Edgar Allen Poe and The Raven

• Edgar Allan Poe lived a bizarre life, died a bizarre death and wrote short stories, poems and essays about bizarre topics. His writings still awe readers of all ages. 

• Born in Boston on January 19, 1809 to parents who traveled from one acting job to another, Poe was never secure in his early years. His father abandoned the family when he was one and his mother died one year later. Poe became the foster child of Mr. and Mrs. John Allan, a wealthy couple who were able to provide the young boy with a sophisticated upbringing including private schools and travel. 

• Poe was a good student, but left his studies at the University of Virginia, for Boston where he drank and gambled. 

• He published some of his writing, went to West Point, then left there. He continued to write and work at various editing jobs. 

• He grew increasingly estranged from his foster father and found it difficult to get along with others, Poe began to develop the image of the quirky and troubled artist whose poverty and failure to gain recognition pushed him into neurosis. 

• During the years between 1831 and 1835, Poe lived in Baltimore where he worked on creating an artistic philosophy and married his thirteen year old cousin, Virginia Clemms. Some of his best work came from this period; he published The Raven in 1845 which was met with both critical and popular acclaim. 

• His wife died from tuberculosis in 1847 and Poe sank deeper into estrangement and poverty. His reputation as a womanizer and alcoholic grew until his death in 1849 at the age of 40. He was found unconscious on the streets in Baltimore, dressed in clothes that were not his, and died several days later in a hospital. It was believed that he suffered from the dementia of alcohol or some physical illness that caused his mind to deteriorate, like rabies. 

The RAVEN (1845)

Poe first brought "The Raven" to his friend and former employer of Graham's Magazine in Philadelphia. Graham declined the poem, though he gave Poe $15 as charity. Poe then sold the poem to The American Review, which paid him $9 for it. They printed "The Raven" in their February 1845 issue under another name. The poem's first publication with Poe's name was in the Evening Mirror on January 29, 1845. 

“The Raven” is the poem that Poe is most famous for. It has influenced many modern works and is referenced throughout popular culture in films, television, music, and video games.

Have fun with the Simpson's version of Poe's famous poem or try a spookier version with Christopher Lee.