Edgar Allan Poe and Reflections of His Life

Edgar Allan Poe was similar to many writers throughout history in that he often reflected his own life experiences and strange interests in his many writings and stories. By taking a brief look at his life and then several of his stories, the connection between his stories and his own life can be easily made. Through two of his poems, "Alone" and "Annabel Lee" we can clearly see the attachment to and loss of several key women in his life and the emptiness that this left in his life. Next, taking a look at Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" we get a glimpse of Poe's outside relationships and thoughts of revenge towards at least two in particular. Finally, by looking into "The Black Cat", we can see Poe's almost lifelong battle with alcoholism and addiction. The French critic Charles Baudelaire says "All of Poe's tales are, in a sense, biographical, and we find the man in his work. The characters and incidents are the framework and trappings of his memory." (qtd. In Alexander 103)…