Who and or what inspired Poe to start writing and Why?

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I am doing a research paper for my English class. I need the answers to some questions. I need to know Who and or what inspired Poe to start writing? and WHY? What he did after his father (Mr. Allen) disowned him? Why? What were his feelings of his father after he walked out on the family? and How did the Allan Family treat him?.... PLEASE HELP ME!! Thank you VERY MUCH!!!

-- Anonymous, April 24, 2001

Answers

Jennifer,

The primary stimulus for Poe to write appears to have been his passion for poetry and his love of beauty. However, the answer is much more complex than that. Poe was very well educated in the classics and versed in Greek and Roman mythology as well as history. By his late teens and early twenties, he had become a master of the English language and possessed a very idealistic nature. He was heavily influenced by Milton, Shelly, shakespeare and Coleridge among others and he saw poetry as his life's passion.

After the feud with his foster father over a $2000 gambling debt, Poe left Richmond in March 1827 and headed for Baltimore to see his family. By May, he had apparently become desperate enough to join the United States Army under the name of Edgar A. Perry.

Poe was about two years old when his biological father "abandoned" the family. There is some dispute over this issue but it is generally accepted as accurate. His Mother died on December 8, 1811 and his Father followed about a month later, if I recall correctly, in Norfolk. How Poe felt about his Father is anyone's guess but, generally, Poe was proud of his heritage, particularly, his Mother.

The notion that Poe was mistreated by the Allan family is inaccurate in that during his formative years he was raised and educated as an adopted child. Although he was never formally adopted, he was baptised by the Reverend John Buchanan and was christened Edgar Allan Poe on January 7, 1812, about a month after his Mother's death. While John Allan did not necessarily demonstrate a Father's affection for Edgar, Frances Allan certainly did. John Allan often did demonstrate pride in Edgar's achievements and most of their problems appear to have begun when Poe reached his teen years.

For more information, you may wish to visit the Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore website at http://www.eapoe.org

Regards,

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2001


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