The Life Of Edger Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe has been revered as one of America’s greatest and unhappiest writers. At an early age both of his parents passed away and he was separated from his brother and sister. Later in life he went to school in England from 1815 to 1820, and he also attended University of Virginia in 1826, but he was expelled for not paying his gambling debts. He enlisted into the United States Army on May 26, 1827 using the name Edgar Allan Perry. He later received an appointment to the United States Military Academy. His first job in the area of literature was acquired when he won a contest for writing the short story �MS Found in a Bottle’ in 1835. His love life was as tragic as many of his short stories and poems with several broken off engagements and the death of his wife who was also cousin. Edgar Allan Poe lived an over all tragic life with streaks of madness and depression which was reflected in his writings.

Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston Massachusetts. His mother and father were employed there as actors, but his Father probably passed away in 1810 which was followed by his mother passing away in 1811. This was the first trauma in his life. She left behind three children who included young Edgar along with his brother William and their sister Rosalie. He was sent to live in the home of a Richmond tobacco merchant, John Allan. His brother and sister were cared for by other people. His brother passed away and his sister later went insane. This was also a large trauma that Poe was exposed to at a very young age.

Even at an early age the young Edgar Allan Poe was commended by his teachers on his writing ability. He went to school in Richmond until 1815 when he moved to England and attended Manor school at Stoke Newington. He returned to the United States in 1826 and attended the University of Virginia only to be expelled for unpaid gambling debts. This would lead to a confrontation with Mr. Allan who refused to repay his debts. This incident would later cause Mr. Allan to disown Poe. In 1827 Edgar Allan Poe enlisted into the United States Army as a Private. Even though he only served for two years he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major. He was able to secure with the help of Mr. Allan a discharge from the Army and moved to Baltimore. Poe would live in Baltimore with his aunt Maria Poe Clemm surviving on the small amounts of money that Mr. Allan would send. Poe would live with his Aunt Maria until he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1830 but was dishonorably discharged the next year for intentional neglect of duties which was clearly due to his own determination to be released.

Even though Poe was writing and publishing all through school he never worked in an actual job having to do literature until he won 50 dollars in a contest for writing the short story, �MS found in a Bottle’. Winning this contest helped him land a job as a staff member of various magazines, among others the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond. It is said that during these times Poe had written some of his most well known stories. Although he was forced to give up his job with Southern Literary Messenger due to his alcoholism.

Edgar Allan Poe’s love life was as tragic and heart breaking as most of his short stories and poems. His first mishap in his love life occurred when he became engaged to Elmira Royster right around the time at which he was expelled from the University of Virginia. This was ruined by her parents when they broke off the engagement forbidding her to see him again. In 1836 Poe married his thirteen year old cousin Virginia Clemm who was the daughter of his aunt that he

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