"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door..." - Edgar Allan Poe - The Raven

One of America's most renowned authors and poets, an intelligent literary critic, and a master of the macabre, mystery, and supernatural, Edgar Allan Poe lived a life almost as dreary as his most famous writings. Born on January 19th, 1809, in Boston Massachusetts, Edgar was the second born of three children to Elizabeth "Eliza" Arnold Poe and David Poe Jr. He had an older brother named William and a younger sister named Rosalie. 

In 1810, when Edgar was merely two years old, his mother passed away from Tuberculosis, resulting in his father abandoning the family shortly after that. The Allan family took in Edgar and his siblings, merchants named John and Frances, who lived in Richmond, Virginia, and who gave Edgar his middle name. Edgar was never formally adopted by the Allan family, but he was raised as one of their own. 

He was sent to some of the best boarding schools while he was very young, and excelled academically from a young age, especially with his writing. Unfortunately, death and abandonment leave quite a heavy mark on those who experience it, no matter who is there to catch you when you fall. Tragedy followed Poe wherever he went and his life was anything but charming.

In episode 23 of History Out of the Box, Jen and Cam discuss the life, legacy, and tragedy of one of America's most famous literary geniuses, Edgar Allan Poe. His life was dreary, difficult, and quite reminiscent of many of his poems. If you're a fan of modern macabre, horror, or poetry, you have Edgar Allan Poe to thank. He was quite the tortured soul. 

History Out of The Box strives to connect our listeners with the echoes of our collective past, discussing the good, the bad, and the ugly associated with famous historical figures.