Edgar Allen Poe
...iles in the James River under a hot June sun, against a strong tide. At an early age Poe was described as quiet, shy-looking but handsome man; he was slightly built, and was five feet, eight inches in height. His mouth was considered beautiful. His eyes, with long dark lashes, were hazel-gray. Poe registered at the University of Virginia on February 14, 1826, in its second year of existence. Edgar was very young to attend the University. The average age for attending the university was about nineteen years back in 1830, while Edgar was only a month past seventeen. The student life was a mess and at times even dangerous. During a riot in the school's first year, masked students threw bricks and bottles at the professors. During Edgar's year, seven students were expelled or suspended for high-stakes gambling. He was expelled for not paying his gambling debts. This led to a quarrel with Allan who prevented his return to the university and broke off Poe's engagement to Sarah Elmira Royster, his Richmond fiancé. Allan would later disown him. Edgar led a reckless life roaming the streets and drank a lot. He sometimes took his brother's identity to mislead every one around him. He sometimes used the alias Henri Le Rennet, a French version of Henry Leonard. At the time no one knew where Edgar went, but some letters were said to be sent from St. Petersburg, Russia. In 1827 Poe joined the U.S. Army as a common soldier under assumed name and age. Later the same year he had become an artificer, blacksmith or similar mechanic and earned $10 per month. On New Year's Day 1829 he was promoted to sergeant major for artillery, the highest possible rank for non commissioned officers, above sergeant and just below second lieutenant. In 1830 Poe entered West Point after being on the waiting list for some time. The barracks were located on the Hudson River about fifty miles from New York City. The new cadets were sent out in the field, and they were trained in using arms and fieldwork. At the end of August Edgar and the corps moved to the barracks to begin their academic education. They were advised to gain expertise in few subjects rather than skimming the surface of several, so Edgar took only French and Mathematics. In October he was ranked as one of the best in French and in November also in Math. In the general examination in January he distinguished himself again - he placed himself as seventeenth in Math and third in French. After these examinations the class had diminished from originally 130 cadets to 87, of which 24 would finally graduate. Poe pleaded with Allan for money but none came. So Poe decided to protest by neglecting his studies till money was sent. He was dishonorably discharged, for intentional neglect of his duties. In 1833 he lived in Baltimore with his father's sister. After winning a prize of $50 for the short story MS Found in a Bottle, he started a career as a staff member of various magazines. During these years he wrote some of his best-known stories. Poe published fiction, probably his most horrifying tale, Berenice, in the Messenger, but most of his contributions were serious reviews that earned him respect as a critic. He loved Dickens and a few others but devoted most of his attention to devastating reviews of popular authors of his time. His contributions definitely increased the magazine's circulation, but they offended its owner, who also took exception to Poe's drinking. The January 1837 issue of the Messenger announced Poe's withdrawal as editor but also included the first installment of his long prose tale, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, five of his reviews, and two of his poems. This was to be the pattern for Poe's career, success as an artist and editor but failure to satisfy his life The year 1846 was a tragic one. Poe rented the little cottage at Fordham, where he lived the last three years of his life. The Broadway Journal failed and he suffered from medical depression. Poe found some success in life however when his proposal of marriage to his 13-year-old cousin Virginia Clemm was accepted; in 1932 they would wed. She burst a blo...
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by Buttstewey