The Murders In The Raven By Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe Biography Edgar Allan Poe is considered one of the greatest American authors today. He developed numerous genres, the most famous being detective fiction. Poe could create atmospheres and tones so intense that the effect hasn’t been replicated by any other author to-date. He is a renowned horror author, with his most famous poem being “The Raven.” Poe was born January 1, 1809, in Boston Massachusetts. Both his parents were actors but his father left early on and his mother died of tuberculosis when he was only 3. Following her death, Poe is separated from both of his siblings and sent to live with his foster parents John and Frances Allan. Poe gets close to his adoptive mother but remains distant from his father, who he fights
Afterwards, Poe travels all over the northeastern seaboard in search of work, including New York City, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. In 1836, when he was 27, Poe marries his 13 year old cousin, Virginia Clemm. In 1939 Poe gets a job as a magazine editor, but keeps the job for only a year. He had developed a reputation of being brutally critical on things he edited. He gets another editing job at the Graham’s Magazine, another short-lived job. However, the magazine publishes “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” creating a new genre labeled as detective fiction. In 1842 his wife, Virginia, appears to have tuberculosis, and her condition only deteriorates from this point. Soon after Poe begins to lecture and becomes quite popular, speaking to large audiences at a time. In 1845 he publishes his most well-known work, “The Raven.” Today it is regarded as one of the greatest works of American Poetry. Following this, Poe acquires his own magazine, known as The Broadway Journal. However, just a year later, the magazine fails and subsequently folds. As if the failure wasn’t enough, Virginia dies a year later in 1846. Poe’s mentality was so bad his associates believed he
Poe’s mental state was in shreds after the death of Virginia only 3 years prior. Poe was heavily depressed, and this led to the depressing and disturbing tone of the poem. The poem seems to be capturing the hatred Poe appears to have against life and all of its misfortune. The strange and implied meaning of the poem is entirely up to interpretation, and this may be due to Poe’s heavy alcoholism and drug abuse. Not being able to think clearly under the influence he would just write what he felt, with an unclear meaning or purpose. Another influence to its pessimistic standpoint is Poe’s failed engagement a year previous to the release of the poem. The overall tone and message of “A Dream Within a Dream” is due to Poe’s overall severe depression, caused by a multitude of disappointments and upsets within his life seemingly close to the publishing of the