many of the poems that were later included in the first collection of the aspiring poet were written. Poe also tried to find a job, but his stepfather not only did not contribute to this, but also, as educational measures, in every possible way prevented his employment.

In March 1827, the “silent” conflict escalated into a serious quarrel, and Allan kicked his adopted son out of the house. Poe settled in the Court-House tavern, from where he wrote letters to Allan accusing him of injustice and making excuses, continuing the showdown in epistolary form. Later, these letters are replaced by others - with requests for money, which the adoptive father ignored. After staying in the tavern room for several days, Poe traveled to Norfolk on March 23 and then to Boston.

In his hometown, Edgar, by chance, met a young publisher and typographer Calvin Thomas, and he agreed to publish his first collection of poems.

""Tamerlane" and other poems" written under a pseudonym "Bostonian", published in June 1827. Fifty copies of 40 pages were printed and sold for 12.5 cents each.

In 2009, an unknown collector purchased one of the surviving copies of Poe’s debut collection at auction, paying for it a record amount for American literature - $662,500.

In his first collection of poetry, Edgar Poe included the poem “Tamerlane” (which he would subsequently edit and refine several times), the poems “To ***”, “Dreams”, “Spirits of Death”, “Evening Star”, “Imitation”, “ Stanzas”, “Dream”, “Happiest Day”, “Lake”. In the preface to the publication, the author apologized for the possible low quality of the poetry, justifying this by the fact that most of the poems were written in 1820-1821, when he “was not yet fourteen.” Most likely, this is an exaggeration - Poe, of course, began writing early, but he really turned to poetry while studying at the university and later.

As one might expect, the collection did not attract the attention of readers and critics. Only two publications wrote about its release, without giving it any critical assessment.

On May 26, 1827, Edgar Allan Poe, in dire need of money, signed an army contract for a period of five years and became a private in the First Regiment of Artillery of the US Army. Poe's place of service was Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island, located at the entrance to Charleston Harbor, the same fort that 50 years ago proved impregnable to the British army. The nature of the island where the writer spent a year was subsequently reflected in the story "Golden Bug".

Edgar Allan Poe served at the headquarters and handled paperwork, which is not surprising for a man who was literate (a rather rare phenomenon for the army of that time) and had neat handwriting. And his “gentlemanly” origin, good upbringing and diligence ensured sympathy among the officers.

At the end of February 1829, Frances Allan's condition worsened. The disease, which made itself felt back in England, only progressed. On the night of February 28, when his wife's condition became critical, John Allan wrote a short letter in which he asked his adopted son to come immediately. Frances Allan died on the morning of the same day. Edgar Allan Poe was able to arrive in Richmond only on March 2, not even having time to attend the funeral of his adoptive mother, whom he loved very much.

Remaining at home until the end of his leave, Poe again approached Allan, and this time they reached an understanding. Having received necessary documents from his adoptive father, Poe returned to the army, where the process of releasing him from service immediately began. The order was signed, and on April 15, 1829 he was discharged from the army.

After returning from Washington, where he went to hand over the papers and recommendations necessary for admission to West Point, Edgar Poe went to Baltimore, where his relatives lived: brother Henry Leonard, aunt Maria Klemm, her children Henry and Virginia, as well as Elizabeth Poe is the elderly widow of David Poe Sr. Not having enough money to rent his own home, the poet, with the permission of Maria Klemm, settled in their house.

The time spent waiting for a response from Washington was spent caring for his consumptive brother (who aggravated the disease with alcoholism) and preparing for the publication of a second collection of poetry. Poe edited the existing material and maintained active correspondence with magazines and publishing houses. And the efforts were not in vain - at the end of December 1829 the collection was published. 250 copies ““Al-Aaraaf”, “Tamerlane” and short poems” were published by the Baltimore publisher Hatch and Dunning.

Around Christmas, Edgar Poe returned home to Richmond, where in May 1830 he received confirmation of his enrollment at West Point. In the same month, a fatal quarrel occurred between him and his adoptive father. The reason for her was a letter that was not intended for John Allan and should not have been in his hands. In it, Edgar Poe spoke impartially about his guardian, unequivocally accusing him of drunkenness. The hot-tempered Allan could not stand it in the second and last time drove Edgar Allan Poe out of his house. They still corresponded after this breakup, but never saw each other again. Soon John Allan married for the second time.

At the end of June 1830, Edgar Allan Poe became a cadet at the US Army Military Academy. The training was not easy (especially the first 2 months of camp life), but the army experience helped the poet quickly get used to it. Despite the strict daily routine and almost full daily employment, Edgar Allan Poe found time for creativity.

Among the cadets, pamphlets and satirical parodies of mentor officers and life within the walls of the academy were especially popular. The third collection of poems was being prepared for publication. The studies were successful, cadet Poe was in good standing and had no complaints from the officers, but in January he wrote a letter to John Allan, in which he asked for his help to leave West Point. Probably the reason for such a drastic decision was the news of the marriage of his guardian, which deprived Edgar Poe of the slimmest chances of being officially adopted and inheriting anything.

Without waiting for an answer, Edgar Allan Poe decided to act on his own. In January 1831, he began to ignore inspections and training, did not go on guard duty and sabotaged formations. The result was an arrest and subsequent trial, at which he was accused of “gross violation of official duties” and “ignoring orders.” On February 8, 1831, Poe was discharged from the service of the United States, and on February 18 he left West Point.

Edgar Allan Poe went to New York, where in April 1831 the poet's third book was published - a collection "Poems", which, in addition to the republished “Tamerlane” and “Al-Aaraafa,” included new works: “Israfel”, “Paean”, “The Condemned City”, “To Helen”, “Sleeping”. Also on the pages of the collection, Poe turned to literary theory for the first time, writing “A Letter to...” - an essay in which the author discussed the principles of poetry and the problems of national literature. The “poems” contained a dedication to the “U.S. Army Cadet Corps.” 1,000 copies of the book were printed at the expense of West Point cadets who subscribed to the collection in anticipation of the usual parodies and satirical poems with which their classmate had once entertained them.

Having no means of subsistence, Edgar Poe moved to relatives in Baltimore, where he made futile attempts to find work. Desperate lack of money prompted the poet to turn to prose - he decided to take part in the competition for best story American author with a prize of 100 dollars.

Edgar Poe approached the matter in detail: he studied magazines and various publications of that time in order to determine the principles (stylistic, plot, composition) of writing short prose that was popular with readers. The result of the research was “Metzengerstein”, “Duke de L'Omelette”, “On the Walls of Jerusalem”, “Significant Loss” and “Failed Deal” - stories that the aspiring prose writer sent to the competition. The results, disappointing for their author, were summed up on December 31, 1831 years - Edgar Poe didn't win. Over the next year, these stories were published without attribution (those were the conditions) in the newspaper that organized the competition.

Failure did not force Edgar Allan Poe to abandon the form of short prose in his work. On the contrary, he continued to hone his skills, write stories, from which at the end of 1832 he formed a collection that was never published "Folio Club Stories".

In June 1833 the next literary competition, in which the prizes were $50 for the best story and $25 for the best poem. It was known that the jury included competent people - famous writers of the time, John Pendleton Kennedy and John Latrobe.

Edgar Allan Poe participated in both categories, submitting 6 stories and the poem “The Colosseum” to the competition. On October 12, the results were announced: Edgar Poe's "The Manuscript Found in a Bottle" was awarded as the best short story., the best poem - "Song of the Winds" Henry Wilton (under this pseudonym was the editor-in-chief of the newspaper that organized the competition).

Subsequently, John Latrobe confirmed that the author of the truly best poem was also Edgar Allan Poe. The jury spoke highly of the young writer's work, noting that it was extremely difficult for them to choose one best story out of his six. In fact, this was the first authoritative recognition of Edgar Allan Poe's talent.

Despite winning the competition, Poe's financial situation in 1833-1835 remained extremely difficult. There was no regular cash flow, the writer continued unsuccessful attempts to find work related to literature. The only source of income in the family was the pension of the paralyzed widow of David Poe Sr. - $240 a year, which was paid irregularly.

In August 1834, Richmond printer Thomas White began publishing a new monthly magazine, the Southern Literary Messenger, with the help of famous writers of the time, including John Kennedy. He, in turn, recommended Edgar Poe to White as a promising talented writer, marking the beginning of their collaboration.

Already in March 1835, the story “Berenice” appeared on the pages of the monthly, and in June the first hoax written by Poe was published - « An extraordinary adventure a certain Hans Pfaal".

On May 16, 1836, Edgar Poe married Virginia Clemm. She was his cousin, and at the time of the marriage she was only 13 years old. The couple honeymooned in Petersburg, Virginia. Around this time, Edgar Allan Poe began writing his greatest prose text, "The Tale of the Adventures of Arthur Gordon Pym". The decision to write a voluminous work was dictated by reader preferences: many publishing houses refused to publish his stories, citing the fact that the small format of prose was not popular.

In May 1837, an outbreak broke out in the United States. economic crisis. It also affected the publishing sector: newspapers and magazines were closed, and there were massive layoffs of employees. Edgar Allan Poe also found himself in a difficult situation, being left without work for a long time. But the forced idleness was not in vain - he could finally concentrate on creativity.

During the New York period, the writer wrote the stories “Ligeia”, “The Devil in the Bell Tower”, “The Fall of the House of Usher”, “William Wilson”, and work continued on “Arthur Gordon Pym”. The rights to the story were sold to the reputable New York publishing house Harper and Brothers, where it was published on July 30, 1838. However, Poe's first voluminous prose work was not a commercial success.

In early December 1839, Lea & Blanchard published Grotesques and Arabesques, a two-volume collection of 25 stories written by Poe up to that time.

In April 1841, Graham's Magazine published a story that later brought Poe worldwide fame as the founder of the detective genre - "Murder in the Rue Morgue". “Descent into Maelström” was published there in May.

In January 1842, Edgar Allan Poe's young wife suffered her first severe attack of tuberculosis, accompanied by throat bleeding. Virginia found herself bedridden for a long time, and the writer again lost his peace of mind and ability to work. The depressed state was accompanied by frequent and prolonged binges.

All subsequent time, the condition of Edgar Allan Poe's wife had a huge impact on his mental health, which was extremely susceptible to the slightest deterioration of the situation. A repeated exacerbation of Virginia’s illness occurred in the summer of the same year, and again the writer’s deep experiences and mental anguish were reflected in his work - they permeated the stories “The Well and the Pendulum” and “The Tell-Tale Heart,” written shortly after the incident. Poe found salvation in writing.

In November 1842, the story of Auguste Dupin's investigations was continued. The magazine Snowden's Ladies' Companion published the story "The Mystery of Marie Roger", based on a real murder that occurred in New York in 1841. Using all the materials available to the investigation, he conducted his own investigation on the pages of the story (moving the action to Paris and changing the names) and pointed to the killer. Soon after this, the case was solved, and the correctness of the writer’s conclusions was confirmed.

It is worth noting that during the difficult period of 1842, Edgar Allan Poe was able to personally meet with, whose work he rated very highly. They discussed literary issues and exchanged opinions during the latter's short visit to Philadelphia. Dickens promised to help publish Poe's works in England. Even though nothing came of it, Dickens noted that Edgar Poe was "the only writer whom he was willing to help publish".

Finding himself without a job, and therefore without a livelihood, Edgar Allan Poe, through a mutual friend, turned to the son of President Tyler with a request to help get him a job at the Philadelphia Customs House. The need was great, since the writer began to look for work other than literary work, which brought an unstable income. Poe did not receive the position because he did not show up for the meeting, explaining this by his illness, although there is a version that the reason for the absence was heavy drinking. The family, which found itself in a difficult situation, had to change their place of residence several times, as there was a catastrophic lack of money and the debts grew. A case was brought against the writer, and on January 13, 1843, the Philadelphia District Court declared Edgar Allan Poe bankrupt, but a prison sentence was avoided.

Despite the difficult financial situation and loss of spirit associated with his wife’s illness, Edgar Allan Poe’s literary fame grew steadily. His works were published in many publications throughout the country and received critical reviews, many of which noted the author’s extraordinary talent and the power of his imagination. Even literary enemies wrote laudatory reviews, making them even more valuable.

Having devoted himself entirely to prose, he did not turn to poetry for three years (the last published poem was “Silence”, published in 1840). The “poetic silence” was broken in 1843 with the release of one of the writer’s darkest poems, “The Conquering Worm,” in which all mental anguish and despair seemed to be concentrated recent years, collapse of hopes and illusions.

In February 1843, the New York publication The Pioneer published the famous "Linor". Poe returned to poetry, but short prose continued to be the main form of his work.

In July 1844, the New York newspaper Dollar Newspaper organized a competition for the best story, with a prize of $100 for first place. The winner was "Golden Bug" Edgar Poe. The work, in which the author revealed his talent as a cryptographer, became the property of Dollar Newspaper and was subsequently reprinted many times.

On April 6, 1844, Edgar and Virginia Poe moved to New York. A month later, Maria Klemm joined them. It is difficult to overestimate the role of the mother-in-law in the life of Edgar Allan Poe. Her thriftiness, hard work and endless care with which she surrounded her son-in-law and daughter were noted by many contemporaries who knew the family personally. Edgar loved his “Muddy” (probably an abbreviation for “mummy” (“mommy”) and “daddy” (“daddy”)), as he often called her in his letters, because with her appearance in his life she truly became like a mother to him .

In 1849, he dedicated a poem to her, “To My Mother,” full of tenderness and gratitude.

A week after the move, Edgar Allan Poe becomes the hero of a sensation: he caused a huge stir in reading circles "The story with balloon» , which was published in a special edition by the New York Sun. Originally intended as a hoax, the story was stylized as a news article. The idea for the plot was unknowingly suggested to Poe by the then famous aeronaut John Wise, who announced in one of the Philadelphia newspapers that he was going to make a transatlantic flight. The writer managed to achieve the desired effect - the next morning after publication, people literally “stormed” the publishing house building.

Poe's hoaxes, in which great attention was paid to details based on technical innovations of the time, gave impetus to the subsequent development of the science fiction genre in literature.

Some time after reuniting with Maria Klemm, the family moved to new housing: the Brennan family rented them part of their mansion located outside the city. Poe continued to collaborate with many publications, offering them his articles and critical reviews. During this period, he had no problems with publications, but his income still remained modest. At the Brennan mansion, Poe wrote the poem “Dreamland,” which reflected the beauty of the nature that surrounded him. It was there that work began on the work that became the writer’s poetic magnum opus - a poem "Crow".

It is unknown whether Poe wrote “The Crow” with the goal of gaining final and unconditional recognition, inspired by the success of “The Gold Bug” and “The Balloon Story,” but there is no doubt that he approached the process of creating this work scrupulously and carefully.

It was an immediate and resounding success: publications across the country reprinted the poem, it was talked about in literary circles and beyond, and numerous parodies were written about it. By steel famous person national level and a frequent guest at social events, where he was asked to read the famous poem. According to the writer’s biographer Arthur Quinn, “The Raven made an impression that perhaps no other poetic work in American Literature." Despite the enormous success among readers and widespread public recognition, the poem did little to improve the writer’s financial situation.

On February 21, 1845, Poe became part owner of the Broadway Journal, the head of which believed to increase sales of the publication by attracting a new celebrity to cooperation. According to the terms of the contract, Poe received a third of the magazine's sales, and the cooperation promised to be mutually beneficial.

At the same time, Poe began lecturing, which would become an important source of income for him. The first theme of the performances in New York and Philadelphia was "The Poets and Poetry of America."

In July 1845, Poe published a story entitled "No Contradiction". The discussions on the topic of human nature, which are contained in its preamble, allow us to well understand the nature of the contradictory nature of the author himself. Tormented by his own “demon,” he repeatedly committed rash and illogical actions throughout his life, which inevitably led him to collapse. This happened at the peak of his fame, when, it seemed, nothing foreshadowed trouble.

On the pages of the magazine, of which he became a co-owner, Edgar Allan Poe did not publish any of his new works; he only reprinted old ones (which were edited and finalized each time). The lion's share of his work at that time was literary articles, reviews, criticism. It is not known what caused this, but Poe became more ruthless than ever in his criticism: he got it not only from authors he personally disliked, with whom he conflicted, but also from those who treated him favorably. As a result, within a short period of time, subscribers began to refuse Broadway Journal and authors turned away, and the publication became unprofitable. Soon both of Poe's companions abandoned him, leaving him as the sole owner of the struggling magazine.

Poe desperately tried to save it, sending many letters to his friends and relatives asking for financial help. Most of them were not satisfied, and the money that he did receive was not enough. On January 3, 1846, the last issue was published, and Edgar Poe closed the Broadway Journal.

In April 1846, Poe started drinking again. Realizing the destructive role that alcohol played in his life, he still took the fatal step. The time of clouded consciousness came again: lectures were disrupted, public conflicts arose, and the reputation seriously suffered. The situation became even more complicated with the publication in May 1846 of Poe's first essays from the series "New York Writers". In them, Poe gave personal and creative characteristics of famous authors - his contemporaries, which for the most part were extremely negative. The reaction followed immediately: newspapers, at the suggestion of the “victims,” began a war against Poe - they denigrated his reputation, accusing him of immorality and godlessness. The press was dominated by the image of Poe as a deranged alcoholic with no control over his actions. They reminded him literary novel with poet Frances Osgood, which ended in scandal. Among those affected by Poe's criticism, Thomas English especially distinguished himself. In the past, a friend of the writer, he published “Answer to Mr. Poe” in one of the newspapers, in which he added an accusation of forgery to the image of a poor, godless alcoholic.

The publication with which Poe collaborated advised him to go to court, which he did. On February 17, 1846, Poe won a libel case against the Mirror magazine, which published the Reply, and received $225 in damages.

In May 1846, Edgar Poe moved to a small cottage in Fordham, a suburb of New York. The family was again in poverty, there was a desperate lack of money - Poe did not write anything in the summer and autumn. In one of the letters he refers to his illness - literary “wars” and scandals did not pass without a trace. Virginia's bedridden condition only worsened.

Virginia's condition seriously deteriorated in January 1847: the fever and pain intensified, and hemoptysis became more frequent. On January 29, Edgar Allan Poe wrote a desperate letter to Mary Shew, in which he asked her to come and say goodbye to Virginia, who had become so attached to her. Mrs. Shew arrived the next day and managed to find her alive. On January 30, 1847, towards nightfall, Virginia Poe died.

After the funeral of his wife, Edgar Allan Poe himself found himself bedridden - the loss was too severe for his sensitive, sensitive nature.

The central work of the last years of Edgar Poe’s life was "Eureka". “A poem in prose” (as Poe defined it), which spoke about subjects “physical, metaphysical, mathematical,” according to the author, was supposed to change people’s understanding of the nature of the Universe.

At five o'clock in the morning on October 7, 1849, Edgar Allan Poe died. According to Dr. Moran, just before his death he said his last words: “Lord, help my poor soul.”

Edgar Allan Poe's modest funeral took place at 4 p.m. on October 8, 1849, at Westminster Hall and Burying Ground Cemetery, now part of the grounds of the University of Maryland College of Law. The ceremony, attended by only a few people, was presided over by the Rev. W. T. D. Clemm, Virginia Poe's uncle. It lasted only three minutes due to the cold and dank weather. Psalmist George W. Spence wrote: “It was a gloomy and cloudy day, no rain, but damp, and a thunderstorm was approaching.” Poe was buried in the far corner of the cemetery, next to the grave of his grandfather, David Poe Sr., in a cheap coffin, without handles, nameplate, blanket or pillow under his head.

On October 1, 1875, the remains of Edgar Allan Poe were reburied in a new place, not far from the facade of the church. The new monument was made and erected with funds from residents of Baltimore and fans of the writer from other US cities. The total cost of the monument was a little more than $1,500. The festive service took place on November 17, 1875. On the 76th anniversary of Poe's birth, January 19, 1885, Virginia Poe's remains were reburied next to her husband's.

The circumstances preceding the death of Edgar Allan Poe, as well as its immediate cause, remain unclear to this day. All medical records and documents, including the death certificate, if they existed at all, were lost. There are several different theories about the cause of Poe's death, with varying degrees of plausibility, ranging from hypoglycemia to murder conspiracy.

There is another theory that is highlighted by many biographers of the writer. Elections to Congress and the Maryland State Assembly were scheduled for October 3 in Baltimore. At that time, there were no voter lists, which was used by opposing candidates and parties who formed special groups of voters. People under the influence of alcohol were gathered in special places and then forced to vote several times. It is likely that Poe, the victim of a criminal scheme similar to the "voting carousel", was rendered useless by his condition and was abandoned near the 4th District polling station, where he was found by Joseph Walker. However, this theory also has its opponents, who claim that Poe, as a very well-known person in the city, would find it difficult to participate in such a scheme.

Every year, since 1949, an unknown person visited Edgar Allan Poe’s grave, paying tribute to the writer’s talent. Early on the morning of January 19, a man dressed in black came to Poe's grave, made a toast and left a bottle of cognac and three roses on the gravestone. Sometimes notes of various contents were found on the tombstone. One of them, left in 1999, reported that the first secret admirer had died the previous year and the responsibility for continuing the tradition was assigned to his “heir.” The tradition continued for 60 years until 2009, when the secret admirer was last seen at the grave.

On August 15, 2007, 92-year-old Sam Porpora, a historian at Westminster Church where Poe is buried, said he started the tradition of visiting the writer's grave every year on his birthday. He said that the purpose of his action was to raise funds for the needs of the church and increase interest in it. However, his story was not confirmed - some of the details he expressed were not consistent with the facts.

In 2012, Jeff Jerome, curator of the Poe House Museum, who had previously denied rumors that he was a fan, declared the end of the tradition.

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Name: Edgar Allan Poe
Date of birth: January 19, 1809
Place of birth: USA, Boston, Massachusetts

Edgar Allan Poe - biography

Edgar Poe is an outstanding American writer, poet and critic of the 19th century. His works had a significant influence on the formation of detective and science fiction genres. Poe was one of the first writers to create short stories. His talent was highly appreciated by Arthur Conan Doyle and Jules Verne, calling Poe their teacher.
The future writer was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston into an acting family. He was the middle of three children. The life of a traveling artist involved numerous moves, so his parents temporarily left him with his grandfather, who lived in Baltimore. Poe spent the first months of his life there.

When Edgar was one year old, his father left the family. In 1811, at the age of two, the boy lost his mother - she died of consumption. The two-year-old orphan caught the eye of a wealthy merchant from Richmond, John Allan. He and his wife adopted the boy and surrounded him with care, love and prosperity. In 1815, Allan's family was forced to move to England - the work affairs of Poe's adoptive father began to deteriorate, and he decided to establish trade relations in Europe. In London, Edgar graduated from Madame Dubois's primary school; further education was interrupted due to Allan's departure to the USA.

At home, the future writer continued his studies at school. He has established himself as an excellent scholar of literature. The young man's interests included ancient literature and foreign languages. According to the recollections of his teachers, Edgar read many ancient authors in the original, as he had an excellent command of Latin and Ancient Greek. During this period, Poe became seriously interested in poetry and tried his hand at writing poems.

In 1826, Edgar entered the University of Virginia, a prestigious educational institution, where children from wealthy families studied. At the university, Poe studied two courses - classical philology and modern languages. Living an independent life away from his parents’ home, Edgar decided to try the entertainment that “noble gentlemen” indulged in - card games and wine. In one academic year, Edgar managed to lose more than two and a half thousand dollars and became addicted to alcohol. His adoptive father paid off only a tenth of his debts. Poe could not remain in Charlottesville in this situation, and after finishing his first year he was forced to return home.

Relations with his adoptive father were completely ruined, and the future writer settled in a local tavern. At that time the beginning of intense literary activity By. His first book was a collection of poems “Tamerlane and other poems,” published under the pseudonym Bostonian. The writer's debut work was agreed to be published in 1827 by a familiar publisher, Calvin Thomas, but this work did not bring the young author reader recognition.

Lack of livelihood forced the aspiring poet to sign a five-year contract with the army. Edgar handled the paperwork, as he was fluent in reading and writing and had neat handwriting. Two years later he received the rank of master sergeant.

During his military service, Poe continued to be creative, writing new poems and harboring the idea of ​​​​creating another poetry collection. The poet's next work was published at the end of 1829. After serving for two years, Edgar left the army, and in 1930 he entered the West Point Military Academy. The young man's cadet life was not easy, but the experience gained helped Edgar quickly get used to the strict army discipline. Every day Poe was busy from morning to evening, but he managed to find free time for creativity. In 1831, Edgar firmly decided to devote his life to literary work and leave the academy.

After his expulsion, the aspiring writer went to New York, where his third collection of poetry was published. However, a difficult financial situation forced the poet to take up prose - he decided to take part in a competition for best novella, prize fund which was one hundred dollars. The result of his literary efforts were the works “Metzengerstein”, “Failed Deal”, “Significant Loss” and some others. However, the results of the competition were disappointing - Edgar did not win. But, despite this, the aspiring prose writer continued to hone his skills in this genre. His stories contained elements of mysticism and detective fiction - new literary trends of the time. In 1932, his prose works were compiled into the collection “Folio Club Stories,” which was never published.
In 1833, the next literary competition was held, where Edgar sent six stories and one poem. The winner was Poe's story “The Manuscript Found in a Bottle.” After that, he began to communicate closer with John Kennedy, a famous critic and writer. He became the literary patron of the aspiring prose writer and helped him with the publication of his first stories - “Berenice” and “The Extraordinary Adventure of a Certain Hans Pfaal.” Soon Edgar received the position of assistant editor, but his passion for alcohol caused his dismissal. After some time, Poe again approached the publishing house with a request for work, and he was accepted on the condition that he would give up alcohol. At that time, Edgar went into literary criticism - he carefully analyzed the works of famous authors and uncompromisingly showered reasonable comments on them, thanks to which the popularity of his magazine grew exponentially.

The late thirties and early forties marked the most fruitful period of the writer’s work. Edgar wrote the most big job— “The Tale of the Adventures of Arthur Gordon Pym,” many psychological and mystical stories, poems and critical articles. For the first time loud fame talented writer received after the publication of the collection of short stories “Grotesques and Arabesques” in 1839. Edgar, who worked as an editor in several publications, began to think about launching his own magazine, but this idea failed. In 1841, the prose writer published his first detective work, recognized as one of his best books- “Murder in the Rue Morgue.”

In the early forties, the health of Edgar's wife sharply deteriorated, which led the writer into deep depression and constant binges. During this period, Poe created dark works in the horror genre. According to reader ratings, the most popular works were “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “Black Cat,” and “Premature Burial.” He periodically wrote poetry, but his main form remained the story. His most popular poem is “The Raven,” thanks to which the name of Edgar Allan Poe became known far beyond the borders of the United States.

Fame is firmly entrenched in the new celebrity. Poe becomes a co-owner of a prestigious American publication and gives lectures on literary topics, which brought him a good income. However, constant drinking bouts undermined his reputation. In 1947, after the death of his wife famous writer started taking drugs and suffered from constant nervous breakdowns. He continued to create stories and essays, but his former efficiency was no longer there.

In 1949, Poe was found unconscious near railway station Baltimore. He died in hospital at the age of forty. The cause of his death still remains a mystery. In honor of the legendary writer, several monuments were opened, commemorative medals were issued and a prize was established in his name.

Creativity of an outstanding American writer- This is a real breakthrough in literature. Almost all of Edgar Allan Poe's books are innovations and constant experiments with genres, both in poetry and prose. His works influenced modern cinema - in the middle of the 20th century, a number of films based on the works of the prose writer were released. In addition, many modern films in the horror genre are complemented by film adaptations of episodes of his stories. Also some of Poe's works formed the basis musical works- operas and symphonic poems.

If you want to read Edgar Poe's books online in Russian, we invite you to visit our virtual library with free materials. The sequence of books in the author's bibliography list is in chronological order, so you can easily find the work you need. Download e-books You can also write a writer absolutely free of charge using the fb2 (fb2), txt (txt), epub and rtf formats.

All books by Edgar Poe

Book series - Stories of Auguste Dupin

• Murder in the Rue Morgue
• The Mystery of Marie Roger
• Stolen letter

Book series - Bilingual. Listen, read, understand

• Murders in the Rue Morgue (+MP3)

Book series - Garfang Collection

• The Message of Arthur Gordon Pym (collection)

Book series - Folk poetry

Book series - Foreign classics (AST)

• Golden Beetle (collection)

Book series - Golden Detective Library

• Four Pious Ones. Golden Beetle (collection)

Book series – Classical literature (Karo)

• Buried alive. Book to read in English

Book series - Ilya Frank's method of educational reading

• English with Edgar Allan Poe. The Fall of the House of Usher / Edgar Allan Poe. The Fall of the House of Usher

Book series – School library of Ukrainian and foreign literature

• Well and pendulum. Stories

Book series - Classic Detective Collection

• Golden Beetle (collection)

Book series - Masters of Magical Realism (AST)

• The Worlds of Arthur Gordon Pym. Anthology

Book series - All-time bestseller

• Very scary stories/ Best Horror Stories

Book series - Turn over and read

• Portrait of Dorian Gray. The Fall of the House of Usher (collection)

Book series - The Worlds of Edgar Allan Poe

• The Fall of the House of Usher (collection)
• Man of the Crowd (compilation)

Book series - Parallel text edition

• The Gold-bug (collection)

No series

• 100 poems that will touch the toughest men (collection)
• 100 love poems
• Enchanted castle. Collection