Edgar Allan Poe And Detective Fiction

Research Paper

Is Detective fiction exciting? Does Gothic fiction sound interesting? An American author named Edgar Allan Poe shaped and molded those two genres. In fact, Poe fathered the Detective genre, and many modern authors still utilize his writing style. His terrifying works of Gothic fiction affected the modern “realm of horror” from novels to movies, traces of Poe’s style still lurk about. Poe’s life inspired him to write the way he did in ways that also inspired others.

Edgar Allan Poe’s most unfortunate life began in Boston January 19th, 1809. His parents were Elizabeth and David Poe, both professional actors. Three years later, Poe’s father disappeared and his mother died, rendering him a helpless orphan. His remaining family members split up and sent Poe to live with the Allan’s in Richmond, Virginia, taking their last name as his middle name. Although the Allan’s never formally adopted him, they took care of Edgar Allan Poe and gave him an amazing education. In 1826, Poe joined the University of Virginia. About a year into his enrollment, Edgar lost two thousand dollars in gambling. His stepfather refused to assist him, forcing Poe to support himself. This caused Poe to enlist in the army for a five-year term. During that time, he earned the rank of sergeant major, the highest possible rank a non-commissioned soldier could reach. After desiring to resume his education, Poe arranged to enroll at West Point Academy. Poe passed the entrance exam and enrolled at