19 January 1809: Edgar Allan Poe is born

One of the most talented and enigmatic American writers of the 19th century Edgar Allan Poe was born on 19 January 1809. He was a writer, poet, editor, and literary critic best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre.

Poe was the second child of actors David and Eliza Poe. His father abandoned the family in 1810, and when his mother died the following year, Poe was taken in by the Allan family, from whom he took his middle name. They never formally adopted him, but he was with them throughout his childhood.

Growing up, Poe showed promise as an athlete and displayed a high intellect. He attended the University of Virginia where he excelled academically but quarrelled with John Allan over the funds required for his education. Poe fell into gambling and drink, and deeply in debt, he was forced to leave the university after only one year.

After a failed attempt to start a career in the army, Poe decided to work as a writer. He spent the next few years working for literary journals and periodicals, becoming known for his literary criticism. His first book was published anonymously in 1827.

Poe married his cousin, Virginia Clemm in 1836. She was 13 and he was 27 and he was deeply devoted to her. Virginia was ill with tuberculosis, and she died in 1847 at the age of 24. Poe’s love and grief for Virginia was a recurring theme in his work and is said to have influenced his writing.

Poe’s career reached its peak when The Raven, arguably his best-known piece of work, was published. The poem helped confirm his reputation as an important literary figure, although it did not bring him much financial success.

Poe was one of the earliest writers of short stories and is considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre, as well as a significant contributor to the emerging genre of science fiction.

Edgar Allan Poe died at age 40 on 7 October 1849.