Edgar Allan Poe Accomplishments

Edgar Allan Poe is widely known as a writer of dark and mysterious stories and poems. His life was just as dark and mysterious as his writings…. He was born on January 19, 1809. His parents were both in the acting business, but his father left the family early in his life and his mother later died of tuberculosis when he was three. He then went to live with John and Frances Allan after being separated from his two siblings. When Poe was 13, he was already writing many poems, but his talents were discouraged by his headmaster and John.(Biography.com Editors) When Poe went to college he also had financial troubles since John had not given him enough funds, even though he was an exceptional student. Poe resorted to gambling in a desperate attempt

He joined the United States army because he could no longer support himself. He joined a five year enlistment for five dollars a month. Two years after joining he heard Frances was dying from tuberculosis but by the time he came to visit she was already dead.(Biography.com Editors) Allan helped Poe get into the United States Military Academy in West Point most likely feeling forgiving after the loss of his wife. Before he went for west point he published Al aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems in 1929. Poe was an excellent student at West Point, but was expelled due to neglecting his duties, it was thought to be out a spite because John had remarried without telling Poe. After being expelled, Poe continued his writing career full time while living with his aunt and two cousins. He caught a break when one of his short stories won a contest in Baltimore Saturday Visitor and had a job at Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond. (Biography.com Editors) While working he wrote harsh criticism on other authors and married his younger cousin, Virginia, who was thirteen at the time. Poe’s harsh reviews made him very unpopular with the journal and he left in 1837. Poe went on to publish more works at many other journals, but despite his success he still struggled financially, most likely due to his alcoholism. Later in 1845, when Edgar published “The Raven” it became a literary sensation. He went on to publish the