“Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see.”- Edgar Allan Poe. From a legacy shrouded in mystery decorated in macabre writing, a defaming obituary, and a life which even began in solace, Edgar Allan Poe has been an enigma since his birth. Poe is most well-known for his gloomy poem “The Raven”, the nail-biting “The Pit and the Pendulum”, and the ever so dreary “The Tale-Tell Heart” to name a few. The writings give a window into the unstable life of the poet, who was surrounded consistently by death and addiction. Edgar Allan Poe’s scattered mind breathed life into his works and greatly influenced his public persona, creating the character of a man who’s personal struggles played directly off of his creative genius. Poe’s Life Overview Edgar Poe was born on …show more content…
I dread the future”. These windows into Poe’s mind are just a fraction of what he possibly felt. Poe was able to write such an authentic telling of a paranoid man because he was one himself. His anxiety, depression, all his thoughts followed him, just as the guilt did with the unnamed narrator. The confession the man made to the police is akin to Poe confessing his demons to his loved ones. The stories Poe had written were a diary of sorts. A place where Poe could describe what he was experiencing to the masses. Poe’s Persona and the Public’s Perception Edgar Allan Poe is not just a literary phenomenon because of his writings, but partly because of the persona that preceded him. During the time Poe was alive, he was not as infamous as he is today, only making around $6,000 for all of his works. His reputation was also sullied for around 100 years after his death due to his long standing rival Rufus Griswold. He was at odds with Poe in the workplace and in his love life. When Poe passed away, Griswold wrote his obitury that painted Poe to be a tortured and unfavorable man. Griswold states that, “few will be grieved by.” Poe’s death and that he