Did Poe Ever
Find Peace?
Over the mountains of the moon,
down the valley of the shadow,
”Ride boldly ride," the Shade replied,
"if you seek for Eldorado."
To put it mildly, Edgar Allen Poe led a troubled life. But part of the fascination for this gifted writer was his life.
On January 19, 1809, he was born to two itinerant actors. He was orphaned at the age of three and later taken in by John Allan and his wife who enrolled him in an academy run by William Burke.
His troubles started when he was forced to leave the University of Virginia due to drinking and gambling, even though he was one of the school’s top students. This disappointment was followed by another when he learned his sweetheart, Elmira Royster, had become engaged to another man. He contined his drinking until his stepfather disowned him.
He entered the Army but was discharged and after pleading with his stepfather for funding he entered West Point in 1830, only to be court-marshaled and discharged because of his drinking problem. It was the last straw for his stepfather who said he never wanted to see him again.
Three fruitless years later, his short story (MS Found In A Bottle) was published and he began to make a meager living with his writing.
His genius, though frequently clouded with alcohol and drugs. was enough to gain him an editorial post. At this time, he fell in love and soon married his fourteen-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm, But even her youthful devotion was unable to quiet his tormented soul. He continued his drinking and drugs and lost his job.
On April 6, 1844, he moved to New York with his ailing young wife and landed a job with The New York Mirror. The following year his poem, The Raven, received national recognition. But his joy was short-lived. His young wife succumbed to tuberculosis and died.
Again, he fell apart and stayed in a stupor for almost a year.
Plagued by severe headaches, deep depression, and frequent attempts at suicide, he somehow managed to write brilliantly. His utter despair inked itself upon each new page with words like this: “Thank heaven the crisis – the danger– is past, and the lingering illness is over at last.” Then once again, fate dangled hope before him.
It was in August of 1849 that the former Elmira Royster, now widowed, rekindled her love for him. A wedding was planned for October. At last, it seemed he would find true happiness.
But on the third of October, he was found facedown in front of a saloon, drunk and badly beaten. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but it was too late. After four days of torment and suffering, he cried out his last words: “Lord, help my poor soul!”
He died without a single soul around to grieve his passing.
On October 9, 1849, his body was lowered into the damp cold earth and covered with dirt, a scene he had written about many times.
To this day, nobody can be certain if Edgar Allan Poe now rests in peace or not.