Edgar Allan Poe Biography.

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Writer(18091849)

American writer, poet and critic Edgar Allan Poe is famous for his tales and poems of horror and
mystery, including "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Raven."

The death of a beautiful woman is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world.

Edgar Allan Poe

Synopsis
Born on January 19, 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts, writer, poet, critic, and editor Edgar Allan
Poe's tales of mystery and horror gave birth to the modern detective story and many of his works,
including The Tell-Tale Heart and The Fall of the House of Usher, became literary classics.
"The Raven," which he published in 1845, is considered among the best-known poems in
American literature.

Early Life
Edgar Allan Poe's evocative short stories and poems captured the imagination and interest of
readers around the world. His imaginative storytelling led to literary innovations, earning him the
nickname "Father of the Detective Story." Some aspects of his life, like his literature, is shrouded in
mystery, and the lines between fact and fiction have been blurred substantially since his death.

Poe never really knew his parents Elizabeth Arnold Poe, a British actress, and David Poe, Jr.,
an actor who was born in Baltimore. His father left the family early in Poe's life, and his mother
passed away from tuberculosis when he was only three. Separated from his brother William and
sister Rosalie, Poe went to live with John and Frances Valentine Allan, a successful tobacco
merchant and his wife, in Richmond, Virginia. Edgar and Frances seemed to form a bond, but he
had a more difficult relationship with John Allan. By the age of 13, Poe was a prolific poet, but his
literary talents were discouraged by his headmaster and John Allan, who preferred that Poe follow
him in the family business. Preferring poetry over profits, Poe reportedly wrote poems on the back
of some of Allan's business papers.

Money was also an issue between Poe and John Allan. Poe went to the University of Virginia in
1826, where he excelled in his classes, however, he didn't receive enough funds from Allan to
cover all of his costs. Poe turned to gambling to cover the difference, but ended up in debt. He
returned home only to face another personal setbackhis neighbor and fiance Sarah Elmira
Royster had become engaged to someone else. Heartbroken and frustrated, Poe moved to
Boston.

Early Career
While in Boston, Poe published his first book, Tamerlane and Other Poems in 1827. He also joined
the U.S. Army around this time. Two years later, Poe learned that Frances Allan was dying
of tuberculosis, but by the time he returned to Richmond she had already passed away. While in
Virginia, Poe and Allan briefly made peace with each other, and Allan helped Poe get an
appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Before going to West Point, Poe
published a second poetry collection Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems in 1829. Poe
excelled at his studies at West Point, but he was kicked out after a year for his poor handling of his
duties. During his time at West Point, Poe had fought with his foster father, who had remarried
without telling him. Some have speculated that Poe intentionally sought to be expelled to spite
Allan, who eventually cut ties with Poe.
After leaving West Point, Poe published another book and focused on his writing full time. He
traveled around in search of opportunity, living in New York City, Baltimore, Philadelphia and
Richmond. From 1831 to 1835, he lived in Baltimore, where his father was born, with his aunt
Maria Clemm and her daughter Virginia. In 1834, John Allan died, leaving Poe out of his will, but
providing for an illegitimate child Allan had never met.

Poe, who continued to struggle living in poverty, got a break when one of his short stories won a
contest in the Baltimore Saturday Vister. He began to publish more short stories and in 1835
landed an editorial position with the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond. During this time,
Poe also began to devote his attention to his young cousin, Virginia, who became his literary
inspiration, as well as his love interest. The couple married in 1836 when she was only 13 years
old.

At the Southern Literary Messenger, Poe developed a reputation as a cut-throat critic, writing
vicious reviews of his contemporaries. His scathing critiques earned him the nickname the
"Tomahawk Man." Poe also published some of his own works in the magazine, including two parts
of his only novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym. His tenure at the magazine proved short.
Poe's aggressive-reviewing style and sometimes combative personality strained his relationship
with the publication, and he left the magazine in 1837. His problems with alcohol also played a role
in his departure, according to some reports.

Poe went on to brief stints at Burton's Gentleman's Magazine, Graham's Magazine, The Broadway
Journal, and he also sold his work toAlexanders Weekly Messenger, among other journals.
Despite his success and popularity as a writer, Poe continued to struggle financially and he
advocated for higher wages for writers and an international copyright law.

READ ARTICLE: 13 Haunting Facts About Edgar Allan Poes Death and 13 True Stories Behind
Edgar Allan Poe's Terror Tales by Christopher Semtner from The Poe Museum in Virginia.
Major Works
In late 1830s, Poe published Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque, a collection of stories. It
contained several of his most spine-tingling tales, including "The Fall of the House of Usher,"
"Ligeia" and "William Wilson." Poe launched the new genre of detective fiction with 1841's "The
Murders in the Rue Morgue." A writer on the rise, he won a literary prize in 1843 for "The Gold
Bug," a suspenseful tale of secret codes and hunting treasure.

In 1844, Poe moved to New York City where he published a news story inThe New York Sun about
a balloon trip across the Atlantic Ocean that he later revealed to be a hoax. His stunt grabbed
attention, but it was the 1845 publication of his poem "The Raven" which made him a literary
sensation. "The Raven" is considered a great American literary work and one of the best of Poe's
career. In the work, Poe explored some of his common themesdeath and loss. An unknown
narrator laments the demise of his great love Lenore. That same year, he found himself under
attack for his stinging criticisms of fellow poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Poe claimed that
Longfellow, a widely popular literary figure, was a plagiarist, which resulted in a backlash against
Poe.

Continuing work in different forms, Poe examined his own methodology and writing in general in
several essays, including "The Philosophy of Composition," "The Poetic Principle" and "The
Rationale of Verse." He also produced another thrilling tale, "The Cask of Amontillado," and poems
such as "Ulalume" and "The Bells."
Mysterious Death
Poe was overcome by grief after the death of his beloved Virginia in 1847. While he continued to
work, he suffered from poor health and struggled financially. His final days remain somewhat of a
mystery. He left Richmond on September 27, 1849, and was supposedly on his way to
Philadelphia. On October 3, Poe was found in Baltimore in great distress. He was taken to
Washington College Hospital where he died on October 7. His last words were "Lord, help my poor
soul."

At the time, it was said that Poe died of "congestion of the brain." But his actual cause of death has
been the subject of endless speculation. Some experts believe that alcoholism led to his demise
while others offer up alternative theories. Rabies, epilepsy, carbon monoxide poisoning are just
some of the conditions thought to have led to the great writer's death.

Shortly after his passing, Poe's reputation was badly damaged by his literary adversary Rufus
Griswold. Griswold, who had been sharply criticized by Poe, took his revenge in his obituary of
Poe, portraying the gifted yet troubled writer as a mentally deranged drunkard and womanizer. He
also penned the first biography of Poe, which helped cement some of these misconceptions in the
public's minds.

While he never had financial success in his lifetime, Poe has become one of America's most
enduring writers. His works are as compelling today as they were more than a century ago. An
innovative and imaginative thinker, Poe crafted stories and poems that still shock, surprise and
move modern readers.

Nathaniel Hawthorne Biography.com

Author(18041864)

Author Nathaniel Hawthorne (18041864) wrote novels The Scarlet Letter, The House of Seven
Gables, and the short story "Young Goodman Brown," among others.

Synopsis
Born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804, Nathaniel Hawthorne's short stories include "My Kinsman,
Major Molineux" (1832), "Roger Malvin's Burial" (1832), "Young Goodman Brown" (1835), and the
collection Twice-Told Tales. He is best known for his novels The Scarlet Letter (1850) andThe
House of the Seven Gables (1851). His use of allegory and symbolism make Hawthorne one of the
most studied writers.

Ancestral Heritage
Born on July 4, 1804, in Salem Massachusetts, Nathaniel Hawthornes life was steeped in the
Puritan legacy. An early ancestor, William Hathorne, first emigrated from England to America in
1630 and settled in Salem, Massachusetts, where he became a judge known for his harsh
sentencing. Williams son, John Hathorne, was one of three judges during the Salem Witch Trials
in the 1690s. Nathaniel later added a w to his name to distance himself from this side of the
family.

Early Life
Nathaniel was the only son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Clark Hathorne (Manning). His father, a
sea captain, died in 1808 of yellow fever while at sea. The family was left with meager financial
support and moved in with Elizabeths wealthy brothers. A leg injury at an early age left Nathaniel
immobile for a several months during which time he developed a voracious appetite for reading
and set his sights on becoming a writer.
With the aid of his wealthy uncles, young Hawthorne attended Bowdoin College from 1821 to 1825.
There he met and befriended Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and future president Franklin Pierce.
By his own admission, he was a negligent student with little appetite for study.

Early Works
While attending college, Nathaniel Hawthorne missed his mother and two sisters terribly and upon
graduation, returned home for a 12-year stay. During this time, he began to write with purpose and
soon found his voice self-publishing several stories, among them The Hollow of the Three
Hills and An Old Womans Tale. By 1832, he had written My Kinsman, Major Molineux and Roger
Malvins Burial, two of his greatest tales and in 1837, Twice Told Tales. Though his writing brought
him some notoriety, it didnt provide a dependable income and for a time he worked for the Boston
Custom House weighing and gaging salt and coal.

Budding Success and Marriage

Nathaniel Hawthorne ended his self-imposed seclusion at home about the same time he met
Sophia Peabody, a painter, illustrator, and transcendentalist. During their courtship, Hawthorne
spent some time at the Brook Farm community where he got to know Ralph Waldo
Emersonand Henry David Thoreau. He didnt find transcendentalism to his favor but living in the
commune allowed him to save money for his impending marriage to Sophia. After a long courtship,
partially prolonged by Sophias poor health, the couple were married on July 9, 1842. They quickly
settled in Concord, Massachusetts, and rented Old Manse, owned by Ralph Waldo Emerson. In
1844, their first of three children was born.

With mounting debt and a growing family, Hawthorne moved to Salem. A life-long Democrat,
political connections helped him land a job as surveyor in the Salem Custom House in 1846,
providing his family some needed financial security. However, when Whig President Zachary
Taylorwas elected, Hawthorne lost his appointment to political favoritism. The dismissal turned into
a blessing giving him time to write his masterpiece,The Scarlet Letter, the story of two lovers who
clashed with Puritan moral law. The book was one of the first mass-produced publications in the
United States and its wide distribution made Hawthorne famous.

Writing the Novels

Never feeling comfortable living in Salem, Nathaniel Hawthorne was determined to take his family
out of the towns Puritan trappings. They moved to Red House in Lenox, Massachusetts, where he
formed a close friendship with Moby Dick author Herman Melville. During this time, Hawthorne
enjoyed his most productive period as a writer publishingThe House of the Seven
Gables, Blithedale Romance and Tanglewood Tales.

Years Abroad
During the 1852 election, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote a campaign biography for his college friend
Franklin Pierce. When Pierce was elected president, he appointed Hawthorne an American Consul
to Britain as a reward. The Hawthornes stayed in England from 1853-1857. This period served as
inspiration for Hawthornes novel Our Old Home.

After serving as consul, Nathaniel Hawthorne took his family on an extended vacation to Italy and
then back to England. In 1860, he finished his last novel The Marble Faun. That same year
Hawthorne moved his family back to the United States and took permanent residence at The
Wayside in Concord, Massachusetts.
Final Years
After 1860, it was becoming apparent that Hawthorne was moving past his prime. Striving to
rekindle his earlier productivity, he found little success. Drafts were mostly incoherent and left
unfinished. Some even showed signs of psychic regression. His health began to fail and he
seemed to age considerably, hair turning white and experiencing slowness of thought. For months,
he refused to seek medical help and died in his sleep on May 19, 1864, at Plymouth New
Hampshire.

1- Types of novels, aims and characteristics.

When it comes to speak about novel, first it is important to consider that novels are long and
complex pieces of writing and it is divided into chapters. Therefore novels present a setting
where the plot develops and many characters as well as a main protagonist and antagonist.
When dealing with novels, it is necessary to take into account the different types of novel, such
as, Romantic, Adventure, Gothic, Classical and Historical among others.

Going back in history, novels were the first popular literature of the newly independent United
States. Besides, it had been considered a dangerous form of literature by the American
Puritans since novels put immoral ideas into the heads of young people.

In the early days of independence, American novels served a useful purpose. It used to spoke
directly to ordinary Americans in order to help them to see themselves as a single nation. First
novelist had to work hard to make their novels acceptable by filling them with moralistic advice
and religious sentiments; otherwise, they were probably suppressed.

Modern Chivalry by Hugh Henry Brackenridge was the first important novel. It wanted to
achieve a reform in morals and manners of the people. The book is a series of adventures in
which the author laughs at Americas backwoods culture. His targets include religious and
national groups (the Quakers, the Irish, the Indians), customs (slavery, sword or gun fights) and
occupation (law, religion, medicine).

Another novel called frontier novel by Gilbert Imlay, described the nations western frontier
country. His Emigrants (1793) is an early example of a long line of American novels which
showed American Culture to be more natural and simple than the old culture of Europe. The
main themes of this novel are morality and value.

A different novel dealt into class was the Gothic Novel; it has as theme mainly mystery, horror,
murder, death or fear. Here, we have the work of Charles Brockden Brown. Brown had the
ability to describe complicated and cruel minds. Wieland (1798), Browns best known work,
was a psychological Gothic novel in the European style. The hero lives in a world of horror,
murders are committed, and people speak with the voices of others or suddenly explode into
flames.

Then, we have another novel but not the last one. This novel is called the realistic novel and it
was introduced by Royal Tyler. The hero of his Algerine Captive (1797), is a type of novel
where it describes how the protagonist works on a ship carrying black slave to America. Then
the ship sinks and the protagonist is made a slave by pirates. The theme of the novel is an
attack on the American government for its support of slavery.

Moreover, there is another type of novel known as satire novel. It was introduced by James
Kirke in his work (The Dutchmans fireside); it is an amusing satire set in Colonial America,
 while he handles his American characters well, he expresses unpleasant social opinions as he
is anti-Indian and pro-slavery.

Apart from all the novels presented above, we have to consider the different types of novel
introduced by Irving and Cooper. Irving focuses on creating stories about New York, using his
humor and comedy; he created many of the events and legends that remain up to the present
time. In the case of Cooper, his pieces of literature were based on criticism of the American
Society. In over thirty novels and several works of non-fiction, he pointed out the best parts of
American Society and the American personality and severely criticized the worst part. One of
the best known novels is the Pioneer and its theme was characterized by a constant conflict
during the development of the novel. What is more, Cooper was almost one of the first writers
of sea stories in America. These Novels have elements of both romanticism and realism. The
author is a romantic when de describes the sudden changes of weather, the beauty of the
ocean, and the mysterious ships and seamen. The realism comes from Coopers personal
knowledge of the sea; he had been a sailor in his youth.

Taking into account all the information previously developed, we can summarize some
characteristics of the different novels dealt:

Gothic Novels Romantic novel Satire Novel. Chivalric Novel.

Elements Elements
Setting in a castle. Experimentation Ethical reform. Perfect Hero.
An atmosphere of with poetic forms. Humorous. An evil enemy.
mystery and Nature. Implicit criticism. A quest.
suspense. Rebellion. Witty. A test of the hero.
An ancient Ruins and Relics of Ironic. Supernatural
prophecy the ancient past. Exaggerated. elements.
Omens, portents, Heroism. Good vs. Evil.
visions. Sense and
Supernatural or sensuality.
otherwise Sublime.
inexplicable events
High, even
overwrought
emotion.
Women in distress.
Women threatened
by a powerful,
impulsive,
tyrannical male.
The metonymy of
gloom and horror.