Edgar Allan Poe was a true literary genius. But then rumors and rivalries nearly destroyed his legacy.

Perhaps you’ve had the courage to read his works on your own. Perhaps you only know his name from the “Treehouse of Horrors” special episodes of The Simpsons. In any case, you’ve heard of Edgar Allan Poe, that prolific 19th-century author who wrote dozens of terrifying poems and short stories throughout his career. Despite his success and the difficulties he faced along the way, Poe was much more than just a macabre mind.

Edgar was born into the Poe family in 1809. He was the child of equally artistic parents, both of whom were actors, but neither had a long career. His father abandoned the family just one year after Poe’s birth, and his mother lost her battle with tuberculosis in 1811.

Already an orphan, Poe was taken in by John Allan. Allan was a prosperous merchant who had Poe baptized in 1812 and ensured that he received a proper education shortly thereafter. Although Poe lived with him for some time, the Allans accepted him but never officially adopted him.

Some might rightly call Poe a prodigy. At the tender age of 13, he had reportedly already written enough poems to fill a book. His love of the written word paved the way for an early anthology, but Poe’s inspiration also stemmed from his admiration for Lord Byron. Although the collection was submitted to publishers, it was ultimately never published, as his editor convinced Poe’s father not to have it published. 

For some, higher education is a risky gamble, but Poe gave new meaning to that expression. In 1826, he enrolled at the University of Virginia, a strict institution with rules prohibiting recreational activities such as gambling and alcohol. However, the warnings fell on deaf ears, and Poe racked up significant gambling debts before dropping out in 1827—a decision that led him to take on a series of odd jobs and strained his relationship with his adoptive father.

Deep in debt and desperately in need of money, Poe enlisted in the army in 1827. On his enlistment form, he claimed to be 22 years old, though he was actually only 18. He served for two years and rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a sergeant major in the artillery. However, even a successful military career could not quell his artistic spirit, and he soon sought to return home.

An impressive military career was not Poe’s only achievement at that time. He may have been too young for the army, but he was not too young to officially publish his first work at the age of 18—a collection of poems titled Tamerlane and Other Poems.

The relationship between Poe and Allan was tumultuous, to say the least, and it proved difficult to secure an honorable discharge. His commanding officer would only grant his request if Poe obtained his father’s consent, which he did not receive until years later. It was not Poe’s letters that broke Allan’s silence, but the tragic death of Allan’s wife. Poe was discharged in 1829, and in 1830, after his father remarried, he was officially disowned following complaints from Allan’s new wife.

Free to live the life he wanted, Poe took up writing without much reward. It took him some time to gain recognition, but once he did, he became the first American author to make a living solely from writing. The 1830s were a prosperous period in terms of accolades, with various awards and publications.

In 1835, Poe, then 26 years old, obtained a marriage license with his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm. The nature of their relationship has long been a subject of debate, especially since he referred to her in his letters as both a sister and his “dear little wife.”

Poe first published his short story “Bérénice” in the Southern Literary Messenger in 1835. It may not be as well known as “The Tell-Tale Heart” or “The Raven,” but this dark little story was so macabre that the general public complained to the publisher until a revised version was published in 1840.

In 1841, Poe revolutionized the world of writing. His short story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is often considered the first modern detective novel, and went on to inspire countless renowned authors. In fact, die-hard Sherlock Holmes fans have Poe to thank, as he was Arthur Conan Doyle’s primary source of inspiration for his novel.

In 1841, Poe was a full-time writer and co-editor of Graham’s Magazine, but he wrote much more than just short stories. He had a keen interest in cryptography and a deep knowledge of the field; two ciphers he published that year under the name W. B. Tyler remained undeciphered for decades.

Success is not without its pitfalls, and Poe was a living testament to the dark side of publishing. Most notable was his rivalry with Rufus W. Griswold, an acclaimed critic and anthologist with whom Poe frequently clashed in the 1840s. In 1845, Poe also publicly criticized Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a highly regarded poet, for plagiarism and for “writing brilliant poems—by accident.”

Not only did Poe invent genres, but he also spearheaded the success of preexisting ones. By exploring science fiction in some of his stories, he propelled the genre to wider success and inspired greats such as Jules Verne and Arthur C. Clarke.

His wife showed signs of tuberculosis in 1842. She held on for five years before the disease took her life in 1847. This loss proved too much for Poe to bear; he began drinking, fell into depression, and stopped writing as frequently.

Barely two years later, Poe was found on the streets of Baltimore, rambling incoherently and wearing someone else’s clothes. He was taken to the hospital, where his condition only worsened: he kept repeating “Reynolds” (a name that remains unknown to this day), suffered bouts of delirium, and eventually died a few days later. Newspapers reported that the official cause of death was “cerebral congestion.” All relevant medical records remain lost to this day, and no one knows what actually happened.

Even his death did not stop his rival from writing a scathing obituary in the New York Tribune. Rufus W. Griswold adopted the pseudonym Ludwig and wrote a lengthy article shortly after Poe’s death, in which he criticized Poe’s character and life. In 1850, he wrote “Memoir of the Author,” in which he falsely claimed that Poe was a madman and a drug addict consumed by melancholy. Griswold even forged letters from Poe. His vindictive work reached the general public, and people believed these slanders for years.

Despite Griswold’s malicious attempts, Poe has not been erased from history. His legacy lives on in popular culture, inspiring the works of other authors, and he remains a subject of great interest to scholars. Plaques and sculptures erected in his honor can also be found throughout America.

In 1996, the name Poe made its debut in the NHL. The team, formerly known as the Baltimore Browns, became the Baltimore Ravens after American football fans insisted that the name be adopted.