Friday, August 22, 2008

Edgar Allan Poe's House




"There is something in the unselfish and self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man."
The Black Cat, 1843


We recently visited a house in Philadelphia that was inhabited by Poe. It was a really cool experience. The house was very old and had a sort of eerie feel to it, in part because it was unfurnished and not remodeled or anything it was as Poe had left it (even though it was lived in after he left) Well one of our tour guides was this awesome portly gentlemen who was really cool. He told of of how it is thought that perhaps Poe wrote "The Black Cat" or was in the works of doing so while living in the house. So the tale is that this gentlemen, his wife, and their cat were walking down the steps leading to their basement and as it turned out the husband had intended to hit the cat with an ax and accidentally hit his wife...read the rest of the tale to find out how it all goes down(http://http//classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/eapoe/bl-eapoe-blackcat.htm). Anyhow the story is that he was perhaps inspired by the steps leading to the actual basement below. So when you go to the basement you are totally creeped out by the story. Who knows if this it is true that he wrote the tale there....it just enhances the experience I guess. Irregardless, the house is kinda creepy in a super cool way. This was one of the coolest things we have done in Philly...I love books and literature so to be in the actually house of Edgar Allan Poe was very, very cool. So as it turns out there is more to Philly than hoagies, pizza, and total pedestrian anarchy....hmm who knew. Here are some pics...


Check out the pics,

love


mon :)

The basement steps. FYI, Hazel was not prompted to make that face.


Hazel & Abuelita looking through a box of some of Poe's favorite things.








2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hazel. That little tree hugger;)

Edgar Allen Poe's house does seem like it would be creepy.....



<3
christian

Anonymous said...

I love jades tiara and her little house on prairie hat she looks adorable. So do you and Nadia, you both take good pics. Hazel is growing so fast... I miss you guys. Luv Auntie Susie