Although Edgar Allen Poe is most famous for his macabre and poetic short mystery stories, he is also known as one of the most influential figures in literary criticism. Poe alienated many of his colleagues because of the inflexible standards he demanded in constructing a worthy national literature. He is now recognized as one of the most influential figures in the advancement of literary traditions not only in America but also in Europe. leaving an unmistakable mark on 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 to the events described in his poetry; some critics even insist that the poems, unlike his writings, are drawn from his personal experience. Other scholars attempt to account for each of the real women who inspired individual poems, although there is some disagreement over the results, with the exception of "Annabel Lee", which is universally recognized as a tribute to Poe's child-wife Virginia. . Poe's obsession with death in his poetry is linked to the deaths of many important women in his life and the resulting feelings of abandonment. (Sisler, 2004) Edgar Allan Poe's best-known poem, "The Raven", brought international attention to Poe after being published in The Raven and Other Poems, making it one of the most popular poems most famous ever written. Poe uses internal rhymes and end rhymes as well as multi-syllable words, long convoluted sentences, and multiple branching clauses in many of his poems such as "The Raven." By using intensity to create suspense and suggest terror, Poe creates an atmosphere in which he probes the medium of the paper. The rays also blend with the characters in his stories, suggesting 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 at 5 a.m. on Sunday, October 7, 1849. (Neimeyer, 2002)Works citedCengage, G. (2001). Accessed 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