uggle ended. She died on January 29, at the age of twenty-four, the same age Poe's mother had succumbed. A few days later, Virginia was buried in a mausoleum in Fordham. Despite his family's attempts to comfort Poe, he was inconsolable.His first composition after his wife's death was the poem, "Ulalume." The poem describes a man's visits to his lover's grave, during which he contemplates the conflicting possibilities he is presently faced with - his soul's desire to remain faithful to his deceased wife's memory, and his love's urging to find a new beloved. Although largely considered random and unstructured, this verse was clearly a reflection of the poet's own state of mind. (Meyers, 1992, p.211). In a vain attempt to find solace for the loss of his wife, Poe courted various women. Among these was Nancy (Annie) Richmond, of Lowell, Massachusetts, the inspiration of his "For Annie," and Sarah Helen Whitman of Providence, Rhode Island, whom he called Helen. In her honor, he composed a second "To Helen". It speaks of the first time Poe had seen her, and the attraction that existed even before their first meeting. Poe describes her innocent beauty and the purity of her appearance, both of which seemed to mesmerize him. (Meyers, 1992, p.227).After Helen's mother broke off the engagement of Poe and her daughter, Edgar fell into a grave state of depression. He unsuccessfully attempted suicide by ingesting laudanum, only to drag on his life for a few more days, until the next time he overdosed as a result of excessive intoxication. Unconscious, Poe was brought to Washington College Hospital. He regained consciousness for a time, during which he exclaimed "The best thing his best friend could do would be to blow his brains out with a pistol." The last words Poe uttered before passing were, "Lord, help my poor soul!". He died on Sunday, October 7, 1849, at 5:00am. (Meyers, 1992, p.254-255). Edgar Allan Poe's deplorable li...
