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Disturbingly, Edgar says he fell in love with his 12-year-old cousin Virginia, calling her "my love, my sweetest sissie, darling little wifey". He was 26 and she was 12 when they married. What evidence exists that proves that they knew this was a wrongful act?

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Final answer:

Historically, Edgar Allan Poe's marriage to his young cousin hasn't left substantial evidence that they recognized it as 'wrongful' by the standards of their time, though modern perspectives would certainly differ.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the controversial marriage of Edgar Allan Poe to his 12-year-old cousin Virginia Clemm when he was 26 years old. Looking at historical evidence, there is little direct evidence commenting on Poe's or Virginia's personal beliefs about the morality of their union. At that time, while such marriages were less common and could raise eyebrows, they were legally permissible and sometimes occurred within the societal norms of the 19th century. Poe’s actions might not have been viewed as "wrongful" based on the standards of his time, but modern perspectives would certainly consider such an act exploitative and inappropriate.

The provided passages, while illustrative of the types of ethical and moral transgressions present in historical and fictional contexts, do not provide evidence directly related to Poe's marriage. However, they highlight the broader social and legal norms related to marriage, gender relations, and race, indicating varied understandings of "wrongful acts" throughout history.

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