Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American writer, poet, journalist, and literary theorist. After the early deaths of his parents, he was raised by the merchant John Allan and his wife. Poe worked for several newspapers and magazines and helped shape horror fiction and the modern short story with his unsettling tales. His best-known works include the poem “The Raven” and the stories “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Black Cat,” and “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” Through the detective C. Auguste Dupin, Poe also exerted a lasting influence on crime fiction. He died under unclear circumstances in Baltimore.