Happy Women's History Month! Although the Poe Museum celebrates Edgar Allan Poe, there were many women in his life that supported him, inspired him, and helped him find success and fame. Let's take a look at the influential women in Poe's life.
Eliza Poe was a renowned traveling actress and mother of Edgar Allan Poe. Unfortunately, she succumbed to tuberculosis at the age of 24, when little Edgar was only 2 years old. Her acting legacy most likely inspired Poe’s dramatic performances of his most famous pieces, which was a major source of income and was ultimately one of the ways Poe was ...
Poe's life
Birth of Virginia Clemm
Written by Rob Velella, August 15, 2009, as part of "The Edgar A. Poe Calendar: 365 Days of the Master of the Macabre and the Mystery"
Happy birthday to Virginia Eliza Clemm, who was born August 15, 1822.* She would have been 195 today.
What more can be said about Virginia that hasn't been said here already? I've written about the only surviving letter from Poe to his wife, their unusual marriage (and uncertain anniversary date), and Valentine's poem she wrote to her husband — just to name a few. Today, I'd like to introduce the Poe work which is most inspired ...
Edgar Allan Poe and the Culture of Mourning
From train accidents, bridge collapses, and steamboat wrecks, to diseases such as the "White Plague," or tuberculosis, it is undeniable that the nineteenth century was a witness of tragedy and deep mourning. Although the idea of mourning and mourning culture is not exclusive to the 1800s, it is safe to say the 1800s may have especially romanticized death and dying. Consider Poe, who wrote in The Philosophy of Composition, "the death, then, of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most poetical topic in the world..." From post-mortem photography and paintings to mourning brooches ...
Poe’s Early Schooling and Interest in Science
Written by Murray Ellison
Poe’s early schooling and military training inspire and shape his interest in science. According to Kenneth Silverman, Poe’s secondary education started after his foster parents moved from England to Richmond. In 1821, “Edgar attended the private academy of Joseph H. Clarke,” which served to prepare young gentlemen to obtain “an honorable entrance in any University in the United States.” One of Poe’s classmates wrote a testimonial that he was one of the top students in the class (23). In The Poe Log, Thomas and Jackson list the classes that students typically ...
