Edgar Allan Poe is a famous American poet who lived from 1809-1849. He wrote many short stories and he was a journalist and a literary critic. He was born in Boston in January 19th, 1809. His parents died when he was about two years old, so he was orphaned and then he was sent to live with the family of Allans in Richmond. He was never officially adopted by the Allans and he was eventually disowned by the family. Edgar Allan Poe won a short story contest in 1833, and two years later became a literary critic for a magazine. In 1836 he married his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia. He became nationally famous upon the publication of his poem The Raven in 1845. He drank infrequently but intensely and this gave him a bad reputation. However, he continued to produce excellent short stories which brought him respect in America, England, and France. Many of Poe's stories take place in Paris. Unfortunately, after the death of Poe's wife in 1847, he fell apart and died two years later in October 7th, 1849.
             Edgar Allan Poe's hard life has helped to the sad and haunting tone in all of his creative works. The theme of death reveals itself often throughout his short stories and poems. Poe used terrible details to fully encompass the disturbing feelings he carried every day in his soul. The repeating theme in his short stories reflects his own fear and fascination with his own death. Poe wrote about fantasies he was not permitted to live out. He used his writing as a release. He was always in emotional pain and the idea of Death always haunted him and this showed throughout his writing. He was deeply hurt by the deaths of his loved ones, and he interpreted his deep thoughts into his poems and short stories. He filled his characters with his own fantasies that he could not live out. His tragic life along with his talented mind gave his work a dark mood which mostly revolved around death. His deep emotions make him one of America's greatest poet...