Poe was devastated for several months after her death. "The death of his wife was a painful blow to him," a friend stated of him. Nonetheless, Frances Sargent Osgood, whom Poe also tried to woo, thought "that [Virginia] was the only lady he ever loved."
Poe's last words, as related by John Ward Lockwood: "My wife—my angel!"
As for marriage itself, it had many problems in 1830s America, especially since Virginia opposed it because she could not get married for money like most women of her time. Also, she feared that if she got married it would stop her career as a poet. Finally, she did not love Edgar Allan Poe and felt trapped when they married. She died before she could show him how much she loved him. Even so, Poe never married again.
He believed that marriage was a social institution designed by society for its members' benefit and nothing more. It was not meant to be lived up to all the time by both parties or anything like that. It was just something that needed to be done now and then if someone was able to handle it well enough. As he once said: "Marriage is a great mystery/ The solution of which is beyond my power to find./ Be happy while you live together/ And forgive each other soon or late.'"
In fact, marriage was very difficult for Poe himself.
Unlike her chilly and aloof merchant husband, Frances was a devoted foster mother. "Your affection I never valued-but she, I feel, loved me as her own kid," Poe later told John Allan. Poe's first love "He was dedicated to the first Mrs. Allan and she to him," Sarah Elmira Royster stated. More information on the second Mrs. Allan can be found here.
Poe was only eight years old when he was placed in the care of Mr. and Mrs. Bryan. The Allans had three other children already, so they probably just took him in until they could find another place for him. He wrote about them in some of his poems: "Oh, my friends! you who know my griefs, despair, and loneliness, picture to yourselves an orphan child, without friend or helper, except such as these poor people could give. Anxious about money matters, I should have gone to my uncle William Clark at Baltimore if I had one. As it was, I knew nothing about life or human nature. I saw my parents shot before my eyes, and carried by strangers into a distant land. There I met again only those who had taken me away, and now they too were to be torn from me. "The memory of all this will forever stain America.
Frances Bryan was about to go through a similar experience. Her husband was planning to leave on a business trip to New York City, but first he sent her along to look after the kids.
Edgar Allan Poe was an American poet and short story writer who addressed themes of death, regret, and lost love. His work influenced many later poets and writers, including William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe.
Poe was born on January 19th, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents were both well-off families who had traveled from England to pursue their dreams of becoming lawyers. When Edgar was only seven years old, his father died while fighting for our country in the War of 1812. This left the family with no choice but to move back to England to settle the estate. While there, Edgar's mother married another man, this time a British official named John Allan. He owned a large shipping company and lived in Scotland.
Allan was not happy about the marriage and refused to have anything to do with the family once they returned home. He also took away Edgar's inheritance and gave it to other people instead. This forced Edgar's mother to start working as a clerk at a high school so she could support them. She died when Edgar was nineteen years old.
After her death, he decided to leave school and go to Europe. There, he wanted to become a writer and try to make a name for himself.
What is Poe's attitude regarding women? He felt they were "angelic" and magnificent since they were always there for him. Death of those he cared about, destitution, and drinking had a negative effect on Poe. He became cynical and misogynistic.
Poe was born into poverty in Boston. His father was a writer who died when Edgar was only seven years old. Since then, his mother worked hard to support her family. She wanted her son to have a better life than she had, so at a young age, she sent him to live with his older brother John Henry. This action saved Edgar from poverty and insecurity.
Edgar grew up reading literature books from the library. The works that influenced him the most were Shakespeare's plays and Byron's poems. It is believed that this is what caused him to want to be a writer someday.
When Poe was only twenty-one years old, he met Sarah Helen Whitman. They fell in love and got married. But it didn't last long since Poe went through several marriages after his first. None of them lasted more than three years.
In addition to marrying too early, Poe also showed a lack of commitment by leaving his wives. This may have caused him to become a misanthrope, or one who hates mankind.