Can you explain to me some tradegies that maybe affected the life of Edgar Allen Poe?

-- Anonymous, October 27, 2003

Answers

when he was a todler his father left him and his family when he was 3 his mother died he was taken in by John Allen and his wife. she would also die. he marrried his niece Elizabeth who also died. every woman he loved would end up dieing.

-- Anonymous, October 28, 2003

In the shortest sense:

His father is believed to have died (a few believe he abandoned the family) when he was one, the legitmacy of his sister is questioned. His mother died of consumption - this caused the family to be broken up. His brother died young, his sister went insane and outlived him. He ended up with his foster family - they never adopted him, in fact - his foster father was not to fond of him. After his foster mother died of consumption (the second woman in his life), the foster father cared for him up to a point. During is childhood, it is believed that he had a intimate relationship with a friends mother, causing the poem "To Helen" come to life - she died after suddenly going mad. He married his 13-yr-old cousin, she burst a blood vessel while singing and became an invalid. She died of consumption years later - all the while she was sick, Poe was also sick and was dealing with inner demons (opium usage, drinking, a few affairs is thought to have happened, the inability to keep a steady job). After Virginia's death (his child wife) - he had several bouts of depression and madness. He disappeared for three days, was found in a gutter in Boston delirious. He died three days later.

His entire life was a tragedy. He wrote about tragedy, because he understood it. Those were just SOME of his problems too.

-- Anonymous, October 28, 2003