Edgar Alan Poe
Poe was an American
poet, short story writer, playwright, editor, literary critic, essayist
and one of the leaders of the American Romantic Movement. Best known
for his tales of mystery and of the macabre, Poe was one of the early
American practitioners of the short story and a progenitor of detective
fiction and crime fiction. He was born in Boston in 1809 to Elizabeth
Arnold Poe and David Poe.
On October 3, 1849, Poe was found delirious on the streets of Baltimore. He was
taken to the Washington College Hospital, where he died early on the
morning of October 7.
Poe was never coherent long enough to explain how he came to be in his
dire condition, and, oddly, was wearing clothes that were not his own.
Poe is said to have repeatedly called out the name "Reynolds" on the
night before his death. Some sources say Poe's final words were "Lord
help my poor soul." The precise cause of Poe's death is disputed and has aroused great controversy.
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