Composed in 1835, this is the only play written by Poe, which was never completed. It is a fictionalised version of a true event in Kentucky: the murder of Solomon P. Sharp by Jereboam O. Beauchamp in 1825. The so-called “Kentucky Tragedy” became a national headline and attracted several fictional representations. Poe, however, chose to set his version in 16th century Rome. Poe wrote the play during his time with the Southern Literary Messenger and during some personal crises. The first installment of Politian was published in that journal in December 1835 as “Scenes from an Unpublished Drama”.
A second installment was issued in January 1836 but the play was never completed. Politian did not receive good reviews. Its failure prompted Poe to stop writing longer works and instead focus on short stories. Politian remains unfinished and is the only play written by Poe. The play takes place in 16th century Rome. A man named Castiglione becomes engaged to a woman named Allessandra, inciting the jealousy of the orphan Lalage. Lalage meets a man named Politian and, after some flirtation, convinces him to take revenge on Castiglione. In the drama, Politian recites the poem “The Coliseum,” which Poe had previously published in 1833.