"The Life of Edgar Allen Poe" Assignment: Read an extended bibliography. Then write an essay in which you explor how the author's works are a reflection of his/her life.

<Tab/>"We struggle in vain." Poe's simple words from The Imp of the Perverse provide a perfect characterization of his life. Depressing and difficult, Edgar Allen Poe's life is evident in nearly all of his works. He suffered the loss of many loved ones as a child. While it was not diagnosable at the time, Poe quite possibly carried a psychological disorder such as bipolar or manic depression. His mental state, …

…his short stories. All of Poe's characters seem to be instilled with a part of him. They possess his qualities of having an insupportable sense of isolation from society, are obsessed with the obscenities of death, struggle with an addiction, and suffer from various types of depression. As Poe wrote as an escape from reality, one only needs to read one of his short stories to get a glimpse into the terrors of his life.