How Did Edgar Allan Poe Impact On Romanticism

Edgar Allan Poe’s Impact On Dark Romanticism
“Provided the morals of an author are pure, personally, it signifies nothing what are the morals of his books” -Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19th, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. Both of Poe’s parents died when he was two years old. He was then sent to live with John Allan, his foster father, however Poe was never legally adopted by him. Poe’s relationship with Allan was strained at best and although Allan was very affluent he never lent any money to Poe who suffered through financial issues all his life. After graduating from high school he was sent to the US Military Academy but was discharged a year later. He then attended the University of Virginia but had to withdraw due

His influence in writing has expanded beyond this literary period into modern movements. Some accredit him as the inventor of the modern detective story and science-fiction. Poe’s writing career started in 1827 with his first collection of poetry, “Tamerlane and Other Poems” and ended at his death in 1849. Since his first story he has written poetry, short stories, and literary critiques. During his writing career he faced many financial struggles. Poe faced a gambling addiction in his life that caused him to declare bankruptcy. This as well as other tribulations in his life such as alcoholism, depression, and the loss of many of his loved ones contributed to significant themes in his work and in the Dark Romanticism movement. Poe’s writing career was influenced by Charles Dickens. Dickens inspired him to write one his most famous short stories, “The Raven” in January 1845. Another one of his most influential stories is “The Tell-Tale Heart”, written in January 1843. Although he never received any critical acclaim in his lifetime, posthumously he has had prestigious awards named after him. Specifically The Edgar Awards given by the Mystery Writers of

The narrator realizes the weight he has to bear after killing his favorite pet and escapes his guilt with alcohol, “I experienced a sentiment half of horror, half of remorse, for the crime of which I had been guilty; but it was, at best, a feeble and equivocal feeling, and the soul remained untouched. I again plunged into excess, and soon drowned in wine all memory of the deed” (Poe 5). This quotation connects back to both themes of vices and grief. The narrator in the story “The Black Cat” is so tormented by the death of his pet that he drinks until he can not remember his dead cat any longer. The irony being that his alcoholism is what caused him to kill his favorite animal, so his drinking only furthers the cycle of addiction and agony. In the short story “The Cask of Amontillado”, an already drunk Fortunato raises a toast to the skeletons they encounter in the catacombs while Montresor foreshadows his impending death. “‘I drink,’ he said, ‘to the buried that repose around us.’ ‘And I to your long life’” (Poe 6). This excerpt demonstrates how vices, especially alcohol, lead to further plights. Fortunato in his intoxicated state follows Montresor to a dangerous secluded location expecting to find a costly bottle of wine. However, Montresor plans to kill him and uses his drunkenness to his advantage. Poe uses this to show how humans sin and are prone to fallibility, demonstrating the grim themes of Dark