The Illustrious Poe: An Unfortunate Upbringing

The Illustrious Poe: An Unfortunate Upbringing

Edgar Allan Poe was a mysterious, disturbed, and utterly depressing author and poet who wrote beautiful pieces of literature. His unpublished, almost secretive poem, “Alone” written about his gloomy and desolate childhood. Poe was lonely throughout his entire life, from the beginning when he lost both his parents, to when he lost his loving foster mother and loving wife Virginia. This poem shows how Poe felt throughout his childhood, and gives us a great insight into the backstory and upbringing of this magnificent artist of literature.

The childhood of author and poet, Edgar Allan Poe, was incredibly bleak. Before the age of three, both his father and mother passed away. Leaving him to be raised by his foster parents, John and

“From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were—I have not seen As others saw” Corresponds to the earliest tragedy in Poe’s life, the death of his biological parents at the age of three(“Alone” 1-2). He never had a chance at a normal childhood, going from the care of his parents to foster ones. His foster father cared little for him; while Frances, his foster mother, loved him dearly. “I could not bring My passions from a common spring— From the same source I have not taken My sorrow—I could not awaken My heart to joy at the same tone” Throughout his childhood, he could never express joy(“Alone” 3-6). For he was a different child, never seeming to be able to be normal, no matter how hard he tried. “From the thunder, and the storm— And the cloud that took the form (When the rest of Heaven was blue) Of a demon in my view—” This statement could contain many meanings, but the one I see most true is; despite whatever ounce of joy Poe felt, he could always see his demons(“Alone” 19-22). A seemingly endless cycle of depression because he could never get past the demons. From his early childhood, and tragically, until