Friday, January 19, 2007

Robert E. Lee, Edgar Allen Poe, and Deidra

Selamat Ulang Tahun Deidra!

Robert E. Lee (b. 1807) and Edgar Allen Poe (1809) share the same birthday, January 19. And only two years apart, too. For some reason, it seems incongruous to me that they lived in the same era. One a popular wartime general, the other a famous writer, albeit a bit of a depressing one. I’m still amused that Baltimore people claim Poe as their own, just because he happened to spend the last four days before his death there. Anyway, I always thought that Poe was British, but after reading up a bit about him, it turns out he only lived in the UK for five years, when, as a ward of Virginians merchants, the family moved there temporarily. In fact, he was a New Englander, born in Boston, orphaned at the age of two, and eventually studied at the University of Virginia. He was a bit of a strange guy, with problems of drinking and gambling, thus not so popular with his literary readers. At one point he enlisted in the U.S. army, was honorably discharged, and then enrolled in the West Point military academy. Eventually, he was kicked out, and so he went on to marry his thirteen-year-old cousin. I guess I always imagined him to be more like his character in “the Raven,” or the male British counterpart of Emily Dickinson…. a bit of a crazy loner living in his parents attic in jolly old England. But really he was just a kind of wierd, confused American. Who knew?

5 comments:

sherijberi said...

To allow anyone to comment. Go to the SETTINGS page and then MODERATE COMMENTS. Second down is who can post and pick ANYONE. My blog is: http://thekidsaidwhat.blogspot.com/ and I'm finally starting again. Sheri;)

Deidra said...

Woah, I love you and thanks for mentioning me!! But... you got the date wrong. It's the 18th.

However with the time difference, you may be clear anyway :-p

Deidra said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Indochick said...

Haha, girl, I know when you're birthday is! I just didn't get to use the internet that day. Anyway, I also thought you'd rather read a blog entry about Poe than Peter Roget of Roget's thesaurus! (Also January 18.)

Deidra said...

Hahaha! Man, thesauruses. They always make me laugh. I was just being a jerk, thanks for remembering me!