Although Edgar Allen Poe is best known for his short detective stories of the macabre and poetry, he is also known as one of the most important figures in literary criticism. Poe alienated many of his colleagues because of the uncompromising standards he demanded in constructing a worthy national literature. Today he is considered one of the most influential figures in the advancement of literary traditions not only in America but also in Europe. leaving an undoubted mark in the world of literature. Although Poe's poems appeal to the reader, sometimes reluctantly, on a subconscious level, there is widespread disagreement about the virtues of Poe's poetry. Many critics connect the tragic origins of Poe's life with the events described in his poem; some critics even insist that the poems, unlike his writings, are drawn from personal experience. Other scholars attempt to explain each of the real-life women who inspired individual poems, though there is some disagreement over the results, with the exception of "Annabel Lee," which is universally recognized as a tribute to Poe's child bride, Virginia. . Poe's obsession with death in his poetry is linked to the deaths of many important women in his life and the resulting sense of abandonment. (Sisler, 2004) Edgar Allan Poe's best-known poem "The Raven", which gained international attention for Poe after it was published in The Raven and Other Poems, making it one of the most famous poems ever written. Poe uses internal rhyme and end rhyme as well as multi-syllable words, long, convoluted sentences, and several branching clauses in many of his poems such as "The Raven". Using intensity to create suspense and suggest terror, Poe creates an atmosphere in which he probes the… center of the paper… the rays also merge with the characters in his stories, suggesting that Poe and his characters share identities . On October 3, 1849, Poe was found on the streets of Baltimore delirious, “in great distress and…in need of immediate assistance,” according to the man who found him, Joseph W. Walker. He was taken to Washington College Hospital, where he died on Sunday, October 7, 1849 at 5:00 am. (Neimeyer, 2002) Works Cited Cengage, G. (2001). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from enotes.com: http://www.enotes.com/fall-house-usher-criticism/fall-house-usher-edgar-allan-poe/introductionNeimeyer, M. (2002). Poe and popular culture. In The Cambridge Companion to Edgar Allen Poe (p. 209). Cambridge University Press.Sisler, T. (2004). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from eNotes.com: http://www.enotes.com/raven-criticism/raven-edgar-allan-poe/introduction