sticky-blue"Born to traveling actors Eliza and David Poe. David abandoned the family, leaving Eliza. She died on December 8th, 1811, Edgar was taken in by John and Frances Allan at 2 years old. Edgar was never officially adopted." (Doyle)
sticky-blue"Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston Massachusetts" (Pagan)
sticky-blue“In 1836, Poe married his thirteen‑year‑old cousin, Virginia Clemm” (nps.gov)
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sticky-blue“Edgar Allan Poe’s parents both died when he was very young… Edgar was taken into the home of John Allan, and his wife Frances"
(National Park Service)
sticky-blue“Although he excelled academically at the University of Virginia, Poe was forced to leave because of gambling debts”
(Poetry Foundation).
sticky-red“On October 7, 1849, Poe died in Baltimore, Maryland. The exact cause of death is unknown, though theories include alcohol, heart disease, and other medical conditions.” (britannica.com)
sticky-blue"In 1815 Allan, a tobacco merchant, moved with his wife and foster son to England… Poe attended school in Chelsea until 1820, when the family returned to Richmond. In 1826, he attended the University of Virginia” (Encyclopedia Virginia).
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sticky-yellow“Poe’s wife, Virginia, died in January 1847, a loss that deeply affected him personally and professionally” (Britannica.com).
sticky-red“On October 3, 1849, Poe was found ‘in great distress’ near a Baltimore tavern, semiconscious, wearing clothes that were not his own, and was taken to Washington College Hospital, where he remained incoherent and drifting in and out of consciousness until his death on October 7” (National Park Service).
sticky-yellow3 Stories
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sticky-blueTheory 3 -
A 1996 medical study states Poe may have died of rabies, a infection that causes hallucinations, confusion and the fear of water.
Poe showed similar symptoms to those mentioned.
No recorded animal bite was ever linked to Poe, Some of his symptoms do not fully match the typical decline seen in rabies patients.
Citations: CNN Health, Silverman
sticky-redTheory 1
Cooping was a 19 century fraud where gangs kidnapped peoplem forced them to vote multiple times in different disguises, and dumped them in the street after
Poe was found on Election Day near a Baltimore polling site wearing someone elses clothes.
Cooping was apparently known to occur in the neighborhood where he was found.
No witnesses ever confirmed Poe was kidnapped by a gang.
Citations; (National Park Service)
sticky-yellowTheory 2 -
This theory is a probability of how he might've died. Alcohol related such as poisoning, withdrawals, etc.
Poe had a low tolerance for alcohol and often became sick after very little amounts.
But the doctor who treated him states he did not believe alcohol alone explained Poe's condition.
Citation: Silverman
sticky-blueEdgar Allan Poe's life showed patterns that connect to the theories of alcohol, rabies, and cooping. He drank heavily, which could have affected his health and behavior (Silverman 1991; Quinn 1998), and his letters show he often felt anxious and depressed (Hayes 2000). His stories reflect some of these issues. The Black Cat shows guilt and self destruction that could relate to alcohol use (Poe 2000), The Tell Tale Heart is paranoid perhaps relating to rabies or illness (Poe 1992), and The Fall of the House of Usher shows isolation (Poe 2000). Some sources such as Poe's letters and his stories, are very reliable for understanding his thoughts, but other sources like biographies sometimes tell his behavior differently.
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sticky-yellowThe strongest evidence I found was Poe’s letters and personal accounts from friends because they gave a clear look at his habits, moods, and struggles with drinking and isolation. Some research were different from one other, like different biographies and newspaper articles that gave different reasons for his behavior or death. Some said alcohol, others suggested illness or cooping. This project improved my research skills because I learned how to compare sources, check if they were reliable, and connect what I read to actual examples in Poe’s stories. I also got better at organizing information and using citations properly.
sticky-blue“In February 1826, Poe enrolled in the University of Virginia to study ancient and modern languages… due to his differences with John Allan, he did not receive any financial support… Poe tried to gamble… and ended up in debt” (Learnodo Newtonic)
sticky-redWorks Cited
Poe Short Stories
Poe, Edgar Allan. The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings. Dover Publications, 1992.
Poe, Edgar Allan. The Black Cat. In The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, Modern Library, 2000.
Poe, Edgar Allan. The Fall of the House of Usher. In The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, Modern Library, 2000.
Scholarly / Historical Sources
Silverman, Kenneth. Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-Ending Remembrance. Harper Perennial, 1991.
Quinn, Arthur. Edgar Allan Poe: A Critical Biography. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998.
Hayes, Kevin J. Edgar Allan Poe: A Life in Letters. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000.
Meyers, Jeffrey. Edgar Allan Poe, Cooper Square Press, 1992.