the raven

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why did edgar write The Raven?

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2003

Answers

It's been said that E.A Poe suffered from psychosis and schizophrenia and that when a raven landed in his window one day, he believed that the raven was actually talking to him, thus came Poe's famous story of "The Raven."

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2003

Aieee. Now you see how these kind of legends spread. In fact even Poe's account in "The Philosophy of Composition" at www.eapoe.org is not entiurely to be trusted. It seems earlier versions or ideas never published about talking birds may have existed many years before. Many old Poe themes and devices are present with perhaps the added premonition of what it would be like losing his wife Virginia who by now was sick with tuberculosis. Stress perhaps. He gives no overt sign that any of this has any biographical connection.

According to mabbott, the most reliable anecdote has Poe finishing the version for publication in late 1844 at the farm of Mr. and Mrs Patrick Henry Brennan near the Hudson River.

The legend of being under the influence cause Poe to disastrously tease a Mary Dixon(as was his habit with the naive)with the remark he wrote it on the verge of delirium tremens. Wild rumrs and speculations abounded in the measure that the poem was enormously popular and darkly moving. People should wonder more at the disreputable behavior of the public fancy in spreading baseless rumors as if some bizarre prodigy must be responsible for achievement.

-- Anonymous, November 07, 2003


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