Virginia Eliza Clemm
Virginia Eliza Clemm was seven years old when she met her future husband,her cousin, Edgar Allan Poe. At the time, Edgar had been discharged from thearmy and came to live with the poor family. Little Virginia acted as amessenger between him and a young woman in the neighborhood he had becomesmitten with. Edgar developed a softness of heart for his devoted little cousin.
Edgar left the family to take a job in Baltimore. While there, poorVirginia’s siblings died and she was left alone with her destitute parents. Protectiveover his devoted little cousin, Edgar decided to marry her, but she was far tooyoung. Neilson Poe, the husband of Virginia’s half-sister, Josephine Clemm, andnewspaper magnate heard about Edgar’s interest in marrying the very young Virginiaand intervened by offering to take her in and educate her. This angered Poe whosaw it as a blatant attempt by his bitterest enemy to keep him and Virginiaapart. So he took pen, a mighty weapon in the hands of such a talented writer,and wrote a heartfelt, emotional letter to Virginia’s mother and fatherpleading that they allow Virginia to make her own decision. In his letter heoffered to take care of them all if they moved to Richmond.
They agreed and Poe married Virginia in1836. Edgar was 27 and Virginia was 13. They honeymooned in Petersburg,Virginia. Needless to say, this marriage between first cousins raised more thanan eyebrow. Many believed the couple never consummated the marriage, whileothers surmised Edgar waited until his bride was 16 before bedding her. Nevertheless,but by all accounts, Edgar and Virginia were a very happy, devoted couple. Thatis, despite his ever increasing dependence on alcohol and stimulants.On one Valentine’s day, Virginia wrotea love poem to her beloved husband:
Ever with thee I wish to roam —
Dearest my life is thine.
Give me a cottage for my home
And a rich old cypress vine,
Removed from the world with its sin and care
And the tattling of many tongues.
Love alone shall guide us when we are there —
Love shall heal my weakened lungs;
And Oh, the tranquil hours we'll spend,
Never wishing that others may see!
Perfect ease we'll enjoy, without thinking to lend
Ourselves to the world and its glee —
Ever peaceful and blissful we'll be
Frances Sargent Osgood
Soon, however, scandal touched theirlives. Edgar began to flirt with a young married woman and poetess namedFrances Sargent Osgood. Aware of the relationship, Virginia reluctantly encouragedit, often inviting Frances to her home because the woman’s presence seemed to curtailEdgar’s drinking. So everything was tolerable for a while. After all, Virginia knewit was best to keep one’s enemies close. This way she could keep a close on therelationship.
Elizabeth Fries Lummis Ellet
Enter Elizabeth Fries Lummis Ellet, another writer and poet. She becameinfatuated with Poe and jealous of Frances. But Edgar had no interest inElizabeth. He found her love for him loathsome and did all that he could torepel it with scorn. He printed many of her poems to him in a journal of whichhe edited.
One day,while visiting Poe, Virginia showed the meddling, spiteful Ellet one of Osgood'spersonal letters to Poe and pointed out some questionable paragraphs. Jealousof Osgood, Ellet took matters into her own hands and contacted her nemesis. Shestrongly warned the woman to beware of her indiscretions and asked that her ownletters be returned by Poe. Osgood did what she could to appease the vengefulEllet and sent two women to ask Poe for the letters. Angered by theirinterference, Poe called the women busy-bodies and told them that Ellet hadbetter look after herownletters. He then gathered up allEllet’s letters and dumped them at her house.
But even withher letters returned to her, still bent on revenge, Ellet asked her brother,Colonel Willaim Lummis, to intervene. Lummis, did not believe that Poe hadalready returned the letters and threatened to kill him. Hearing this, Poerequested a pistol fromhis friend Thomas English so he could protecthimself. But even English didn’t believe Poe had returned the letters andquestioned their existence.Angered at being called a liar, Poe and hisfriend came to blows. The fight only sparked more gossip over his affair with Osgood.
Unfortunatelythings didn’t end there. Osgood's husband threatened to sue Ellet unless sheformally apologized for her insinuations. This she did, in writing, citing thatthe letter Virginia had shown her must have been a forgery by Poe because hewas intemperate and prone to lunacy. Poe’s enemies were only too eager to putthis into print, saying Poe was deranged and insane.
All thisdeeply affected poor Virginia and she soon began to receive letters about herhusband’s affair and indiscretions. She strongly believed the letters werecoming from Ellet.
Virginia developedconsumption, also known as tuberculosis and herhealth declined. Soon, she became bedridden. His wife’s illness made Poedepressed. He even wrote that her illness made him insane between “long intervalsof horrible sanity.” Virginia’s illness and Poe’s depression drove them intodestitution. He sought solace in alcohol.After her death, Poe went into a tailspin. The loss of his wife was morethan he could bear. He did not care about anything anymore. Alcohol continuedto numb his pain. He regularly visited Virginia's grave, in the dead of night,in the cold snow. His relationship with Osgood had ended when she returned toher husband, but Frances believed that Virginia was the only woman Poe truly loved.
THE RAVEN
BY
EDGAR ALLAN POE
_______________________________________________________________________
Back Cover Blurb
A writer and hisdemons. A woman and her desires. A wife and her revenge
Inspired by literature’s most haunting love triangle, award-winning author LynnCullen delivers a pitch-perfect rendering of Edgar Allan Poe, his mistress’stantalizing confession, and his wife’s frightening obsession . . . in this“intelligent, sexy, and utterly addictive” (M. J. Rose) new masterpiece ofhistorical fiction.
1845: New York City isa sprawling warren of gaslit streets and crowded avenues, bustling with newimmigrants and old money, optimism and opportunity, poverty and crime. EdgarAllan Poe’s “The Raven” is all the rage—the success of which a struggling poetlike Frances Osgood can only dream. As a mother trying to support two youngchildren after her husband’s cruel betrayal, Frances jumps at the chance tomeet the illustrious Mr. Poe at a small literary gathering, if only to help herfledgling career. Although not a great fan of Poe’s writing, she is nonethelessoverwhelmed by his magnetic presence— and the surprising revelation that headmiresherwork.
What follows is a flirtation, then a seduction, then an illicit affair . . .and with each clandestine encounter, Frances finds herself falling slowly andinexorably under the spell of her mysterious, complicated lover. But whenEdgar’s frail wife Virginia insists on befriending Frances as well, therelationship becomes as dark and twisted as one of Poe’s tales. And like thosegothic heroines whose fates are forever sealed, Frances begins to fear thatdeceiving Mrs. Poe may be as impossible as cheating death itself. . . .
My Review
Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen is a beautifully rendered story about the two women, Virginia Clemm (wife) and Frances Osgood (mistress) who each deeply influenced Edgar Allan Poe's life. In this biographical historical fiction novel, the author paints a story of deep passionate love, betrayal, duty, and jealousy. Although the novel is entitled Mrs. Poe, I found the stronger focus on Frances rather than Virginia in the story. Both women were well characterized: Virigina weak and sickly, but staunch in her love for her husband, even to the point of bitter jealousy, and Frances who walked a fine line between her broken marriage, the tensely awkward friendship with Virginia, and her passion for Edgar Allan Poe. I liked the women's vastly different personalities - it really added interest throughout the story.
What fascinated me was that the author, whether intentional or not, managed to capture the dark side of all the characters, just like Poe himself did in all his writings. Coupled with lyrical prose and a fascinatingly complicated love triangle, the book held my attention from start to finish, giving me an insight into the tumultuous life of not only the characters, but of writers and the struggles they faced. This is an excellent novel, albeit perhaps with the author's strong personal interpretation of the facts. An excellent book for those that love biographical novels about women set in Victorian times. Definitely recommended.
Allow me to dive into the fascinating world of Edgar Allan Poe and the intricate relationships that shaped his tumultuous life. My expertise in literature and history allows me to shed light on the complexities of Poe's personal life and the influences that inspired his haunting tales.
The article you provided revolves around the life of Virginia Eliza Clemm, Edgar Allan Poe's cousin and later wife, and touches upon the dynamics of their relationship, as well as Poe's interactions with other women such as Frances Sargent Osgood and Elizabeth Fries Lummis Ellet. Let me break down the key concepts and individuals mentioned in the article:
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Virginia Eliza Clemm:
- Introduced at seven years old, Virginia was Poe's cousin and, eventually, his wife.
- The article highlights the challenges they faced, including Virginia's young age and the initial intervention of Neilson Poe, Virginia's brother-in-law.
- Their marriage, despite societal eyebrow-raising due to their close familial relationship, was described as happy.
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Frances Sargent Osgood:
- A poetess with whom Poe had a flirtatious relationship.
- Virginia, aware of the connection, reluctantly encouraged it to curb Poe's drinking.
- The article mentions that Osgood's presence seemed to have a positive impact on Poe's behavior.
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Elizabeth Fries Lummis Ellet:
- Another writer and poet who became infatuated with Poe.
- Poe was not interested in Ellet, and he actively rejected her advances.
- The article describes Ellet's interference in Poe's relationship with Osgood, leading to conflicts and threats.
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Turbulent Relationships:
- The article paints a picture of Poe's turbulent relationships, involving jealousy, flirtations, and interference from external parties.
- Poe's conflicts with Ellet and Osgood's husband, as well as the subsequent threats and legal issues, add a layer of drama to his personal life.
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Virginia's Declining Health:
- Virginia's health deteriorates, leading to her becoming bedridden.
- Poe's depression deepens, and his reliance on alcohol intensifies after Virginia's death.
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Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen:
- The article concludes with a book review of "Mrs. Poe" by Lynn Cullen, a biographical historical fiction novel.
- The book focuses on the relationships between Virginia Clemm, Frances Osgood, and Edgar Allan Poe.
- The review praises the novel's portrayal of the dark sides of the characters and the intricate love triangle.
This intricate web of relationships, emotions, and external influences provides a captivating glimpse into the life of one of literature's most iconic figures, Edgar Allan Poe. The blend of historical facts and fictional elements, as explored in "Mrs. Poe" by Lynn Cullen, adds depth to the narrative and invites readers to delve into the complexities of Poe's personal and literary journey.
