People know two things about Edgar Allan Poe: He was a drug-takingdrunkard, and his horror stories reflected his own degenerate life.These two "facts" form the basis of the new film, "The Raven."Actually, though, neither is true, says Edward Pettit, the literary critic known as "the Philly Poe Guy." Themyths about Poe's life can be traced back to a single person, Pettitexplains. Poe's literary rival, Rufus Griswold, wrote his obituary andcalled him a drunk, a drug addict and a friendless misfit.SoPettit, an adjunct professor of literature at LaSalle University, wasdisappointed, but not terribly surprised, by "The Raven." In the film, amadman commits a series of gruesome murders. A detective (Luke Evans)realizes the murders are based on stories written by Poe (John Cusack)and enlists Poe to help solve the crimes.The portrayal of Poe isinaccurate both in biographical details -- Poe wasn't the social pariahhe's portrayed as in the film -- and literary details. After seeing thepreview, Pettit headed straight to the Edgar Allan Poe National HistoricSite at Seventh and Spring Garden streets, where Poe once lived andwrote. "The rangers there are really knowledgeable," Pettit says, "and Iwanted to warn them as soon as possible there would be a newflood of visitors who would have the wrong ideas about Poe."
