The Life Of Edgar Allen Poe :: essays research papers

The Life of Edgar Allen Poe     Edgar Allen Poe, the greatest American teller of mystery and suspensetales in the 19th century was a tormented artist. He struggled to become theaccomplished author he is known as today. Poe is now acclaimed as one ofAmericas greatest writers, but in his own unhappy lifetime, he struggled tomake ends meet.     When he was 17, Poe entered the University of Virginia. Allan, his stepfather, gave Poe only a small allowance, and the young man soon began owemoney. He gambled and ran into greater debt. By the end of the year he owed2,500 dollars. He was nervous and unstable, and he began to drink. Despite hisfrequenting liquor, he could never hold it well. He would tardily become ill fromthe alcohol. Allan angrily withdrew Poe from school, and a few months later Poeleft home.For the bordering four years Poe struggled to earn a living as a writer. Hereturned to Mrs. Clemms home and submitted stories to magazines. His firstsuccess came in 1833, when he entered a short-story contest and won a prize of50 dollars for the story "MS. Found in a Bottle." By 1835 he was the editor ofthe Southern Literary Messenger. He married his cousin Virginia, who was only 13,and Mrs. Clemm stayed with the couple. The Poes had no children.     This success would not last. Poes stories, poems, and criticism in themagazine, The Southern Literary Messenger soon attracted attention, and helooked for wider opportunities, not a good choice. From 1837 to 1839 he triedfree-lance writing in New York city and Philadelphia but earned very little.Again he tried editing. His work was praised, but he was still paid little. Hisefforts to organize his own magazine were unsuccessful. For the next two yearshe turned again to free-lance writing.