The Pit and the Pendulum

Childhood

Edgar Allan Poe's life is one that is rife with intrigue as facts have been lost and distoted over the years. He was born January 19. 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts to two actors. Soon after his birth, his father left him and his mother; who passed away when he was only three. Before too long, Poe was adopted by John and Frances Allan in Richmond, Virginia, but was never able to meet eye-to-eye with his adopted father. They moved to Britian in 1815 where Poe attended grammar and boarding school before eventually returning to Richmond in 1820. Poe's Life, Poe Museum

Military Career

After his return from Britian, Poe joined the Richmond youth honor guard as a lieutenant during the visit of the Marquis de Lafayette in 1824. After he dropped out of the University of Virginia due to lack of funds and consequential gambling debt on account of his strained relationship with John Allan, Poe enlisted in the Army as a private at the age of 18. Under the false age of 22 and the assumed name of "Edgar A. Perry", he managed to release his first book of poetry, Tamerlane and Other Poems to little success.

Two years later, after multiple attempts to end his enlistment early, Poe's foster mother passed away and he was able to reconcile with John Allan. Allan then assisted his discharge with the caveate that he would enter West Point. However, after his matriclation in 1830, Poe was finially disowned and was intentionally court-martialed and tried for gross neglect of duty and disobedience of orders. In February of 1831 he left for New York. Poe's Life, Poe Museum

Relationships

After he left West Point in disgrace, Poe was welcomed into the home of his aunt, Maria Clemm and despite living in poverty, is said to have become enamored with her daughter, Virginia. Wheather their relationship was pushed by Maria or occured naturally, the 27 year old Poe was soon engaged to be married with the only thirteen year old Virginia. Regardless of the true initiation of their romance, Poe and Virginia were said to have been incredibly happy together as he worked as a magazine writer and literary critic.

They moved to New York soon after their marriage before heading to Philagelphia in 1838. Despite his successful work and increasing fame, Poe still suffered from lack of funds. In 1842, Virginia contracted tuberculosis and died at the age of 24 in a tiny country cottage.

Poe is said to have initiated a few other relationships in the next few years; including the poetess Sarah Helen Whitman and his former fiancee, the now widowed Almira Shelton. Nevertheless, it is believed that Virginia remained the inspiration of his many romantially tragic poems, including 'Lenore' and the last complete poem he ever wrote; 'Annabel Lee'.

Inexplicable Death

Two years after Virginia's death, Poe was journeying to Philadelphia when he dissapeared. This occured during a stop in Baltimore, and his location remained unknown for five days. On the third of October he was eventually found on delirious on the streets dressed in someone else's clothes and was taken to Washington Medical College. He died four days later on Sunday, October 7, 1849. The cause of his death remains a mystery since all of his medical records have been lost. However, there has been speculation that has ranged from syphilis and cholera to drug overdose. All of them of course are left unproven and to this day Poe's demise is surrounded in obscurity.