Literary:
* British Romanticism: Poe admired the dark and Gothic themes of Romantic writers like Lord Byron, Mary Shelley, and John Keats. He shared their fascination with the supernatural, the macabre, and the exploration of the human psyche.
* William Shakespeare: Poe's early works, particularly his poetry, show a strong influence from Shakespeare. He borrowed Shakespearean language, dramatic structure, and themes of love, betrayal, and revenge.
* Nathaniel Hawthorne: Hawthorne's exploration of guilt, sin, and the dark side of Puritanism resonated with Poe. He saw in Hawthorne's works a similar preoccupation with the inner world and the moral complexities of human nature.
* E.T.A. Hoffmann: This German writer's fantastical and macabre stories, particularly "The Sandman," had a significant impact on Poe's development as a writer of the grotesque and the fantastic.
Philosophical:
* Immanuel Kant: Poe was influenced by Kant's ideas on aesthetics, particularly the concept of the sublime—the awe-inspiring and terrifying aspects of the world. This influenced Poe's exploration of beauty and horror in his works.
* Transcendentalism: While Poe criticized the movement, he was still aware of its influence on American literature. The Transcendentalists' focus on intuition and individual experience contributed to Poe's exploration of the subconscious mind and the power of imagination.
Personal Experiences:
* His own life: Poe's own struggles with poverty, loss, and addiction deeply informed his writing. He often channeled his own experiences into his characters' struggles, creating relatable and often tragic protagonists.
* The death of his mother: His mother's early death when he was very young deeply affected him and is often seen as a source of his fascination with death and the afterlife.
* The loss of his wife: The death of his beloved wife, Virginia, from tuberculosis devastated Poe, and it fueled his writing about love, loss, and the nature of grief.
Other Influences:
* The beauty of nature: Poe found inspiration in the natural world, particularly the landscapes of the American South, which he often depicted with great detail and symbolism in his stories.
* Music: Poe was a keen listener of music, especially classical composers like Chopin, whose haunting melodies and emotional intensity influenced his writing.
Overall, Poe's writing was a complex and eclectic blend of these influences. He took inspiration from literature, philosophy, personal experience, and even music to create a unique and enduring body of work that continues to resonate with readers today.