Rufus Griswold was an American anthologist, editor, and critic known for his controversial biography of Edgar Allan Poe that portrayed Poe in a negative light. After Poe's death, Griswold published a scathing obituary and later authored a biography that tarnished Poe's reputation, despite having requested Poe's literary works to publish.
Rufus Wilmot Griswold became Poe's literary executor, unfortunately for Poe. Griswold was an enemy of Poe's and did all he could to vilify Poe and his works
Rufus Wilmot Griswold died on 1857-08-27.
Rufus Wimot Griswold was a critic who bore a grudge with poe in 1842. He wrote Poe's obituary and later made a memoir of Poe's with false letters trying to make look like a drunk evil man.
Rufus Wilmot Griswold
Rufus Griswold was an author and literary critic like Poe, but the two became rivals in many ways. Both were taken with a married woman named Frances Sargent Osgood. Both gave the other poor marks when it came to their writing and editing skills. After Poe died, Griswold wrote a very bitter obituary of Poe. Then, Poe became Poe's literary executor and wrote the only biography of Poe available until 1875. Griswold was very unflattering to Poe, and his words scar Poe's reputation even to this day; however, they also served to bring more popularity to Poe's work.
Rufus Wilmot Griswold. He was named the executor of Edgar Allan Poe's estate and wrote a scathing obituary filled with lies and personal attacks on Poe following his death.
Like a lot of writers, Poe had a rival. His was the poet, critic, and editor Rufus Griswold. Although Griswold had included Poe's work in his 1842 anthology The Poets and Poetry of America, Poe held an extremely low opinion of Griswold's intellect and literary integrity. Poe published an essay blasting Griswold's selections for the anthology, and their rivalry began.Things really heated up, though, when Griswold succeeded Poe as the editor of Graham's magazine at a higher salary than Poe had been pulling in. Poe began publicly lambasting Griswold's motivations; he even went so far as to claim that Griswold was something of a literary homer who puffed up New England poets.Poe might have had a point about Griswold's critical eye, but Griswold had the good fortune to outlive Poe. After Poe died, Griswold penned a mean-spirited obituary in which he claimed the writer's death "will startle many, but few will be grieved by it" and generally portrayed Poe as an unhinged maniac.Slamming a guy in his obituary is pretty low, but Griswold was just getting warmed up. He convinced Poe's aunt, Maria Clemm, to make him Poe's literary executor. Griswold then published a biography of Poe that made him out to be a drug-addled drunk, all while keeping the profits from a posthumous edition of Poe's work.This isnt my answer, i copied this of a website
Rufus Wilmot Griswold
'Ludwig' was the pen name of Poe's most notorious rival whose real name was Rufus Wilmot Griswold.
Joy Bayless has written: 'Rufus Wilmot Griswold, Poe's literary executor'
Rufus Wilmot Griswold. Poe and Griswold had a problematic relationship in which each had some respect and disrespect for each other. The disrespect part grew more pronounced until they were virtual enemies of one another. After Poe's death Griswold wrote an unflattering obituary of Poe, which he signed "Ludwig", probably fearing the reaction that would be levelled against him because of it. In addition, after Poe's death, Griswold published a treatise of Poe's works and then wrote a negative biography of Poe himself. Many negative items in the biography were outright untruths.
Rufus Wilmot Griswold. He tried to ruin Poe's reputation when Poe died. He had apparently borne a grudge against Poe since 1842. The biographical article of Poe Griswold wrote called "Memoir of the Author", which he included in an 1850 volume of the collected works. Griswold depicted Poe as a depraved, drunk, drug-addled madman and included Poe's letters as evidence. This "Memoir" was criticized by Poe's Friends and the "letters" were found to be forgeries.