https://www.openlettersmonthlyarchive.com/olm/appearing-as-edgars-father
https://www.thedailybeast.com/author/michael-daly
This episode begins with an apology, and story about a rowdy group of students (from Lady Gaga’s mother’s high school) and their refusal to be quiet until I feigned madness!
A majority of this episode covers the question of the identity of Poe’s father. Most scholars believe he was David Poe, Jr,. but a professor at Duke has made an interesting case regarding John Howard Payne - one of the leading actors of the period, and the author of the first Broadway hit- Home Sweet Home.
And then there is the matter of Poe’s sister. How could David have been her father if he had already deserted the family? And does it really matter?
This episode covers the “story of who was Poe’s father?” as an example of a tendency of people interested in Poe to “fill in” the gaps when there might be a question - is this a “historical conspiracy theory.”
Thank you for experiencing Celebrate Creativity.
