Edgar Allan Poe was a famous American writer, poet, critic, and editor best known for his tales of mystery and horror. He was also the inventor of the detective fiction genre and a pioneer of science fiction. He had a tragic and turbulent life, marked by poverty, addiction, and loss. He died at the age of 40 under mysterious circumstances.
Edgar Allan Poe Profile Summary
| Name | Edgar Allan Poe |
|---|---|
| Birth Date | January 19, 1809 |
| Birth Place | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Death Date | October 7, 1849 |
| Death Place | Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Cause of Death | Unknown |
| Occupation | Writer, poet, critic, editor |
| Spouse | Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe |
| Parents | David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Poe |
| Siblings | William Henry Leonard Poe and Rosalie Mackenzie Poe |
| Education | University of Virginia, United States Military Academy |
| Notable Works | The Raven, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, etc. |
| Awards and Honors | Hall of Fame (1910), Edgar Awards (named after him), etc. |
| Net Worth | $250,000 (in 2024) |
Who Is Edgar Allan Poe & Wife?
Edgar Allan Poe was one of American literature’s most influential and original writers. He wrote poems, short stories, novels, essays, and criticism that explored themes such as death, madness, love, and the supernatural. He also created some of the most memorable fictional characters and plots, such as the Raven, the Pit and the Pendulum, the Masque of the Red Death, and the Purloined Letter. He influenced many writers and genres, such as Arthur Conan Doyle, H.P. Lovecraft, Charles Baudelaire, and Jules Verne.
Edgar Allan Poe’s wife was Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe, his first cousin and the daughter of his aunt Maria Clemm. They married when he was 27, and she was 13 in 1836. Despite the age difference and the social stigma, they had a close and affectionate relationship. Virginia was a muse and a source of inspiration for many of Poe’s poems, such as Annabel Lee, Lenore, and To One in Paradise. She also helped him with his literary work and supported him through his difficulties. She died of tuberculosis in 1847 at the age of 24, leaving Poe heartbroken and depressed.
Edgar Allan Poe Wife Profile Summary
| Name | Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe |
|---|---|
| Birth Date | August 15, 1822 |
| Birth Place | Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Death Date | January 30, 1847 |
| Death Place | Fordham, New York, U.S. |
| Cause of Death | Tuberculosis |
| Occupation | None |
| Spouse | Edgar Allan Poe |
| Parents | William Clemm Jr. and Maria Poe Clemm |
| Siblings | Henry Clemm, Elizabeth Clemm, and Jane Clemm |
| Education | Home-schooled by Edgar Allan Poe |
| Notable Works | None |
| Awards and Honors | None |
| Net Worth | Unknown |
How Old is Edgar Allan Poe & Wife in 2024?
If he were alive, Edgar Allan Poe would be 215 years old in 2024. His wife, Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe, would be 202 years old in 2024 if she were alive.
Edgar Allan Poe Relationship Status
Edgar Allan Poe married Virginia Eliza Clemm from 1836 until 1847. He never remarried, although he had several romantic interests and engagements after her death. Some women he was involved with or proposed to were Sarah Helen Whitman, Annie Richmond, Sarah Elmira Royster, and Nancy Richmond.
Edgar Allan Poe Family Status
Edgar Allan Poe was born into a family of actors but lost both of his parents when he was very young. He was taken in by John and Frances Allan, a wealthy couple from Richmond, Virginia, who gave him their surname but never formally adopted him. He had a strained relationship with John Allan, who disapproved of his literary ambitions and cut him off financially. He had a brother, William Henry Leonard Poe, a writer and sailor who died of tuberculosis in 1831. He had a sister, Rosalie Mackenzie Poe, who was mentally disabled and lived with their aunt Maria Clemm. He also had several cousins, nieces, and nephews, some of whom he was close to and helped financially.
Edgar Allan Poe Biography
Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts, to David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Poe, both actors. He was named after a character in Shakespeare’s King Lear, which his parents were performing then. His father abandoned the family in 1810, and his mother died of tuberculosis in 1811. He was then taken in by John and Frances Allan, a wealthy couple from Richmond, Virginia, who gave him their surname but never formally adopted him. He was later taken to Scotland and England (1815–20), where he received a classical education that was continued in Richmond.
He attended the University of Virginia for one year (1826) but had to leave due to lack of money and gambling debts. He quarrelled with John Allan, who refused to pay for his education or support his literary career. He then enlisted in the United States Army under an assumed name, Edgar A. Perry, and anonymously published his first collection of poems, Tamerlane and Other Poems, in 1827. He also briefly attended the United States Military Academy at West Point (1830–31) but was dismissed for neglecting his duties. He then moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where he lived with his aunt Maria Clemm and her daughter Virginia, whom he married in 1836.
He began his professional literary career as an editor and critic for various magazines and newspapers, such as the Southern Literary Messenger, Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine, Graham’s Magazine, and the Broadway Journal. He also wrote and published many poems, short stories, novels, essays, and reviews, covering various genres and topics. He became famous for his tales of mystery and horror, such as The Fall of the House of Usher, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, and The Masque of the Red Death.
He also created the first modern detective stories featuring the fictional detective C. Auguste Dupin, who solved cases such as The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mystery of Marie Roget, and The Purloined Letter. He also wrote a novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, a precursor of science fiction and adventure fiction. He also wrote an extended essay, Eureka, a cosmological theory that anticipated some aspects of modern physics and astronomy.
He faced many hardships and challenges throughout his life, such as poverty, addiction, illness, and loss. He struggled with alcoholism and drug abuse, which affected his health and reputation. He also suffered from depression and mood swings, which a brain disorder or bipolar disorder may have caused. He also endured the death of many of his loved ones, such as his parents, his brother, his wife, and his friends. He was often involved in literary feuds and controversies, such as the Longfellow War, the Poe-Gr
Griswold War, and the Poe-Toomer War. He also had many enemies and rivals who tried to tarnish his image and legacy.
He died under mysterious circumstances on October 7, 1849, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was found in a state of delirium, wearing someone else’s clothes and repeating the name “Reynolds”. He was taken to a hospital, where he died four days later without regaining consciousness. The cause of his death remains unknown and has been variously attributed to many causes, such as disease, alcoholism, substance abuse, suicide, murder, rabies, cooping, and carbon monoxide poisoning.
He was buried in an unmarked grave in the Westminster Hall and Burying Ground, where a monument was erected in 1875. His death was announced in the New York Tribune by his enemy, Rufus Wilmot Griswold, who wrote a slanderous obituary that portrayed him as a mad and immoral genius.
Conclusion
Edgar Allan Poe was a remarkable writer who left a lasting impact on American literature and culture. His works explored the themes of mystery, horror, and the macabre, creating a unique and unforgettable atmosphere. He also invented the modern detective story and contributed to developing science fiction. He faced many challenges and tragedies in his life, such as poverty, addiction, illness, and loss, which influenced his writing style and mood.
He died under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind a legacy of genius and mystery. Edgar Allan Poe was a master of the short story, the poem, and the essay and a pioneer of the American Renaissance. He deserves recognition and appreciation as one of the greatest and most original writers in history.