Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an extremely troubled man from the beginning of his life. Poe's mine was consumed with thoughts of death. In his dark times he felt as if the grave was calling to him to come nearer and nearer. Even in the good times when Poe was his happiest with love in his life he new that death was always waiting around the corner, either for him or for his loves. Poe's life from his birth could have been one of his own creations. At an early age Poe's father disappeared, later it was conceived that he had died; about that same time Poe's mother became ill with consumption. Within a year of his father's disappearance Poes's mother died. This left Poe an orphan to live most of his life in poverty, and to be taken in by the Allan's. Mrs. Allan who loved him dearly and Mr. Allan who resented and grew to dislike Poe, as Poe did him. The tormented longings, which sent Poe half-mad to his death, were also where his genius came from. To understand Poe's writings is t!o understand his hatred for his fathers, his love for the women in his life, and his fear of death Poe held hatred in his heart. Hate is a vicious animal that eats away at the soul of its victim. Hate will drive a person to despair. All these things wer
Poe's fears were so great that Muddy began to sit with him rubbing his forehead until he fell asleep. She tried desperately to remove the horrible dreams of death that filled his mind. As Poe would awake from these dreams he knew once again that death the enemy again became the loved one. Poe could find no rest from his troubled mind. He sought refuge in drugs and drink, but as they took over his mine his demons became more real. He new his only escape was to join his loves in the grave. Death and the grave, the things he feared most, became his only hope for peace and love. Poe's tragedy with love began at the early age of two, with the death of his mother. Not every one felt that this union should take place. "Neilson Poe, Edgar and Virginia's cousin heard of the appending marriage and wrote to Mrs. Clemn offering to take Virginia into his family and care for he until she was eighteen. If at this time she desired to marry Edgar she would be free to do so (Woodberry Pg 137)." Neilson felt that Mrs. Clemn was in favor of this marriage, as she did not have funds to care for Virginia. In truth Muddy was afraid of losing Eddie and desired the union between her thirteen-year-old daughter and him in order to be assured that he would never leave them. This union proved to make Poe very happy, with his child-wife and his mother-in-law and devoted housekeeper (Unger Pg 412). One Poem that many think was written of Virginia could also have been written of his first love Elmira. There are references to both loves in this poem. Never the less one knows from "Elonora" that Poe could think of two great loves as one thing. When reading "Annabel Lee" one finds Poe addressing the fact that he was a child and she was a child. This would lead readers to reflect of his time with Elmira. He also writes of her kinsmen that came and bore her away from him. This also leads one to remember Elmira as her family kept them apart. Within this same poem Poe writes of death, demons and angels in heaven this reference must be of his child-wife, Virginia. Poe illustrated to his readers about his two great loves within the lines of this poem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ John Allan, Poe's foster father was the other great hate he held onto until his death. Mr. Allan only agreed to take Poe into his family to appease his childless wife. Allan resented Poe from the beginning and was never to let him forget he was a child of charity. Poe in return was never to show Mr. Allan any gratitude for the small things he did for him. The battle between these two raged on until Mrs. Allan's death. At times Allan made Poe's life a living hell. Mr. Allan sent Poe away to school with no funds to survive on. Poe in turn ran up high gambling and drinking debts expecting Mr. Allan to pay them. These behaviors only strengthen Mr. Allan's dislike of this child. Poe learned of Mr. Allan's infidelities and believed that it helped to lead to Mrs. Allan's failing health. This knowledge and Mrs. Allan health only added to Poe's dislike for Mr. Allan. His anger toward him feaster and grew like the worm of death eating at him on the inside. To Poe his foster father came to represent broken trust. te of panic again having to search for love. or, Mr. Shelton, who she married. Poe learns of the deceit and Elmira's marriage upon his return to Richmond. It is believed that Elmira was one of the two great loves Poe had in his life (Mabbott Pg 8). Elmira appears to be one part of the inspiration for Poe's pomes "Tamerland" and "Song". In "Tamerlane" he writes of sunshine of my summer hours, this leads one to believe he is referring to the summer he first fell in love with Elmira. Throughout this poem one will find Poe speaking of young love, this would also lead the reader to believe he is speaking of his Elmira. In his poem "Song" Poe describes how he pictures Elmira's wedding day. Whi
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 3770
Approximate Pages = 15 (250 words per page double spaced)
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