The artist who produced these drawings, James Carling, was born in 1857 in Liverpool. He was fifth son of Henry Carling, a blacking maker. When James was five years old, he began to earn a living as an errand boy and singer. He would even recite the poetry of Shakespeare on street corners for spare change. Encouraged by his older brothers, James started drawing pictures on sidewalks, and he soon found passersby filling his hat with pocket change. At the age of seven, he was arrested for drawing on the sidewalk and was jailed overnight before being sentenced to seven days in a workhouse. He was sent to a technical school for six years. Though the court had sentenced Carling to attend the school, it demanded his father pay for tuition. When Carling’s father refused to pay, he was thrown in jail, where he died. Carling was fourteen when he completed his sentence at the school. Upon his release, he travelled with his brothers to the United States, where they resumed their careers as street artists. Carling eventually found work as a vaudeville performer billed as the “Lightning Caricaturist” and “the Fastest Drawer in the World.” In 1883, it was announced that Harper Brothers would be publishing an edition of Poe’s poem “The Raven” with illustrations by the French artist Gustave Dore. It was about this time that Carling began his own set of drawings for the poem. The drawings remained unpublished at the time of Carling’s death, four years later in 1887. He was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave. The drawings remained in storage for over fifty years until Carling’s brother decided to exhibit them in 1930. Response to the work was so positive that the Poe Museum purchased the set in 1937.
Below is a small sample of the work on display. These pieces have so many strange and subtle details that the photos provided below can only give a faint impression of the experience of seeing the entire series up close. For more information about the Poe Museum’s collection of James carling’s illustrations for “The Raven,” visit our Collections Database. The exhibit continues until May 1, 2012, so be sure not to miss it.
The Museum will be open from 10am – Midnight with events starting at NOON. Admission is $5 for the whole day, and you may come and go as you please so you can check out all the events you want to see!!! Events are still being added to the schedule, but see the current line-up below:
POE BIRTHDAY BASH SCHEDULE:
10:00am- 1:00pm: Gift shop sale! ( Take 15% off your entire purchase of $10 or more!)
Thursday, December 8, 2011 is the bicentennial of the death of Edgar Allan Poe’s mother, Eliza Poe. Though Edgar was only two years old when he lost his mother, his “mournful and neverending remembrance” of her cast a shadow over his life and work. Although Eliza Poe’s fame has long been overshadowed by her famous son, she was actually a talented and popular actress in the early days of American theater.
In observance of the bicentennial, the Poe Museum hosted a lecture by renowned Poe scholar Richard Kopley, a performance by Eliza Poe interpreter Debbie Phillips, and an exhibit of rare artifacts related to her life and career. The weekend began with the Poe Illumination, in which the Poe Museum’s Enchanted Garden came to life with thousands of lights and holiday decorations. Below is some video of the Poe Foundation’s President, Dr. Harry Lee Poe, speaking at Eliza Poe’s grave after having laid a wreath on her monument.
The exhibit devoted to Poe’s mother continues until April 1, 2012, so be sure not to miss it. In case you can’t attend in person, some of the artifacts from the exhibit can now be seen in our online collections database.
Students at a previous Poe Young Writers' Conference visiting the Poe Museum
Want to be the next Edgar Allan Poe? If you are a high school student we loves writing, the Edgar Allan Poe Young Writers’ Conference is for you.
The Edgar Allan Poe Young Writers’ Conference, scheduled for June 17-23, 2012, provides a weeklong residential program designed to encourage and stimulate the writing skills of high school students. Students will have a variety of experiences including small group instruction with a writing instructor, lectures by practicing writers in several different fields, personal writing time with critical response from instructors, and special events designed to enhance the writing experience.
This conference is sponsored by the Edgar Allan Poe Museum of Richmond, Virginia, to continue the legacy of Edgar Allan Poe. One of Poe’s greatest concerns was the development of a truly American literature. As editor of many of the nation’s leading journals, Poe inspired many young writers. In keeping with that concern, the Poe Museum hopes to encourage the development of the next generation of writers.
Poe called Richmond his home, having spent the greater part of his life here. During his teenage years in Richmond, he was encouraged to write by Mrs. Jane Stith Stanard. In Richmond he began his career in journalism when he took over the editorship of The Southern Literary Messenger.
LECTURES
Each morning the participants will hear from practicing writers in a variety of fields, including fiction, poetry, journalism, and non-fiction. Since participants will have already studied the mechanics of grammar in school, the lecturers will address the practice of writing from their own experience. Lectures will combine theory and practice to give the participants an understanding of what is involved in moving to the next level as a writer.
SEMINAR
Each participant will take part in a daily seminar that includes an experienced writing instructor and 9 – 12 students. Seminars are working groups in which participants read from their own work, receive critique and encouragement from the instructor and their peers, and gain instruction in how to improve as a writer. Participants will be introduced to exercises and promptings that enhance writing skills.
PRACTICING THE CRAFT
Every afternoon the participants will devote time to developing the craft of writing by immediately putting into practice what they have gained from lectures and seminars. Seminar leaders will help students craft the piece they work on during the week.
FOCUS ON POE
A critical element that contributes to good writing is a strong appreciation of good writing. Every afternoon, a presentation will be given that deals with an aspect of the writing of Edgar Allan Poe and what makes his writing so effective. Poe is known and appreciated around the world as America’s contribution to world literature. We will explore why his poetry and tales are read avidly in France, Russia, Japan, and around the world.
SALON
Writing emerges from the experiences of life. During Poe’s day, the artists and writers of the time gathered regularly in the evenings. Music or drama may have been the focus of their attention as much as writing. Cross-fertilization of artistic and intellectual experiences stimulates creativity. In short, all work and no play makes Jack and Jill painfully dull. Evening activities are meant to be fun while contributing to a frame of reference that will give writers something to say.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who may apply?
High school students who have completed the ninth grade may apply.
What is a residential program?
A residential program involves living together as a community of writers. A residential approach allows for the creation of an environment that encourages the development of an attitude of writing. Colleagues stimulate one another through conversation, sharing of ideas, reading one another’s work, and sharing a routine designed to gain the maximum benefit from a weeklong experience.
Where will the participants stay?
Participants will live together in a college dormitory. All lectures, small groups, and most special events will take place across the street in the University Commons. Participants will take meals together in the University dining hall across from the Commons.
Are students on their own after class?
Because this is a residential program in which all the pieces are carefully designed to complement one another, there is no free time after class until the entire week is over. Resident assistants who are college students live in the dorms with the conference participants to ensure that everyone respects the purpose of the conference and to be available in case of emergencies. We will have one resident assistant for every ten students.
What are the security provisions in the dorm?
Security guards are on duty twenty-four hours a day at the entrance to the dormitory and make regular inspections of the facility.
What is the cost of the program?
The cost per person is $650.00. This fee includes lodging for six nights, double occupancy, and three meals per day, Monday through Friday. The Sunday meal will only be supper following afternoon arrival, and the Saturday meal will only be breakfast flowed by departure.
Who is the director of the conference?
The director of the conference is Edgar Award-winning author Dr. Harry Lee Poe, a cousin of Edgar Allan Poe and the current president of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum. Dr. Poe has had a distinguished academic career as scholar and administrator. He has written seven books and contributed chapters to over twenty others. He is a published poet and popular speaker.
SAMPLE DAILY SCHEDULE
7:30 – 8:00 Breakfast
8:00 – 8:30 Personal time
8:30 – 9:30 Morning Plenary (lecture)
9:30 – 9:45 Break
9:45 – 10:45 Seminar
10:45 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 12:00 Seminar (cont.)
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 4:00 Personal Writing Time
4:00 – 5:00 Focus on Poe
5:00 – 6:00 Free time
6:00 – 7:00 Supper
7:00 – 9:00 Salon (special events)
9:00 – 11:00 Community
RULES
We assume that those who apply to the program are serious about writing and want to use their time to develop their skill and make a contribution as a member of a writing community. Failure to comply with the rules will result in expulsion from the program.
Smoking and/or the use of alcohol or other illegal substances is not allowed.
Students are not allowed to have a car with them during the conference.
Students may not leave the campus.
Students may not visit the dorm rooms of members of the opposite sex. Residence life is not a co-ed experience.
Students may not engage in sexual relations.
In order to attend the conference, applicants must sign a statement that they have read the rules and agree to abide by them.
MAKING APPLICATION
The Edgar Allan Poe Young Writers’ Conference is open to high school students who demonstrate a serious interest in writing and have the maturity to live in an academic community for a week. You will be notified by May 1 of the decision about your application. Those who are accepted into the program will be expected to pay a deposit of $100 by May 30, 2012 to secure their place in the conference. A complete application includes the following:
1. A completed application form.
2. A writing sample of fiction, poetry, journalism, or non-fiction essay of not more than five pages, double-spaced.
3. A completed recommendation form from a teacher familiar with your ability and interest in writing (sent directly to the Poe Museum).
4. A completed recommendation from a teacher or other adult who can attest to your maturity and ability to work within a close-knit community (sent directly to the Poe Museum).
Mail your application by April 1, 2012 to:
Edgar Allan Poe Young Writers’ Conference
Poe Museum
1914 East Main Street
Richmond, Virginia 23223
Have more questions? Call the Poe Museum at 888-21-EAPOE or email us at info@poemuseum.org for more information and an application. You can also download the application here.
Conference Director Dr. Harry Poe with Poe performer Norman George at a previous conference
Think Poe was morbid because he wrote so often about death in poems like “Annabel Lee,” “The Raven,” and “Lenore?” Such poems about death and mourning were actually fairly common in the nineteenth century. With high infant mortality rates and the inability to combat diseases like tuberculosis (which claimed Poe’s mother, foster mother, brother, and wife), death was very much a part of everyday life. One in four children in Poe’s time died in infancy, and many women died in childbirth. Consequently, almost everyone knew someone who had died young. In this light, Poe’s poems about the deaths of loved ones seem less the reflections of a morbid imagination than common experiences shared by many of his contemporaries.
From October 6 until November 30, 2011, the Poe Museum will honor the anniversary of Poe’s Death (October 7, 1849) with an exhibit devoted to the elaborate mourning rituals people of Poe’s era followed after the death of a loved one. The exhibit “Death and Mourning in the Age of Poe” features dozens of unique artifacts, including post mortem photographs, a post mortem portrait, a tear catcher, mourning jewelry, mourning stationery and mourning art from the private collection of Mary Brett, author of Fashionable Mourning Jewelry, Clothing, and Customs. The exhibit will show how Poe’s feelings about death and grief, expressed in his poetry, were typical for his time. The exhibit will complement related items in the Poe Museum’s permanent collection, including a lock of hair taken from Poe’s head after his death and a reproduction of a post mortem portrait of Poe’s wife.
The exhibit will open from 6-9 P.M. on October 6 during the Poe Museum’s annual observance of the anniversary of Poe’s death. During the opening, visitors can listen to the authors of the new horror anthology Richmond Macabre read from their work, listen to DJ Sean Lovelace play creepy music on a theremin, explore the Poe Museum’s permanent exhibits, or see the new temporary exhibit The Raven, Terror & Death. Admission to the exhibit opening and Poe Memorial Service are free.
Reports of the Poe Museum’s demise have been vastly exaggerated.
On Sunday morning, viewers of CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood were shocked to hear the Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia is closing its doors. No one was more surprised than we at the Poe Museum. Not only are we not closing, but we are preparing to celebrate our ninetieth anniversary with a full schedule of exhibits and events. Since Sunday morning’s broadcast, the Poe Museum has been inundated with calls and emails from concerned citizens from across the country, but we assured them, and will continue to assure them, that the Poe Museum in Richmond is doing fine and has not lost its funding. We appreciate all the concern expressed by our friends, and we hope you will continue to support the Poe Museum.
If you have never been to the Poe Museum, or if you have not visited in a while, October is the perfect time to pay us a visit to see our new exhibits, “The Raven, Terror & Death” and “Death and Mourning in the Age of Poe.” We will also have a book launch for the new anthology Richmond Macabre on October 2, our annual commemoration of the anniversary of Poe’s death on October 6 (Yes, we celebrate his birthday as well as his death day.), our Halloween Unhappy Hour on October 27, and Poe’s Pumpkin Patch on October 29. In the new year, we will celebrate Poe’s birthday with a Poe-rade through Poe’s Richmond and the opening of a new exhibit of the 43 illustrations to “The Raven” done by James Carling in 1883 and not publicly exhibited in over 35 years. In April, we will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Poe Museum with a new exhibit of rarely seen or recently discovered Poe manuscripts and letters.
Below is a list of some of next year’s Unhappy Hours and exhibits. You can expect to see even more of the kind of events only the Poe Museum can bring you.
Saturday, January 14th – Poe’s Birthday Bash – Noon to midnight!
Saturday, January 14th- Exhibit Opening: “James Carling’s Illustrations for ‘The Raven’” (continues until May 30) in Exhibit Building
Thursday, April 26th – 90th Anniversary of Poe Museum opening (1920s garden party) – Unhappy Hour – 6-9pm
Thursday, April 26th –Exhibit Opening: “In Poe’s Hand: Letters and Manuscripts” (continues until July 11) in Memorial Building
Thursday, May 24th – Unhappy Hour “The Enchanted Garden” – 6-9pm
Thursday, June 28th – Unhappy Hour “The Gold Bug” (pirates!) – 6-9pm
Thursday, July 26th – Unhappy Hour “The Oval Portrait” (Poe Carnival) – 6-9pm
Thursday, July 26th –Exhibit Opening: “New Acquisitions of Poe Portraiture” (Until September 30) in Exhibit Building 2nd Floor
Thursday, August 23rd – Unhappy Hour “The Premature Burial” – 6-9pm
Thursday, Sept. 27th – Unhappy Hour “The Masque of the Red Death” (Poe variety show) – 6-9pm
Sunday, October 7th – Poe’s Death Day Celebration – Noon-6pm
Thursday, October 25th – Unhappy Hour “The Black Cat”—6-9pm
Sunday, October 28th – Poe’s Pumpkin Patch – Noon to 5pm
While taking a tour of Poe sites from South Carolina to New York, Alabama artist Jeremy Adams stopped by the Poe Museum to see the exhibits and to show us the portrait he painted of Edgar Allan Poe. When he left us, he planned to visit the Allan graves at Shockoe Hill Cemetery and Poe’s mother’s grave at St. John’s Church before heading to the Poe House and grave in Baltimore. In this photo taken in the Poe Shrine, the artist is holding the portrait of Poe he developed over the course of eight months.
Here are some more new theories, submitted to our website, about the cause of Poe’s mysterious death. Study the evidence and submit your own theory at http://www.poemuseum.org/students-mystery.php
Snow Heart
Age 16
Blacklick, Oh
I feel Poe, even though we all can tell that he had many things wrong with him that could have resulted in his death, I feel that he planned it so that we could not figure out his death, although all clues seem to point to him overdosing until his death, suicide seems to be what he would do, although it is in my opinion that his death was his last great work, creating the ultimate mystery and horror through himself. He seems to have taken the steps necessary to hide how he died, whether or not he wanted this mystery to be solved is another mystery all it’s own but I feel he caused his own death through liquor, and a series of health problems that he was aware he had to leave behind a legacy to us who love his great works.
Robert
Age 14
Wedowee, Alabama
I think he had a disease but noboby knew that he had one and finally he died
Kurtis
Age 13
Battle Creek, Michigan
i killed edgar allan poe
Nayelli
Age 13
Ontario,California
Edgar was already a strange man. He could have gone crazy because of hereditary reasons and who knows what could have happened. All of these theories could possibly be true, but we will never know.
Jr.
Age 12
Ontario, California
I beleive that the reason of Poe’s death was simply the irregular heart beat, and the brain tumor that should have been treated.
Anonomoous
Age 95
Memphis , Tennesee
Poe could have died of any cause of Death, but I would think it to be Murder.
Jael
Age 13
Coral Springs, Florida
I have observed that when Edgar was hospitalized 5 O’clock in the afternoon to 3 am the next day he was drunk and ill and started hallucinating and talking to thing that weren’t there he got angry at one of the nurses and started acting rough with her and for her self defense she started hitting Edgar causing brain trauma and followed by a heavy fever and estimating died 2 hours later.
Erica
Age 16
San Marcos, California
I feel that Poe’s alcoholism and possibly a mixture of drugs as well is what made him delirious, and he’d had taken him since he was such a melancholic person. Maybe a suicide? Asking God for forgiveness when he said “Lord, help my poor soul” minutes before he died.
Jack
Age 14
Ball, Louisiana
my theory of Edgar Allan Poe’s death is that he died of either a heart attack or he killed himself because he got drunk;)
Shayonne
Age 14
Alexandria, Louisiana
mr poe mustve was real sick that no one knew about and the doctor mustve gave him a due date that he suppose to die.
Brooke
Age 13
Blanchester, Ohio
I think that Edgar was a very intelligent man. I think maybe, being an orphan at such a young age, and him hopping from city to city, took a toll on him & He began to drink. After his first wife died, he started drinking more and more. He got in ill health because of this. I also think he was on drugs from his insane stories. So maybe he just ended his own life because he knew it was going to end soon.
Jonathan
Age 14
Calgary, Alberta
brain tumor
Anna
Age 14
Sacramento, California
Maybe all his poems and stories were true, about him self or someone else and when that other person saw what he was doing they started poisoning Poe. But if there wasn’t another person then maybe they were about himself and having people know about his actions but not no the reality of them drove him insane and Reynolds that he had said before he died could have been one of his victims or the one person that knew his poems were true.
Cadedra
Age 16
Killeen, Texas
i believe that poe was still alive; only that he went into hiding. maybe it was to hide from his fears or maybe it was the fact that his pain made him so insane he jus disappeared. only thing i know is that he was a great author and i really appreciated him a lot ……
Carolina
Age 18
Rosario, Argentina
in my opinion, it could be caused by several reasons. health problems and why not? that idiot politicians could drugged him and kick him because of the election time. he never killed himself. he was with elmira again. so, it’s imposible.
Face
Age 13
Boston, Massachusetts
aliens came and took poe away before he could do anything and they made him watch reruns of ugly betty which then killed him
Papadopoulou
Age 20
Thessaloniki, Greece
Edgar Allan Poe had suffered so much while he was alive and in such a short time that he probably had problems with alcohol. He had already been addicted to gambling before so why not drinking as well? He was found in a delirium and in somebody else’s clothes. He was drunk and lost his clothes in gambling.
Demetria
Age 13
Scottsville, Kentucky
my theory is that poe could have went out in the woods and been bitten by an animal and got rabies.
Isabella
Age 13
Anchorage, Alaska
They said they found him in a bar. They say that he had to be carried out. I suppose that the people in the bar were drunk so they could have seen the real reason he died. Could he have been poisoned by his friend? They felt that it was wrong and showed the most evil side of people. I believe that he was murdered for that reason possibly.
Alylah
Age 13
Virginia Beach , Virginia
I think Poe died because he drank too much and got alcohol poisoning. When the people found him he was already dead and they couldn’t revive him. Even if they had found him earlier I don’t think they would have been advanced enough medically to treat his poisoning sufficiently.
T-Erica
Age 13
Lancaster, California
Poe died of a pre-existing disease, probably a brain tumor, which grew over time slowly killing him. He said himself in a letter to Maria Clemm that he had not been drinking around the time of his death. Also he left his clothes and correct walking stick at home which is why we was found looking “worse for wear”. He was around the bar because he was giving lectures like he had been doing prior to his leaving Richmond. His close personal friend and nurse said that he had some type of lesion to the brain.
As we approach the 161st anniversary of Poe’s death, the exact cause of his early demise remains a mystery. Here are some of the theories about Poe’s death that visitors to our website have posted recently. Review the evidence and share with us your own theory at http://www.poemuseum.org/students-mystery.php
Andrew
Marco Island, FL
Poe possibly could have died of A. seizures, B. Heart attack, or C. Brain tumor
Timothy
Toledo, OH
I believe that he was not drugged. Nor do I believe he was beaten to death. I believe that he was murdered not by a human being, but by his very own self. I believe that his tumor of the brain had finally ended his existence and put an end to his suffering. He most likely was not beaten or drugged.
Dylan
Jacksonville, AL
He had epilepsy when he got rabies. He had been robbed of his clothes, but for someone to do that they had to knock him out with a weapon. God put him out of his misery when he prayed to him.
Kirsten
Brentwood, CA
I believe he committed suicide. He said he no longer had the wanting to live. He could have taken a drug overdose, because he was already sensitive to alcohol and drugs. He was delirious because he was either drunk or had taken an overdose.
Pierce
Westfield, MA
He was a random person who was picked to be a dummy to vote. He was drugged, and he was left to die on the street.
Dontayveon
Toledo, OH
I think he was murdered by his cousin.
Nicole
Woodbury, TN
He died from too much alcohol drinking and his possible brain tumor. I also believe that Mr. Poe was the best horror writer to have ever lived!!
DeLonna
Toledo, OH
I think Poe died of hypoglycemia because it s possible since he had diabetes.
Dakota
Toldeo, OH
He had a pet raccoon named Chronic the Hedgehog. Then Chronic got in a fight with a zebra-cow-pig-tiger-elephant, and then Chronic got back from the fight because he had won the fight and ate them all, so since Poe was hungry he thought the raccoon was fat and juicy, so he ate Chronic and died of rabies and high sugar rate due to his diabetes.
Nieko
Toledo, OH
I think he got jumped by people because they knew he was kinda rich and wanted his money.
Darquell
Toledo, OH
I think that his step mom killed him for his money and that was all she wanted.
Mary
Toledo, OH
My theory is that someone tricked him into drinking alcohol, but Edgar took under a difficult circumstance of everything around it sounds as if what he wrote was his on life but a dreadful fantasy
Victor
Westfield, MA
He died from a brain tumor.
Kat
Naples FL
I believe that Poe died from mania a potu, and over the years people told different stories about his death. No one knows what really happened so everything that people say is partly true.
Danni
Chester VA
My theory is he died of alcoholism.
Becky
Fairfield,OH
Edgar Allan Poe was so drunk he passed out.
Julia
McLeansville, NC
He was depressed and went suicidal.
Steven
Lexington MA
Cancer
Elijah
Jacksonville, AL
He died of a heart attack
Ashley
Toledo, OH
He got hungry, ate a slice of pie and it had a lot of sugar, and he had a diabetes attack. The end.
