Аннотация: Edgar Allan Poe - a mystique in the biography. A literary note.
Edgar Allan Poe - a mystique in the biography. A literary note.
In the biography of Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849) was mentioned several times.
Sergey Sergeevich decided to get acquainted with the biography of the great American writer.
After reading the chapter 'Cadet of West Point. 1830-1831' and the previous chapters of the book by Andrei Tanaseichuk 'Edgar Poe. Shadow genius', Sergey Sergeyevich wrote a note 'Edgar Allan Poe - a mystique in the biography':
"Edgar Allan Poe - a mystique in the biography
1. Preliminary information.
2. The origin of Edgar Allan Poe.
3. Three variants of life path.
4. Two temptations.
1. Preliminary information.
A good tonality of the biography written by Andrei Tanaseichuk is created by the epigraph:
'... literature is the noblest of occupations. (...) I will be a writer - even the most ordinary one - all my life. (...) Nothing that the person who devoted himself to literature - especially the poet - cherishes - cannot be bought for any money.
Edgar Poe" [the reverse translation from Russian to English]
In our subjective opinion, words that biographers attribute to Tamerlan: "Allah loves the brave!" - such a words could also look good as an epigraph.
2. The origin of Edgar Allan Poe.
Andrei Tanaseichuk in detail (to the best of his ability) analyzes the origin of Edgar Allan Poe.
The version of Poe himself that he comes from General Benedict Arnold (Elizabeth Arnold is the mother of Edgar Allan Poe) is estimated by Andrei Tanaseichuk as one of the many hoaxes of the American writer.
Let us pay attention to the fact that
(a) officers are visible among Edgar Allan Poe relatives,
(b) He voluntarily joined the US Army (he signed a standard army contract for a period of five years),
(c) Edgar Allan Poe encouraged his actual foster father to support admission to West Point (America's Higher Military School) and enrolled in this military school, albeit with great difficulty,
(d) the first poetic collection of Edgar Allan Poe was called 'Tamerlane and Other Poems'. The second book was called "Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems". Tamerlane is the name of the great commander.
The military theme in the life of Edgar Allan Poe is highly visible. Despite the fact that he was from a family of actors, the dominance of the military theme attracts attention - regardless of whether Edgar Allan Poe was actually a descendant of General Benedict Arnold.
Apparently, Edgar Allan Poe felt some kind of natural attraction to military subjects.
3. Three variants of life path.
After the death of his mother, adoptive parents (de facto) appeared in life of the little boy Poe - the wealthy merchant John Allan and his wife Francis, who lived in Richmond, Virginia.
Accordingly, Edgar Allan Poe had three perspectives for life path:
(a) become the heir to the actual foster father, a respectable citizen, to live a generally accepted life,
(b) to choose a military career,
(c) become a poet, writer.
4. Two temptations.
In the biography of Edrag Allan Poe, two temptations can be seen.
The first temptation is connected with his adoptive father (de facto), John Allan.
John Allan took care of little boy Poe.
After moving to Britain, the financial situation of John Allan became worse and worse. However, he continued to make substantial expenses for education of Poe.
Finding himself on the brink of ruin, John Allan continued to take care of Poe.
No evidence that material difficulties influenced John Allan's attitude toward Poe is not found in Poe's biography.
If any temptations took place, then John Allan did not succumb to them.
As a result, John Allan suddenly became the heir to his uncle and one of the richest people in Virginia.
In this event you can see a mystical retribution for steadfastness in relation to temptation.
Although John Allan continued to care for Poe, he did not have the breadth of outlook, condescension, and generosity to support NOT THE HEIR, BUT THE POET Edgar Allan Poe.
Attempts by a rich man to keep the (future) poet on a short financial leash led to the destruction of relations. To educate Edgar Allan Poe as a 'standard' person, John Allan did not succeed.
This does not detract from the merits of the adoptive father (de facto). He raised Edgar Allan Poe, educated him. De facto, John Allan fully or partially funded the publication of the first two books of Edgar Allan Poe. By the time of the aggravation of interpersonal conflict, Edgar Allan Poe had become a poet, had two books published. Then, further, their paths diverged more and more.
The second temptation is related to Edgar Allan Poe himself.
Both prospects - to become the heir to a large fortune, a person living a generally accepted life, or - to follow the path of a military man, had a certain attractiveness.
Edgar Allan Poe wrote to his actual adoptive father (a fragment of the letter is given in the book by Andrei Tanaseichuk): '(...) I feel that there is power [a force] inside me ... (...) can ambition and talent not foresee success? I threw myself into the world, like William the Conqueror onto the shores of Britain, and burned the fleet after me, being sure of victory and knowing that there was no turning back. So I must either win or die - to succeed or cover myself with shame. ' [the reverse translation from Russian to English]
Perhaps Edgar Allan Poe in some cases intuitively provoked an aggravation of relations with the actual adoptive father, not wanting to succumb to pressure and education, to embark on the path of a 'generally accepted', 'standard' life?
For the former merchant, who became a very wealthy man, a moderate financing of a poet and writer (person, who was not entirely clear to him) was not a problem. But for this, a respected person had to step over his convictions, treat his own views with a slight skepticism, show magnanimity and condescension ...
Attempts to serve in the US Army, to become an officer ended with the conscious withdrawal of the writer from this field.
Edgar Allan Poe left West Point with almost no money, in light clothing. It was February 1831. Ahead were the uncertainty and the path of the poet. 'Allah loves the brave!'
Sergey Sergeevich looked at the written text. A mystique ... A temptations ...
These are just versions.
But they seem to explain the course of events in the life of Edgar Allan Poe, his relationship with the actual adoptive father.