Edgar Allan Poe

**Edgar Allan Poe** is a real life poet that Shipwrecked Comedy has characterized and turned into one of their leading protagonist. In their works, he is a strange and reclusive man who is obsessed with ravens, Annabel Lee, and dinner parties.

## Personality

Edgar is very socially awkward, determined, and talented.

## Background

During a draw my life video, Poe recounts his life up to *A Tell Tale Vlog.* He begins by describing his early life. He was born in 1809, and, shortly after, he became an orphan. A couple in Virginia decided to take him in and give him the name 'Allan.' To be educated, Poe attended the University of Virginia. He learned lots, but he was often unhappy because he had a lonely social life and sense of aimlessness. His disappointment in school caused him to drop out. In an attempt to chase happiness, he moved several places, was a clerk, a soldier, and a student at West Point.

However, the only thing that brought him happiness during these times was writing poetry. After attending his foster mother's funeral and reconciling with his foster father, Poe decided to pursue being a poet. In order to be a poet, he moved to Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City. While in New York City, Poe fell in love and married his way younger cousin, Virginia. During this time, he wrote many iconic and quotable poems. Sadly, Edgar's joy was short lived because of his wife's death from a mysterious illness. After her passing, he lived alone with his sadness and poetry.

## *A Tell Tale Vlog*

Edgar begins by addressing his future vlog audience through the camera. He proudly explains that he will be reading a poem that he wrote for his ghost roommate, Lenore. His roommate was recommended to him by a woman who he is rather fond of named Annabel Lee. In an attempt to please and impress her, he accepted Lenore as his roommate and overlooked possible consequences. His next vlog shows that he has been struggling lately with writing good poetry. Due to this, he becomes more reclusive and demanding of his roommate. Upon his third vlog, he introduces a special guest, a ~~fake~~ Raven, who is mentioned in his newest poem. Sadly, the Raven is less than supportive of Edgar's work. Additionally, tensions with Lenore are continuing to rise because of his unkept house and hygiene. The two do not appear to be compatible roommates due to Poe's commitment to writing good poetry.

In an attempt to better the relationship, Poe brings Lenore a flower (that he forgot she cannot hold) and tries to hold a conversation. However, this does little to mend their problems. Edgar continues to remain in a sour mood which is off putting to Lenore. He continues to write poems, but he is dissatisfied with them to the point of burning one. To open his sixth vlog, he sits beside Lenore as per her request. The two discuss how Lenore feels she should move out. For each issue she raises, he provides a reason. He suggests that maybe she should have a thirty-day notice or cooling down period before she leaves. But, she does not agree and disappears from the house. In the heat of the moment, Poe rejects creating any future plans with her and says that he has enough other women to haunt him instead. In his final vlog, Poe expresses his mixed emotions through reading the rest of his poem. Then, he wishes a final thanks and goodbye to the viewers.

Sometime later, Poe celebrates his birthday. He wakes up and notes that it feels like any other day- lonely and somewhat disappointing. Around noon, he is pleasantly surprised when he opens his door to see his crush, Annabel Lee. She offers him a vanilla cupcake with sprinkles and a candle. He declares that the cupcake is his favourite (weather this is true or he is just saying it because he likes Annabel is unclear). Annabel awkwardly smiles and starts to mention how he has sent an excessive amount of ravens and poems to her door, and Poe, not recognizing her discomfort, appears very proud of this. She goes on to ask him to please stop sending ravens because she is seeing someone else. At this point, his smile drops. He asks her about who she is seeing; as he learns new details, he grows increasingly upset. Poe goes on to call him outright terrible and question her new beau's poetry skills. Annabel hesitates before revealing that he does not write poems. Then, she quickly compliments him, wishes him happy birthday again, and says goodbye. Once she leaves, he scoffs and blows out the candle on his cupcake. He sighs because he forgot to make a wish. Except for the addition of a cupcake, he is now back to how he started his day.

## *Edgar Allan Poe's Murder Mystery Dinner Party*

Sometime before Poe's dinner party, Lenore has decided to be his roommate once more. He sits across from her at a dinner table before the other guests arrive. Ernest Hemingway, Louisa May Alcott, Mary Shelley, Charlotte Bronte, Oscar Wilde, H.G. Wells, Emily Dickinson, George Eliot, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and later Eddie Dantes and Annabel Lee all, all arrive to attend his dinner party. He greets most guests with enthusiasm and takes the gifts they brought. Once they are all seated, he explains the game they will all be playing during dinner. Most of the guests attempt to exchange their place cards, but Poe tells them that they are not allowed to do that. As he tries to explain the rest of the rules, the guests continue to be unruly. Interrupting the madness, Annabel Lee and her beau, Eddie Dantes, arrive. Edgar grows increasingly jealous and annoyed by his arrival. While continuing instructions, the lights in the room go out. When they come back on, Eddie is laying in his soup- dead.

Poe watches in dismay as his guests react to the soup and Eddie's death. All the guests except Annabel interpret Eddie's death as a part of the game. Edgar tries to tell them it is not, but they continue anyway. Eventually, Charlotte Bronte takes checks his pulse and confirms that he is dead. Everyone is now worried, so they turn to Poe for answers. Alas, he can offer no explanation. Louisa May Alcott becomes determined to leave his party to fetch an officer to investigate. But, with suspicions rising, he insists that all of his guests remain put. Yet, Louisa does not heed this advice; she leaves the room in a coughing fit, and then abruptly stops. When Poe and his guests leave the room to look for her, they see that she has died.

After her death and some encouragement from Annabel, Poe decides that they do need to contact the police. But, he insists that no one will be going to jail, aside from the murderer. Everyone decides to move the bodies to Poe's cellar while they await help. When they return to the dining room to get Eddie's body, they find a note. The note urges them to not seek help, unless they also want to end up dead. Edgar chooses to head the warning. Once the guests regroup, some reveal that they had previously been acquainted with Eddie Dantes. Poe makes some confusing comments, but, overall, he helps reveal possible evidence. H.G. Wells begins to compile this evidence, and many of the guests jump to the conclusion that Poe is most likely the murderer. However, H.G. reveals that it is most likely Mary Shelley. In a fit of frustration, Miss Shelley attempts to leave and is electrocuted by a doorknob. This marks a third death during Edgar's party.

Ernest suggests that they separate to scour for clues, and Poe once again tries to evade the suspicion of being the killer. Ernest, Edgar, and Annabel all head upstairs to look. Edgar and Ernest both attempt to win Annabel's attention, but she quickly puts a stop to both of them and leaves the room by herself. When Ernest throws out a piece of paper, Poe learns that he had owed Eddie money. He begs Poe not to tell anyone. Annabel finds a bottle of poison in the hallway and calls both of the men to come look. While inspecting the bottle, the three of them all hear a scream. They find the source; Charlotte had screamed because the person she had been looking for clues with, Fyodor Dostoevsky, is now dead.

After everyone has gathered around and discussed what just happened, Edgar helps carry Dostoevsky's body to the cellar. Everyone is suspect of Charlotte, so they tie her to a chair. With great relief, Poe opens the front door to Miss Christie. Sadly, the relief quickly dissipates because Poe and lots of stab wounds in her back confirm that she is dead. After a brief moment, another scream echos through the house. Edgar and others rush to see who it is; George Elliot has been locked in the bathroom. He breaks the door down to reveal that she has a painting smashed over her head and is dying. They all watch intently as George reveals that he is really Mary Ann. This was not the reveal they were hoping for. In this moment, Edgar points out that Ernest is missing from the group. They all rush back to Charlotte and confirm that she could not be the killer. While they are turned away, Ernest comes in and declares that he "did it"- it being finding knives for everyone to use as protection. To have better odds of capturing the killer, H.G. suggests that they have a seance to conjure a possible witness.

A psychic named Krishanti arrives to perform the seance. When she asks for a candle, poe opens his vest to reveal lots of candles strapped inside. He explains that one must always be prepared for darkness. She picks one out and begins the seance. He watches in disbelief as several spirits make themselves known. Yet, the seance is cut short when Charlotte sneezes and blows out the candle. Krishanti leaves to find some sage instead, and Emily insists on accompanying her. Edgar discourages this idea, but she leaves anyway. Annabel decides that she does not like to think of Emily all alone, so she goes to follow her. Which, in turn, causes Ernest and Edgar to want to follow too.

## *Edgar Allan Poe's A Cryptmas Carol*

He gets to closure to an old broken relationship with Santa Claus. After some mischief, he has a pleasant evening.

## *You Are Invited to a Zoom Meeting*

During a zoom meeting with Lenore, he encourages people to go out and vote.

## Trivia

* Poe enjoys Thin Mints and Savannah Smiles Girl Scout Cookies.
* In addition to Annabel Lee and Lenore, Edgar has written poems for women such as Helen, Marie Louise, Tammy, Barbara, and Ulalume. Many of these names are in reference to other poems written by Poe in real life.
* Edgar Allan Poe appears as a character in a movie in Kissing in the Rain Episode 4. In the episode, he reads a love poem to Annabel Lee before kissing her under her umbrella.
* Throughout several of his vlogs, he edits on 'titles' under his name such as writer, tortured poet, master of the macabre, literary vlogger, a Bostonian, gothic genius, coping with depression, and #foreveralone.
* Poe's facial hair has gone through several phases including a synthetic fake mustache, fake mustache with human hair, and Sean's real facial hair.

## References

1. ↑ Girl Scout Cookies Short
2. ↑ Episode One: Oh, Hello