Talk:Edgar Allan Poe

Horror vs macabre

On June 1,2008 An internal link to Horror fiction was put in the intro; however it was taken out by another editor siting the use of Macabre in the title. Horror fiction is distict from stating that someone is known for tale of macabre. Does anyone have any ways this can be reconciled? Nice or in evil (talk) 21:58, 12 July 2008 (UTC)

This article links to Macabre, horror fiction and even Gothic fiction. I think it's all covered in Poe's genres. --Midnightdreary (talk) 23:43, 12 July 2008 (UTC)

Thanks I wasn't looking at the info box. I just noted the June 1st change and the reason sited for it which didn't actually add up. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Nice or in evil (talk • contribs) 15:12, 18 July 2008 (UTC)

Great! Let me know if you think this can be improved or if we messed up the distinction between the genres. --Midnightdreary (talk) 20:12, 18 July 2008 (UTC)

Was Poe A Government Agent And Did He Really Die In Baltimore In 1849?

Though it has been accepted that in his life, Edgar Poe had some personal issues, and that he had an unfortunate death in Baltimore in 1849, over the years there have been some unanswered questions about "The Real Edgar Allen Poe"?

In 1934 "Israfel" The Life and Times of Edgar Allen Poe, By Hervey Allen, published by Farrar & Rinehart Inc. 1926, tells a more extended story of the poet master. The poems, tales, and stories he wrote and in some cases published, were far more deeper and profound that most of us ever imagine. Hervey Allen breaks the taboo, and brings to the surface an Edgar Poe that was involved in real intrigue, mystery, cloak and dagger encounters. The real Poe makes the fictious superspy, James Bond a mere cartoon. If we are to take seriously this biography as a more accurate telling, then we must accept him from a whole new perspective... Real.

When I was spending the summer in Virginia Beach, Virginia, I mentioned my living in Old Fordham Village, in The Bronx, near Poe's Cottage, and how in Fordham, many a rumor of Poe's real life story still echo's to this day. We got into the subject of Poe. I mentioned my speculation of Poe's death in 1849... the room went silent, and the host went to his bookshelf, and pulled out a book of poetry, written by "anonimous". To my surprise... it read like Poe, and said that he didn't die in Baltimore afterall? When I read the publishing date of the poem, it was 1853!

In 1875, another earlier published book on Poe "In Defence of Poe", By Dr. Robert Moran, opens a real can of worms to ponder over. Dr. Moran claims that in 1849, he was the residing physician at Washington Hospital in Baltimore, when the practically half-dead Poe was brought into the hospital ward. In his own words, he tells as a witness the last moments of Poe's life... but wait a minute... if you read between the lines, Dr. Moran's telling is even more profound! He opens the door just enough to try to tell you the true story. When you finally grasp the real story of what really happened to Poe in Baltimore, and why certain queer moments don't add up... it makes you think that Dr. Moran knew something else about Poe, and secretly tells us in bits and pieces. If you read both Allen and Moran's books back to back, you will begin to question if Poe was living a secret double life... and that he survived his ordeal, to live under an assumed name. Poe's present myth will need to be debunked. Oh Yes... Nevermore!

Aedwardmoch (talk) 04:28, 29 July 2008 (UTC)AedwardmochAedwardmoch (talk) 04:28, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

Dr. John Moran (not Robert) was a quack who was trying to add more than 5 minutes to his fame when he was approaching senility; he made the story interesting in order to make more money off of it. Even so, he never asserts anything about Poe being a secret agent (nor did you, in your post here, other than in the title). Hervey Allen, as far as I know, does not make that note either. Once you publish your conspiracy theory (preferably in coherent English) in a scholarly journal or the like, we can consider adding it here. Until then, this is just water cooler gossip. PS: Poe's "unfortunate death in Baltimore" was in 1849, not 1949... unless you're saying he lived to be 140 years old while a secret government agent? --Midnightdreary (talk) 13:33, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps you need to contact The Bronx County Society regarding "Dr. Robert Moran's Book" that is part of their BCHS reference library... sorry but I was a member of The BSHS and was shown a 1st. edition of "The Book" by Professor Lloyd Ultan, who is one of the official historians for The City of New York. Also I had a copy myself, till I lent it to a NASA contracted scientist working at JPL in California who is a Edgar Allen Poe fan.

Aedwardmoch (talk) 05:54, 30 July 2008 (UTC)AedwardmochAedwardmoch (talk) 05:54, 30 July 2008 (UTC)

Fringe theory. --Saddhiyama (talk) 23:58, 25 September 2008 (UTC)

Edgar Allan Poe Ciphers solved

• Of Interest-see [[1]]

Can't think of a title

someone might add that Edgar and his wife were a happier couple than most... I found that in another biography
VFD642 (talk) 23:16, 3 September 2008 (UTC)

Seems a bit of a violation to point of view policy. Even so, Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe's article makes a mention of their happy marriage (though it doesn't say they were better than most). --Midnightdreary (talk) 00:09, 4 September 2008 (UTC)

oh ok
VFD642 (talk) 00:14, 4 September 2008 (UTC)

West Point

I recently came across this interesting and rather strange piece of information, Edgar Allen Poe never completed west point academy because he turned up to a public parade wearing only his white belt and gloves! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.143.219.185 (talk) 11:19, 5 September 2008 (UTC)

Yes, that rumor has been going around for decades. It's interesting, but it's also completely untrue. --Midnightdreary (talk) 11:55, 5 September 2008 (UTC)

About how John Allan received his fortune

The English Wikipedia states that a William Galt was a "friend and business benefactor", but the German Wikipedia says that Allan inherited the fortune from an uncle named James Galt (1820 beendete John Allan erfolglos seinen Englandaufenthalt und kehrte mit der Familie nach Richmond zurück, wo er die nächsten Jahre bis zum Tod seines Onkels James Galt relativ bescheiden lebte.) The E. A. Poe Society of Baltimore website has a detailed timeline of Poe's life[2], which says "1825 (March 26) - John Allan's uncle William Galt dies in Richmond. John Allan is named in Galt's will and inherits a comfortable fortune." I had assumed this information to be correct, and since both this and the English Wikipedia gives the name as William Galt, I went about and edited the German Wikipedia. However, the English one is both starred and locked, so I can't make sure whether Galt was a "friend" or an "uncle." Can anyone provide further verification? Piatigorsky (talk) 07:54, 19 September 2008 (UTC)

It's funny you should ask that. I have seen sources that refer to Galt as an uncle, but I have not confirmed that they were really relatives, rather than "uncle" just being a nickname. The source that I used for this article only refers to him as a friend. --Midnightdreary (talk) 11:05, 19 September 2008 (UTC)

Death of Edgar Allan Poe

His death is one of the most controversial deaths in history. He may have died from any number of things, rabies, alchohal, opium, and many more. The world may never know what caused it, any ideas? I mean no disrespect from this comment, and I do not wish to offend anyone. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Girhawk (talk • contribs) 02:27, 30 September 2008 (UTC)

No one is offended... but keep in mind this page is not to discuss the subject of the article, but to discuss improvements to the article itself. See at the very top, it says: "This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Edgar Allan Poe article... This is not a forum for general discussion about the article's subject." --Midnightdreary (talk) 02:56, 30 September 2008 (UTC)

There are a number of scholars that have researched Poe and found that Poe was not an alcoholic, rather he had a disease or condition that created health issues when Poe consumed alcohol. Scholars found that one of Poe's rivals actually started the rumor that Poe was an alcoholic after Poe died. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.11.211.95 (talk) 18:17, 1 October 2008 (UTC)

Errr... thanks. See Death of Edgar Allan Poe and Rufus Wilmot Griswold. --Midnightdreary (talk) 19:14, 1 October 2008 (UTC)

Dark Romanticism

I notice that the article introduction links to the Romantic Movement and though it is true that he was a member of this movement, it seems insufficient to me. Poe is the archetype of the Dark Romanticists. Should we modify the article to point out that he was an author of Dark Romanticism and link to that article (which fortunately already links to this Poe article)? Seems like an important fact to me.

I should add that I realize the "genre" section mentions that he is considered part of the Dark Romanticism movement (and that Poe disliked it and it's ties to transcendentalism) but the fact remains that he did write Dark Romanticism and the article intro could perhaps be improved by incorporating this fact. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 35.13.81.19 (talk) 13:37, 1 October 2008 (UTC)

Also, It is untrue that "Poe's best known works of fiction are Gothic." His best know fiction works are Dark Romanticism utilizing many Gothic elements for Romantic effect! This is certainly a fact, can we find a source to substantiate it? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 35.13.81.19 (talk) 13:42, 1 October 2008 (UTC)

Regarding his "best known works"... I think it depends on how people define Gothic tales. It seems to me that the general concensus both in the mainstream and in the academic world is that he was a Gothic writr. "Dark Romanticism" hasn't quite caught on as much. But, anyway, take another look: the article already does link to Dark Romanticism (which is a subgenre of Romanticism; appropriately, the lead just gives the general overview and then the rest of the article gets more specific, as in this case... in other words, look past the lead and you'll see the nitty-gritty details). --Midnightdreary (talk) 15:24, 1 October 2008 (UTC)

Genre (revisited)

The genre sections states, "Beyond horror, Poe also wrote satires, humor tales, and hoaxes." Perhaps we should also include a statement which points out that Poe's satires, hoaxes, and humorous tales actually significantly outnumber his horror writings. That fact seems important to me in defining the man himself. Thoughts (Midnightdreary)? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 35.13.81.19 (talk) 13:48, 1 October 2008 (UTC)

I think that would be original research unless we can find a source that makes the claim. I know it's correct (I've done the math myself) but I have yet to see a published source make a note of it. --Midnightdreary (talk) 15:21, 1 October 2008 (UTC)

Early Life

The Early Life sections includes the following phrase "William Galt, said to be one of the wealthiest man in Richmond," Could someone change "man" to "men" please? Thanks. (You know, locking this article is rather insulting to those of us who have no intention of vandalizing. What authority is necessary to be able to contribute to this article by direct edits?). —Preceding unsigned comment added by MorbidAnatomy (talk • contribs) 14:21, 1 October 2008 (UTC)

Sorry about the lock-out; it's only temporary but this page is massively attacked with vandalism at the beginning of every school year. Please don't be insulted. I'll go ahead and make the change on your behalf - it was a good catch! --Midnightdreary (talk) 15:18, 1 October 2008 (UTC)

Sexuality

My grandmother says that Edgar A. Poe was homosexual, Her source to say that is a book about brithish homosexuals, I told her that Edgar was american and not european (she claim he was brithish), I also told her that Poe was married to his cousin. But she say that her euro-gay book is right and Edgar was a Brithish Homosexual, can someone search for that or can some one tell me that she is completly wrong?ceding unsigned comment added by 207.248.40.6 (talk) 21:43, 2 October 2008 (UTC)

She's wrong. Just plain wrong. I'll admit a number of 19th century writers had questionable sexuality (not just Walt Whitman but also Herman Melville and even Rufus Wilmot Griswold) but Poe is not and has never been on that list. Nor has he ever been British. I can't even entertain how silly that is. --Midnightdreary (talk) 22:47, 2 October 2008 (UTC)

Ummm...WHAT?!? I'm trying really hard to imagine what Virginia Poe, Annie Richmond, Sarah Helen Whitman, Fanny Osgood, Sarah Elmira Royster Shelton, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning would have to say regarding this matter...but I'm so frustrated by it all I can't even think straight! I will probably lose sleep over this tonight! —Preceding unsigned comment added by MorbidAnatomy (talk • contribs) 03:52, 4 October 2008 (UTC)