Edgar Allan Poe's Impact on American Literature

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Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most influential writers of the horror genre in American history. His horror stories have impacted numerous authors and their stories over the years. Various people have tried to copy his way of writing style, but they have failed to achieve the success he did. Even though Poe is no longer living, his impact on American literature can still be felt today.
Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19, 1809. Even though Edgar Allan Poe did not grow up around his biological parents, his parents were both actors. “His father left the family early on, and his mother passed away when he was only three.” (“Biography”) Since Poe did not have any parents around, he went to live with John and Frances Allan. Poe attended both the University of Virginia and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. In the 1830's Poe moved in with his aunt and cousin, Virginia, whom he would end up marrying. She was thirteen years of age when they married. In 1835 Poe obtained a job at the Southern Literary Messenger. While he was working there he was able to publish a few novels in a hope of his works receiving notice from others. In 1837 Poe left the Southern Literary Messenger due to various issues that were present in his life. After the death of his wife, Virginia, and an alcohol problem which would strain a lot of his relationships with other people, Poe finally died on October 7, 1847.
Poe did not know that the poems and stories he wrote and published while he was alive, would generate an impact on countless people after his death in 1847. Poe's story called The Murders in the Rue Morgue and his poem The Raven were the two works that set Poe apart from numerous of the authors during the time that he wa...

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...e the horror genre might not have become as popular as it is now. Poe thought that he was just writing to express his thoughts and feelings, but what he did not realize that his works would change American Literature forever.

Works Cited

Hockensmith, Steve. Evermore: “The Enduring Influence of Edgar Allan Poe.” mysteryscene.com. N.p. 1St Edition. Web. 17 April 2014.
Iorillo, Joseph. Edgar Allan Poe in the Shadow of the Raven. N.p: Dark Realms Magazine, 2002. noxarcana.com. Web. 17 April 2014.
Wyatt-Brown, Bentram. Poe's Raven: Influence, Alienation, and Art. N.p: Ideas, 1999. naturalhumanitiescenter.org. Web. 17 April 2014.
“Edgar Allan Poe: Biography.” biography.com. 1St Edition. Web. 17 April 2014.
“How the Nineteenth Century Influenced Poe and How Poe Influenced the Development of Detective Fiction and Mysteries.” ncsu.edu. 1St Edition. Web. 17 April 2014

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