The Life of Edgar Allan Poe and Its Reflection in the Characters of “Ligeia” Edgar Allan Poe spent much of his life dealing with the loss and death of family, that it's no wonder his poetry and stories absorbed those experiences. His writings reflect what he experienced in his life through supernatural and exaggerated plots, settings, and especially characters. The tone of his writing is known to be dark and disturbing and often had a recurring theme of death. He also often wrote about love, but they were generally not happy stories. His personal experience of love, both familial and romantic, often ended in death and substance abuse. The effects of his life seem particularly prevalent in the characters of his story “Ligeia.” Each of the three characters contains a reflection of his life, both positive and negative. Trying to understand the characters and their roles within the stories can bring out many connections and similarities to Poe's personal life that would otherwise go unnoticed. At first glance, the narrator, Ligeia, and Rowena are not particularly complex characters, however when you compare them to people from Poe's past, they become much more than just face value. Knowing the basics of Poe's background is essential to learning more. about its characters and its stories. Much of his work comes from his life experiences. Edgar Allan Poe was born to Eliza and David Poe Jr. in Boston in 1809. Even in his childhood, Poe faced poverty, illness, and other hardships. His parents were both actors and often moved Poe and his two brothers for work. David Poe Jr. was a known alcoholic Before Poe was a year old, his father had abandoned the family. His former father and mother both died before... middle of the paper... which they would potentially benefit from. In this case the narrator must endure the marriage he doesn't want in order to be reunited with the lost love he has so desperately missed. It is possible that this is a reflection of the isolation Poe felt when he was forced to be among people who did not accept or appreciate him. The people in his life that he should have looked up to according to society's standards were the ones he usually got hurt by. In his life he was abandoned by his father, was disinherited by the family that raised him, struggled with authority, and many considered him nothing more than a drunkard. Rowena would be an interesting image due to the general feeling of cold and withdrawal he received while isolated, both due to the death of his loved ones and the need to be part of a society in which he did not fit in..