Poor Edgar Allan Poe drank himself into troubled relationships and failed literary appointments in several cities.
After his death, monuments and museums were created in three places in which Poe had labored successfully for parts of his short career.
Baltimore, Maryland; New York, New York; and Richmond, Virginia - each city maintains a building devoted to the literary memory of Edgar Allan Poe.
Some time ago, in a Gather conversation with Stephanie B. (Rocket Scientist of Gather), I mentioned having seen the Poe Museum in Richmond.
Although Poe never lived in this historic building, one of the earliest in the neighborhood (and the last surviving example of its kind), it is close to the place where he did live. The offices of the Southern Literary Messanger, of which Poe was the quondam editor, were located nearby.
The writing desk, chair, and other furnishings of the house are Poe's. Many manuscripts and letters of Poe are exhibited in the rooms of the house and an adjoining building.
The mother of Edgar Allen Poe is buried in the nearby churchyard of the historic St. John's Church (the site of Patrick Henry's impassioned speech).
Other interesting facts about the Shrine (established in 1921) can be found in the Wiki article:
(According to the Wiki, The City of Richmond refused to erect a statue of Poe because he was a "disreputable character". If one polled many of Poe's comtemporaries, including his creditors, literary agents, and some family members, this was true.)
Here are vintage postcards (circa 1925) showing the Poe Shrine:
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I am publishing this article to the group, Chateau Gatheraux, since any discussion of Poe ought to occur over drinks.
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Comments: 21
I have attended services at St. John's.
"Quote the Bullfinch, WTF."
I remember this line a little differently, Ron, but the meaning is the same.
Very true, Shelia.
Rehabilitation of reputations often begins at death for literary figures.
During my research, I've come across assertions that he had a brain lesion (as opposed to dying of delirium tremens) and several reports that he was not a drunk but was rather one of those overcome by alcohol even in the tiniest amounts. In a world where wines and spirits were the norm for fluid intake (given alcohol's antiseptic qualities in a world before water purification), avoiding alcohol was nearly impossible.
I can't speak to the veracity of these reports and I have never seen any evidence that his pecuniary difficulties were anything other than being chronically underpaid for timeless work. I remember the irony in reading how he would edit for a magazine that might pay James Fenimore Cooper (I think that's the one they quoted) twenty times what they would pay Poe for a short story for their magazine. For "The Raven" he was paid, I think, $25.
Poe, of course, was not the only notable writer who dwelled in squalor or knew acclaim but not the fortune that one might think to accompany it. But he was certainly one of them.
Yeah, I'm a fan. Thanks for pointing me to this, Peter. I'm sorry I missed it the first time through.
The middle name is spelled both "Allen" and "Allan" on postcards I have seen.
So...are You the mysterious Poe Visitor to his resting spot each year?
I read recently a theory that he was not found wandering the streets drunk, then died, but was attacked by some shady characters. (Must follow up on his life and death charts. Will link to this article if/when i do.) The theory continues that a rival spread the rumors about drunkeness (at least on that particular occasion, not sure about the rest of Poe's revelries - or drugs.)
Well, drunk on the street or victim of attack, his was a sad end come too soon.
But a sudden, mysterious end never seems right, does it? His orphanic life of foster parentage and sibling illness (sister) and death (brother) had to have affected his immune system, too, not to mention opium use and the alcohol he had attempted to give up. Sad. Esp if it's true his old 'friends' from West Point had invited him to a 'Champagne Supper' - sounds charming yet it led him astray.
And I'm not certain that political 'cooping' wasn't part of his last days, as some suggest - it would explain why there's no record of his whereabouts from when he arrived by steamship in Baltimore - until he was found in the streets. They would have kidnapped and beat him until he voted their way, perhaps several times over (the Whigs)
One thing I know: under the current US health care system he would never have gotten insurance with his pre-existing conditions.
I wanted to 'do something' for Mr. Poe whose works I've always admired, plus Oct 7 - Wednesday - is the 160th anniversary of his mysterious demise.