Archive · 13 Aug 2025
Griswold's Vengeance: The Literary Feud that Shaped Poe's Legacy
Imagine two writers who didn't like each other very much.
One of them, Poe, was famous for his dark stories.
When Poe died, the other writer, Griswold, who was supposed to protect Poe's work, wrote nasty things about him, saying Poe was a bad person.
Griswold wanted to make Poe look terrible so people wouldn't read his stories.
But instead, Griswold's actions made Poe even more famous, turning him into a legendary figure.
Now, people still read Poe's stories and think about how strange and interesting he was.
Rufus Griswold, Poe's literary executor, published a damaging obituary and memoir of Poe after his death.
Griswold portrayed Poe as a depraved drunkard and mad genius, damaging his reputation.
The relationship began with initial praise but turned into personal and literary rivalry.
Griswold's actions were motivated by literary jealousy and perhaps a shared affection for a woman.
Poe's friends and later biographers fought against Griswold's narrative, re-centering Poe as an artist.
- Who
- Edgar Allan Poe and Rufus Wilmot Griswold, with other writers and figures of the time involved.
- What
- A literary feud between Edgar Allan Poe and Rufus Griswold, culminating in a posthumous character assassination of Poe.
- When
- The rivalry began in 1841 and intensified after Poe's death in 1849.
- Where
- Baltimore and literary circles in America.
- Why
- Griswold's actions were driven by literary jealousy, rivalry, and a potential shared affection for a woman.
Griswold's View
Poe's Supporters' View
Poe's Character
Griswold's View
Poe was a depraved individual with a troubled past.
Poe's Supporters' View
Poe was a misunderstood artist with a tragic life.
- Rival
- Rufus Wilmot Griswold
- Poe's Death
- October 1849
- Griswold's Obituary
- Published in The New York Tribune
- Griswold's Profession
- Anthologist and Literary Executor
- Griswold's Memoir
- Appended to a three-volume edition of Poe's works
- Poe's Reputation
- Damaged by Griswold's portrayal
- Poe's Re-evaluation
- By John Henry Ingram and others