Edgar Allan Poe Biography

Edgar Allan Poe was born in 1809. In this time period many countries were fighting for independence such as Mexico, Greece, Chile, and Peru. When Edgar Allan Poe was no more than three his parents had died and he was made to live with a tobacco merchant in Richmond. Poe's two siblings had went to live with other families. His sister became a school teacher and his brother was a poet until his early death. He went to a school while living in England for five years. At just 13 he had enough poems to publish a book but was advised against it. He moved back to america with the Allans from 1821-1825. 
In 1826 he went to Virginia University, but was overcome with debt. He took up gambling to try to win money back but ended up losing most of his money.  He was so in debt that he burned his furniture to keep warm. He purposely failed out of university and went back home. He had a fight with John Allen because Edgar claimed he didn't give him enough money for university expenses. Allen was upset with Edgar because he spent all of his money gambling. When Edgar got to Richmond, he realized that when he was away his fiancée married another man. He then enlisted in the army in 1827. France Allan dies in 1829. Edgar is discharged from the army a month after her death.  He moves to Baltimore and lives with his aunt and her daughter in 1831. Edgar falls in love with her daughter ( his 13 year old cousin, Virginia) and marries her in 1836. In 1834, John Allan dies, and leaves Edgar out of his will.  In 1847, his wife dies, and he becomes ill. 1849, he gets engaged to the same women that married another man in his absence. He dies the same year, after he is found delirious and unconscience in Baltimore. 

After Edgar meets his cousin he publishes the poem " To Helen". To Helen talks about how beautiful a women is, this could be referring to Virginia, or his aunt who took him in when he was so poor. The poem "Annabel Lee" could be thought to be about Virginia and her death. It's about a young love and about how a cool wind came in and killed her. Edgar and Virginia fell in love when they were young, and Edgar married Virginia when she was 13. This is seen in his poem "Annabel Lee".