On this date in 1849, Edgar Allan Poe died in Baltimore. The exact cause of his death are still unknown and theories have included alcoholism, porphryria (What George III had), heart problems, murder, rabies, and carbon monoxide. On October 3, 1849, after being missing for five days, a delirious Poe was found on the streets of Baltimore and taken to Washington Medical College. He was wearing clothes that were not his but never gained consciousness to explain why, nor why he was in Baltimore. He’d left Virginia the week before, bound for New York.
After Poe died, Rufus Wilmot Griswold, who’d long borne a grudge against Poe, set upon destroying Poe’s reputation. Griswold wrote an obituary (under an assumed name), an article and ultimately a biography of Poe that depicted Poe as a depraved drunkard and drug addict. The biography was disputed by those who knew Poe. Poe was not, for example, a drug addict. Griswold’s hope to destroy Poe’s literary reputation backfired, though. His biography became popular and sparked a great interest and respect for Poe’s works that had been absent during his lifetime. Poe has become one of America’s literary greats, while Griswold is only remembered as his biographer.
This is interesting, you say, but what does it have to do with the Regency?
In 1815, when Poe was about six years old, he moved with his foster parents, the Allans (he was orphaned at 3 and taken in by the Allans) to Britain, attending school briefly in Irvine, Scotland, before rejoining the Allans in London in 1816. He attended boarding schools in Chelsea and Stoke Newington before he and the family moved back to Richmond, Virginia, in 1820.
During the time the characters in our books were engaging in their fascinating romances, little Edgar Allan Poe was sitting on a wooden bench nearby studying his lessons. One has to wonder what effect those years in and around Regency London had on him.
Do you have a favorite Poe story or poem?
By the way, I have the cover for A Marriage of Notoriety, book 2 in The Masquerade Club series, due on bookstore shelves Dec 17. There’s a great deal on the book at Amazon right now. You can pre-order the paperback at $3.90, almost half price
I love cover art for your new book…looks very romantic. (I know that may sound obvious, but as we know, not all cover art succeeds at this!) I preordered! Yea!!! I am looking forward to it.
I didn’t realize that poor Poe was blasted by the guy that hated him. It’s interesting how it backfired. It’s also interesting that he was growing up during Regency times. I had not ever put that time line together!
I love Poe. I know everyone loves The Raven, and I do, too. It really is quite magical and ominous and relentless. I also like The Pit and the Pendulum, The Cask of Amantillado, and the poem about Annabel Lee (sp.?).
No one wrote quite like him.
Have a great day! Mary Keesling
Interesting, Diane! I never realized Poe spent five years of his life across the pond. Because I live in Rhode Island, all we ever hear about are his connections to Providence. The poor tortured fellow, what a terrible end, although it was macabre enough to have fit in with his writings! He was a brilliant writer, there’s no question about that.
Interesting how the black picture of him survives to this day. I admit I’m not a huge fan of Poe.
You’re cover is gorgeous, and I’ve put the book on my wish list!
That cover is lovely, Diane!
As for Poe, I read him in school but haven’t studied him much since. Has anyone has ever come up with a fictionalized account uncovering the mystery of his death? It’s not really in my line to write, but it could be very cool.
LOVE your new cover, O Divine One!
I am a huge Poe fan! I love everything he wrote. The Fall of the House of Usher is probably my favorite.
And for an interesting take on his death check out the film The Raven starring John Cusak as Poe. It really was well done.