Edgar Allan Poe

About four years ago, I bought an Edgar Allan Poe biography from Easton Press. I had just moved and it was something I grabbed as kind of a home-warming gift to myself. Anyway, at the time I ordered it, I'm moderately embarrassed to admit, I didn't even realize that it was a biography about Poe by Charlotte Montague. I thought it was likely some of Poe's works. I just saw his name and sometimes that's all it takes. Anyway, I have since ordered a collection of his complete works, also from Easton Press, and hope to start it soon.

Cover of Edgar Allan Poe Biography

This biography, and its subject, are amazing. Poe was a bit of a mess of a person - lots of trouble with spitefulness, depression, and alcoholism. But the quality of his writing and, most especially, the breadth of his influence simply cannot be denied. It's nothing short of remarkable. I was introduced to him as a child in school through The Raven. At the time I didn't realize its significance or its beauty. I was just a student trying to get through what I was told to do. The more I've read Poe's work over the years, though, the more I have learned to appreciate his writing.

Poe Photograph

I have tremendous respect for poets. It's a niche writing skill that few have and even fewer excel in. A poet I know once remarked to me that the structural constraints of poetry lend themselves to more fervent creativity. Creativity responds to constraints - is not smothered by them. I think that's certainly true.

Edgar Allan Poe was among the first Americans to try to make a living off of writing alone. He is also one of the grandfathers of the short story medium. He felt like if a work took more than one sitting to read through that there may be something wrong with it. It was less powerful than it should be. Poe also started the detective story genre, which has since blossomed into a thriving portion of modern literature. One of his detective stories, The Mystery of Marie Roget, was based on a true crime so he, in essence, founded a new genre in that which is sometimes attributed to a much later contribution (which is outstanding in its own right) of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. Not to diminish the latter's work, but I had previously been of the understanding that it had founded the genre whereas it may have been, instead, a work that tipped it into greater popularity.

Movie Poster of Silent Film 'The Raven'

One of Poe's acquaintances, John Daniel, an editor that Poe challenged to a duel which never happened, is quoted in this biography in the following excerpt that I feel helps summarize some of Poe's character: "Daniel wrote, of Poe, following his death, praising his intellect and his writing but he was also critical of what he termed his 'Ishmaelite' character and his 'proud reserve, his profound melancholy, his unworldliness--may we not say unearthliness--of nature [that] made his character very difficult of comprehension.'

Fall of the House of Usher Summary and Illustration

I encourage anyone who is curious about the life of Edgar Allan Poe, his works, or his influence, to read this biography. It is well-written and well-illustrated. I am looking forward to re-reading Poe's works in the near future.