Edger Allan Poe is a world-renowned literary figure and one of the most lauded American authors. Poe is most famous for his influence on Gothic literature, particularly Southern Gothic literature. He considered himself primarily a poet, but he also wrote short stories and literary criticism.
Poe was born in Boston in 1809, and his parents died before he was three years old. After that, he was adopted by a wealthy tradesman named John Allan. Allan and his wife raised Poe as their son. In 1827, after attending the University of Virginia, Poe enlisted in the army. Before he enlisted, he published Tamerlane and Other Poems, a volume of poetry. He left the army to attend West Point. While he...