EDGAR ALLAN POE / ALEMANIA.

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849); 

Nacido el 19 de enero de 1809, en Boston, hijo de Elizabeth y David Poe, actores de teatro, fue forjando su carácter a través de varios factores importantes que influyeron en su desarrollo intelectual: la herencia de sus padres tuberculosos significó, tal vez, la salud debilitada y la poca resistencia al alcohol que padeció durante su vida, la época que los Estados Unidos atravezaba y los cambios sociales que le tocaron vivir, la guerra entre el Sur y el Norte, la esclavitud, las leyendas de horror y misterio que los negros contaban, el hecho de que desde muy pequeño se quedara huérfano y el saber que vivía de la caridad, los problemas que siempre tuvo con su protector (John Allan).

Su desarrollo como ciudadano sureño (estado de Virginia),su estancia en Escocia y Londres. Todos ellos fueron cuestiones fundamentales que establecieron los cimientos de lo que sería el trabajo de Poe.

Durante su adolescencia ya empezaba a escribir poemas con los que enamoró a una larga lista de jovencitas, su mayor influencia fue Byron aunque leía todo lo que estaba a su alcance. Su vida universitaria fue rebelde y libertina, a pesar de que siempre estuvo en jaque por el poco apoyo económico que recibía por parte de su protector, también en esta época es cuando el poeta empieza a beber. Lo curioso es que unas cuantas copas bastaban para desquiciarlo; 

no tenía gran resistencia. Después de su paso por la universidad, Poe rompe relaciones con su protector y sale de su hogar hacia Boston; la miseria y el hambre lo acompañaron y no tuvo más remedio que enrolarse en el ejercito, situación que duró dos años, por lo que tuvo que volver a recurrir a John Allan en busca de ayuda, la cual le fue concedida a cambio de que aceptara un cargo en una Academia Militar, pero a los pocos meses fue despedido por negligencia en el deber, hecho que marcó el rompimiento definitivo del poeta con su protector (por esos entonces, recientemente viudo).

Con la posterior muerte de John Allan, el poeta pierde toda esperanza de que su trabajo literario se realizara en condiciones económicas favorables.

En 1832 se va a vivir con una tía y una prima a Baltimore, en donde estableció sus primeros contactos para publicar su trabajo. Luego se casó con su prima, Virginia Clemm -doce años menor que él-, con la cual vivió gran parte de su vida e influyó notoriamente en varios de los escritos del poeta.

Poe radicó en varias ciudades, Nueva York , Filadelfia, Baltimore, en donde trabajó en revistas como crítico, labor que le costó muchas enemistades por la clase de crítica que realizaba; destrozaba a sus contemporáneos. La característica principal de todos estos empleos radicaba en que recibía un sueldo mísero, pero a cambio le daban la oportunidad de publicar sus relatos y alcanzar la fama. Tristemente, sólo la fama, porque la mayor parte del tiempo vivió en la más absoluta miseria, con algunos lapsos de relativa calma.

Edgar Allan Poe escribió alrededor de sesenta cuentos, además de una serie de poemas, aunque a este género no le dedicó el tiempo que él hubiera deseado debido a su precaria situación económica. Algunos de sus relatos más conocidos son: El Escarabajo de Oro, Los Crímenes de la Calle Morgue, El Corazón Delator, El Barril de Amontillado, El Gato Negro, Eureka, La Caída de la Casa Usher, 

El Retrato Oval, La Máscara de la Muerte Roja. En los que podemos apreciar el genio de Poe, algunos, escritos en momentos de lucidez y otros producto de las crudas crisis que tenía por su afición al alcohol -y a las drogas, según afirman sus contemporáneos-. Es así como hoy han llegado hasta nuestros días todas estas joyas de la literatura, producto del genio intelectual que sólo alguien como Edgar Allan nos pudo regalar.

Al final de su difícil vida, Poe estaba hundido absolutamente en la desgracia; con la muerte de Virginia (1947), su vida se vino abajo, mantuvo relaciones con Sarah Helen Whitman y con Elmira, su novia de juventud, pero ya todo estaba resuelto, nunca se volvería a levantar.

Edgar Allan Poe murió el 7 de octubre de 1849, después de un fatigoso viaje a Richmond. Acabado, en un hospital de Baltimore, sus últimas palabras fueron: "Que Dios ayude a mi pobre alma".

EDGAR ALLAN POE

He was born on January 19, 1809, in Boston. Son of street theater actors Orphan stayed two years.

Edgar Allan was forging his character through several important factors that influenced his intellectual development.

On the one hand, the legacy of their parents tuberculosis meant, perhaps, the failing health and poor resistance to alcohol suffered during his lifetime. We can not forget how to have marked the fact that very young was orphaned and know who lived on the charity of relatives.

Moreover it must consider the time that the United States lived and the social changes that played suffer: the growing hostility between the South and the North of their country, slavery, and the legends of horror and mystery black They count.

 The boy was raised by John Allan, a wealthy businessman of Richmond (Virginia), from which it took its name. John Allan worked in sales of snuff in Virginia.

Edgar Allan Poe was educated in England and America.

Poe always had problems with John Allan and they did nothing but worsen over the relationship.

During his adolescence he began to write love poems with which a long list of women. His greatest influence was Lord Byron, but I read everything that was within reach.

College life was rebel and libertine, although that was always in check by the little financial support received by his protector. Also at this time it is when the poet starts drinking. The interesting thing is that a few drinks were enough to drive him crazy, not stand much alcohol. Finally, the young Allan was expelled from the University of Virginia per player. Then he went to Boston, after breaking relations with his stepfather.

Published in Boston in 1827, his first volume of poetry, "Tamerlane". In this work a slight inclination is denoted Byronic.

Misery and hunger acompaban and had no choice but to join the army, which did not last long, so had to return to resort to John Allan for help, which he was not granted much less after he died the wife, a fact that almost marked the break between the poet and his protectors.

In 1830 he was admitted to the Military Academy at West Point, which was soon expelled and that was when his eventful literary career would begin.

Published "Poems" in 1831 and shows a unique style and with a real twist.

With the death of John Allan, the poet lost all hope that his literary work was done under favorable economic conditions. Poe lived in several cities: New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, where he worked in various magazines as a critic, a task that cost him many enemies, for the kind of criticism that realized; then he tore his contemporaries.

In 1836 he married Virginia Clemm, a premium of thirteen. The marriage worked, though precariously, with his ever-impaired balance

Mental.

He worked in various magazines. Then living a day, as a journalist with a mediocre salary, but these activities led him to get as many jobs contributor and subsequently delivered to the address of numerous newspapers, including the "Southern Literary Messenger," which became under his leadership in the most important newspaper in the South.

The main feature of these jobs is that they received a pittance, but in return gave him the opportunity to publish their accounts and fame. Only fame, because most of the time lived abject poverty, with some periods of relative calm.

In 1847 Poe's wife dies, victim of tuberculosis. Still sunk in desolation, the author ended in 1849, the poem "Eureka". With the death of Virginia, Poe's life fell apart.

While maintaining relationships with Sarah Helen Whitman and Elmira, his high school sweetheart, who alleviated some pain, Poe had reached a point of no return.

He almost married a second time when, after celebrating the impending event with some friends, they found him dying on a street in Baltimore. He died four days later, on October 7, 1849. His last words were "God help my poor soul."

HIS WORK:

Edgar Allan Poe wrote about sixty stories, plus a number of poems, though not to this genre gave him the time he wanted, due to their precarious economic situation.

Some of his most important works are: "The black cat", "Eureka", "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Crow," "The Pit and the Pendulum," "Berenice," The Oval Portrait "and" The Masque of the Red Death ", among others.

After several prose tales such as "Extraordinary Stories" some critical articles and obtained a considerable literary reputation reached its peak in 1845 with the book "The Raven".

The truth is that neither success away to Poe of their strong tendency to depression.

Alcoholism dragged his bouts of melancholy in the same way that his melancholy dragged him to alcoholism.