Brain Snacks: Tasty Tidbits of Knowledge
Antarctica was only discovered in 1820, just ten years before Poe wrote the story. He probably couldn't sell the idea of a giant whirlpool otherwise; people were still in the dark a bit, giving him room to toss something really wild out there and still say "hey, it could happen." (Source.)
Poe loved him the shanties and far-off islands in part because his home city of Baltimore was a major seaport when he lived there. "MS. Found in a Bottle" shows off some of that love. (Source.)
Who knew a football team could also be full of poetry lovers? The Baltimore Ravens football team is named after Poe's famous poem: a tip of the helmet to the city's most famous writer. They even threw their mascots into the deal: three cartoon ravens named Edgar, Allan and Poe. (Source.)