Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was orphaned in 1811 when his father’s abandonment was followed by his mother’s death. Best known for tales of the macabre, Poe is also considered the inventor of detective fiction. He married his thirteen-year-old cousin, whose early death may have inspired such recurring themes as premature burial, reanimation, and mourning. Poe was also the author of such poems as “The Raven” and “Annabel Lee,” as well as the literary criticism for which he was known during his life. He was buried in Baltimore, after a death surrounded by mystery.
WORKS THAT HAVE APPEARED IN NARRATIVE:
- The Masque of the Red Death, a short story, in Winter 2021
- The Black Cat, a short story, in Winter 2011