Dose anyone know what his voice sounded like? (example: did he have an acsent. did he have a low or high voice)plese repond by wed. your help well be greatly appreciated. thanks

-- Anonymous, October 08, 2000

Answers

Kevin,

Born in Boston, Massachusetts in January 1809, Edgar Poe was taken in as a foster child at the age of almost three years by John and Frances Allan of Richmond, Virginia. John Allan was a merchant and tobacco trader of Scottish birth and Frances Allan was the daughter of a noted attorney of New York (I think). For a period between June 1815 and July 1820, Poe was schooled in England. With the exception of this period of Poes life, his education, his friends and his social exposure to people and events of the day were in Richmond, Virginia.

It is clear that Poe was perceived by the vast majority of his contemporaries and thought and spoke of himself as a Gentleman of the South. According to the Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore web site, Poe spoke with a Southern drawl and this is evidenced by his rhyming of specific words in his poetry. The best two examples given by the Poe Society web site are Poes use of the word sister to rhyme with Vista and haunted to rhyme with enchanted. While this may have violated some Northern sensibilities, for Poe it was quite natural. They also point out that unlike some southern expressions, Poe did not drop the g in words like hunting.

For information related to how his voice sounded, his intonation and his talents for reciting poetry or lecturing, you may wish to try the URL address - http://www.eapoe.org/geninfo/poeapprn.htm .

Regards,

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2000