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Edgar Allan Poe Funeral Pics & Video: Fans Honor Poe's Work

by Jon Azpiri | October 11, 2009 at 03:47 pm

2485 views | 38 Recommendations | 8 comments

Fans of writer Edgar Allan Poe found a unique way to celebrate his 160th anniversary of his death. A funeral was held for Edgar Allan Poe in his hometown of Balitmore.

The Edgar Allan Poe funeral was organized by the Poe House and Museum. The museum displayed a casket with a replica of a dead Poe this week. On Sunday, the casket was carried by a horse-drawn cart to Westminster Hall, where a funeral service was held.

It's a testament to Poe's work that a funeral would be held for him more than a century after his death. Poe was an innovator who was hugely influential in the genre of horror. His works such as The Cask of Amontillado, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, and The Raven are considered masterpieces of the macabre.

His influence extended beyond horror fiction. His short story The Murders in the Rue Morgue is widely considered to be the first detective story.

In October 1849, Poe was found delirious outside a pub in Baltimore. He died four days later on Oct. 7, 1849. Poe was buried with only 10 people in attendance since his cousin had neglected to announce his funeral in the newspaper.

Today's Edgar Allan Poe funeral was seen as a way to make up for Poe's poorly-attended funeral. Hundreds of fans came to honor the writer as well as actors dressed up fellow writers Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Walt Whitman. The event was emceed by actor John Astin, best known for his role as Gomez Addams on The Addams Family.

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a211423

at 18:15 on October 11th, 2009

Although he is best known by most readers as a short story writer of mystery and horror, he also wrote humor and satire as well flights and fantasies. His poetry stands alone unequaled in the American pantheon of poetry.

How to Write a Blackwood Article; Lionizing; Some Words with a Mummy; The Power of Words; Why the Little Frenchman Wears His Hand in a Sling; The Spectacles; The Sphinx; Shadow--a Parable; Silence--A Fable.

These are just a few of many of his stories. He was a master of language and reading his stories and poetry reminds me of the beauty of the English language, as well as his liberal, yet always appropriate and never superfluous, sprinkling of Latin.

damejain2

at 07:52 on October 12th, 2009

The wonderful thing about this event was that the crowd outside was so respectful. Even people passing by were quiet and there were no rude interruptions.

caj1

at 18:43 on October 12th, 2009

Thank you for this report! For some reason, he seems to be better claimed as a Baltimorean, though he lived longer in Philadelphia, from what I have read. That the people stayed quiet during the funeral ceremony is recognition of the impact E. A. Poe has had on American literature.

Roy C

at 13:50 on October 13th, 2009

The Raven got to quote, "Nevermore" just one more time and get it right!

Boran (not verified)

at 03:51 on October 14th, 2009

very cool

sistinas138 (not verified)

at 10:11 on October 15th, 2009

I was able to attend & have posted many photos on my flickr www.flickr.com/photos/sistinas138/sets/72157622441597899/

brandi rohrer (not verified)

at 06:11 on November 4th, 2009

i thank poe was a really good man but he had a lot of thangs goin on and i dont like that but that was him i can relat to that and it is not fun to be in thangs i like that lijke i dont see my mom that much no mo and i dont like that and i dont get a long wit my dad and step mom i dont no what to do hlep meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! pezzz thank you