"The death of a beautiful woman, is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world."-Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe sure seemed to think so. Most, if not all, of Poe's dark work seems to have something to do with the death of a beautiful woman. Poe was raised to be a Southern gentleman: witty, charming, intelligent, polite. As a result of his upbringing, he practically worshiped women and viewed them as angelic figures. Due to the poor sanitation of the time, Poe stood by and watched most, if not all, of the women he loved die. His mother died of Tuberculosis when Poe was very young and his first girlfriend died of brain cancer when he was fifteen. But perhaps the most influential of all these on Poe's writing was the death of his wife, Virginia, in 1847. From this event, short stories and poems such as "Annabel Lee", "Ulalume", "Lenore", "Eleonora", "The Oblong Box", "Ligeia", "Metzengerstein", "The Tell Tale Heart", "The Black Cat", "The Cask of Amontillado", and "The Raven", were all written. Obviously, these deaths had quite an impact on him. Learning about Poe earlier this week, I discovered just how full of tragedy his life really was. It seemed as if everything he had ever strived for- family, true love, a career- all slipped right out of his grasp like handfuls of sand. His father abandoned him a year after he was born and as previously mentioned, his mother passed away shortly after. He was put into foster care and eventually taken in by John and Frances Allan, family friends. John Allan treated Poe cruelly and extremely disliked him. His stories, if ever published, did not make enough money for Poe to live off of. These misfortunes caused Poe to develop a mindset in which he felt the need for his every attempt at a better life to fail. If these attempts were not unsuccessful on their own, Poe destroyed them himself. This eventually led Poe to his death in 1849.
Yes, Edgar Allen Poe's biography can be rather depressing. I figured that out the hard way. But after thinking about it for a while, I realized that good did come out of it. For one, Poe is now well-thought of and seen as a very talented and influential writer. His ultimate goal was reached, although it was some time after his death. His written thoughts give the sad and lonely something to relate to. His unique writing style give students something to study, teachers something to teach, and fellow writers something to emulate. Being a model to others is the most anyone can ask for. So, in conclusion, here's something to keep in mind during the hard times: there's always a bright side; silver lining can be found on anything. Don't forget it.
P.S. Need more of a pick-me-up? After reading Poe's Biography, you just might. Turn to Scripture- after rough days, God will always be there to pull you out of it. These encouraging Bible Verses are here to help: http://highhopesforhardtimes.com/.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteNice blog! It was nice to see how many poems and stories that centered the tragic end to the women he loved. You mentioned that the women in his life and his foster father influenced his writings. I would also like to add something to this blog. Poverty greatly affected his writing also. He lived in poverty his whole life and sometimes this was the root of his sorrow. He was not able to care for his wife with a decent meal when she was sick. I totally agree with the fact that Poe is now recognized and wonderful writer. His works can relate to some of us and they are worth studying and looking in to.