Edgar Allan Poe was an American poet, short-story writer and literary critic, best known for his stories on mystery.
Life
Born as Edgar Poe on January 19, 1809, he lost his biological parents quiet early in his life. The rich merchant John Allan's family became Edgar Poe's foster family but Edgar was not adopted by them formally. He, however got the name Edgar Allan Poe.
Edgar Poe joined the University of Virginia in 1826 for a year and after having problems with the Allan family he earned his livelihood as clerk, newspaper editor and by serving United States Army and later United States Military Academy at West Point. After a brief reconciliation with his foster family, Edgar fall out with them and returned to his biological brother, aunt and cousin in Baltimore forever.
Poe had already published his three volumes of poems in 1827, 1829 and 1830 but those got little acclaim from masses and critics. After his brother's death Poe tried to to earn livelihood just by writing but it was a difficult time of American publishing business. Publishers often refused to pay price to the authors and thus Poe, in his attempt to build up his literary career faced financial problems and had to plead for financial help to others.
Poe focused on writing proses and drew attention of the literary circle of Baltimore. He worked as assistant editor and editor in two periodicals from 1835 to the early 1840's. He married his cousin Virginia Clemm in 1835. Within this period he published number of articles, reviews, novels and stories enhancing his reputation as a literary critic and an author. In 1842, his wife showed signs of tuberculosis and it made Poe's life more stressful. Edgar Allan Poe became the editor of the Broadway journal in New York before becoming the sole proprietor.
In 1846, the paper failed and in January,1947 Edgar Allan Poe lost his wife. Then, there was a failed courtship with the poet Sarah Helen Whitman and in the last days of his life resumed a relationship with his childhood sweetheart Sarah Elmira Royster.
His death on October 7, 1849 was quiet mysterious as he was found in a delirious state on the roads of Baltimore on October 3 and breathed his last in the Washington College Hospital.
Alcoholism and it's effects
Edgar Allan Poe had bad reputation for his alcoholism. It is unclear when he got his drinking habits, but he faced serious consequences for his addiction to alcohol.
In August 1835, when he joined the Southern Literary Messenger, he was asked to leave within few weeks after he was found drunk repeatedly. In September, 1835, after getting married and promising of responsible behavior, Poe got the job back there.
However, he did not leave his addiction for alcohol. There is a story which says that Edgar Allan Poe failed to show up for an appointment with his friend Frederick Thomas in 1840 because of being drunk. The meeting was supposed to be held to discuss about an appointment with the President Tyler's son for getting a job in the Tyler administration.
His wife's illness led to heavy drinking by Poe under the stress. His health deteriorated and his later courtship with Sarah Helen Whitman failed because of his habit of drinking. Even, his mysterious death is ascribed to his addiction to alcohol and the terms “congestion of the brain" or "cerebral inflammation" was used by newspapers as it was common to use those terms to denote death from disgraceful causes as alcoholism.
Go through the site alchoholabusehub.com for more information on Writers and Artists who were Iconic Drinkers
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