Study: Edgar Allan Poe likely didn't commit suicide

We still don’t know what killed Edgar Allan Poe, but a new study disputes the assumption that the famous writer committed suicide.

Scholars analyzed his personal letters, poems (such as the famous "The Raven"), and short stories (including "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Pit and the Pendulum") to look for linguistic clues that Poe was depressed and/or considering suicide.

While those markers are indeed found during certain points of his life — right after his wife’s death — they’re not evident in the leadup to his death.

Read more about what the researchers sought and what they found in StudyFinds, which summarized the work published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. 

Related posts

• Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum becomes a literary landmark

• Honoring the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe