Edgar Allen Poe Quest 2.6.24

D.O.B

January 19, 1809.

Birthplace

Boston, Massachusetts.

What his parents did for a living and names

Mother was an actress (Elizabeth/Eliza), father was a Rev. war patriot but abandoned the family (David)

Who he lived with after parents died

John and Frances Allan.

Which college he attended in 1826

University of Virginia

He supplemented his income by

gambling.

First book he published was

"Tamerlane and Other Poems”

Name he went by to get into the military

Edgar A. Perry

School he enrolled in and in what year

Westpoint Military Academy in 1830

Why was he court martialed

he skipped roll calls and classes

Why Poe and Mr. Allan severed all relations

Allan didn't invite Poe to the wedding and Mr. Allan cheated on Mrs. Allan

What year was his miracle year and why

1845 because “The Raven" was published

His wife's name and what she died of

Virginia, died of tuberculosis. D.O.D

Where he died

Outside a polling place.

who wrote a biography and an obituary

Rufus Griswald

what was his the nickname he got due to his harsh reviews

“Tomahawk man”

Famous literary detective inspired by Poe

Sherlock Holmes

First modern detective story

"The Murders in the Rue Morgue." What was the Prototype of future mystery?

What was "The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall."?

A man travels to the moon in a balloon that compresses space air to breathable air. He murdered people he owed money before leaving and when he came back he withheld details for his release

What did Poe add to his science fiction stories and why?

he added realistic scientific details to make his stories more believable

What else did Poe write about?

the limits of technology, murders, premature burials, and grave robberies which were all in newspapers.

What is terror according to Poe?

it's a part of life and therefore a legit subject for literature

What did Poe focus on more?

he focused less on location than the psychology of his characters.

Poe was the first American author to try it to do what?

he was the first to try to live entirely from his writing.

The Messenger's Circulation increased by how many times while Poe worked there?

seven times

How did The Messenger’s Circulation increase?

Poe knew what people wanted so he was a good publisher.

What did he consider his true calling?

poetry

What did he believe about poetry?

poetry was "rhythmical creation of beauty."

What else did he think about poetry?

He thought the sound of poetry should do as much as the words to convey the meaning of the poem

A poem’s only purpose to him was

to be beautiful.

Poe didn't feel that a poem should do what?

instruct or edify the reader

What happened between American and British authors in his lifetime?

American authors were generally considered inferior to their British counterparts.

Poe frequently attacked authors he considered guilty of…

imitation/plagiarism

Who was Poe’s favorite target?

Popular American poet Henry Wadsworth Longello.

What did Poe believe about American critics?

they praised American novels written about American subjects merely because they had been written about hot subjects.

Believed stories such as ___ had nothing original

The Last of the Mohicans.

Certain criteria when he judged lit

Work should be original and have an emotional impact on the reader.

How did he believe great writers begin their stories?

by determining it’s end and what effect it should have on the reader. Every event in a story should paint that effect and all necessary details be eliminated.

Why did he consider a short story better than a novel?

"as it cannot be read in one sitting, it deprives itself, of course, of the immense force derivable from totality."

What did he help define?

modern short stories for years to come.

Describe Poe physically

Five feet, eight inches tall. Brown hair, gray eyes, fair complexion. Between 130 and 140 pounds, weak mouth, big forehead, “nose somewhat more prominent than usual”, “soft and distinct” voice.

3 parts of a detective story?

First a seemingly impossible crime, second the detective character analyzes the clues in order to solve the mystery, third there is a less brilliant side kick that is the narrator and shows how brilliant the detective is.

What was the Balloon Hoax?

he convinced everyone that a man named Monck Mason did a transatlantic crossing by air by a hot air balloon. He claimed it was a 75 hour flight. He admitted he had lied 4 days later.

What is the most poetic topic?

the death of a woman

3 of 5 myths about him

was expelled from Westpoint for showing up naked to roll call, died drunk in a gutter, was expelled from the University of Virginia, opium addict, he wrote under the influence of opium or alcohol

2 of 3 major theories on why he died

beating, cooping, epilepsy, dipsomania, alcoholism, heart, toxic disorder, hypoglycemia,low blood sugar, diabetes, porphyria, rabies, murder, poisoned

What did the Poe Toaster do

he went to Poe’s grave every year on Poe’s birthday from 1949 to 2010 in all black with 3 roses and drinks cognac

Describe each woman in Poe’s life: his mom

actress, died when he was young.

Describe each woman in Poe’s life: Frances Allan

adoptive mother who died of tuberculosis (TB).

Describe each woman in Poe’s life: Jane Stith Craig Stanard

mother of his classmate and he loved her; she had depression and went insane before dying

Describe each woman in Poe’s life: Virginia

first cousin whom he married when she was 13; she died of TB.

Describe each woman in Poe’s life: Nancy Richmond

his friend that was his confidant

Describe each woman in Poe’s life: Sarah Hellen Whitmen

courted and engaged but then she didn't like his morals so they broke it off.

Describe each woman in Poe’s life: Elmira

engaged twice but broke off, first time it was broken off because of her family, second Poe died.