Poe and neuroticism, pleasant and conscientiousEdgar Allen Poe is often considered one of the most depressed and morbid American writers of all time. His fascination with death is reflected in his short stories, such as “The Masque of the Red Death,” and in his poetry, such as “The Spirits of the Dead.” His tragic life left him with depression, a drinking problem, a suicide attempt and ultimately an untimely death. Although it can be argued that Poe's depression was due to his unhappy life, his behaviors and drinking problems, coupled with his argumentative nature and lack of self-control, indicate a very neurotic and low personality. pleasure and in conscience. Edgar Allen Poe was born in 1809 to two actors. Both his father and older brother were alcoholics. When he was two years old, his father abandoned him and his mother. His mother, unable to support them both, sent him to live with John and Frances Allen. She died shortly after. The Allens gave Poe a good life, but never legally adopted him, leading him to feel like an outcast. Poe was bullied at school for being the child of actors, which fueled his feelings of not belonging. Poe was then sent to college and planned to marry Sarah Elmira Royster as soon as he graduated. He eventually had to leave college due to debt and returned home where he discovered Sarah was engaged to another man. He then joined West Point Academy for a short time, but did not like it and soon dropped out. After that, Poe moved from job to job until he finally married his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia. Six years later, Virginia fell ill with tuberculosis and died. Poe's depression worsened and he later tried to kill...... middle of paper ......t Point, then quit shortly after, and had a family history of alcoholism. His drinking, depression, anxiety, and irritability all indicate a high level of neuroticism, while his drinking, lack of discipline, career success, and argumentativeness all indicate a low level of neuroticism. kindness and conscientiousness. Edgar Allan Poe was a depressed man with a drinking problem and a family history of alcoholism. His sadness and fascination with death and all things macabre are clearly visible throughout his writings. He was argumentative, irritable, anxious, failed professionally and romantically, and lacked self-control and discipline. These personality traits, coupled with his own alcoholism in addition to his family history of alcoholism, directly indicate a personality high in neuroticism and low in agreeableness and conscientiousness...