Never Appreciated in Life

Some people make their legacies while still alive, able to benefit and enjoy the perks of fame and wealth. But for some of the most significant literary and philosophical geniuses of the world, their works weren’t appreciated until after their passing. While these individuals are now studied in universities, during their lives, they would struggle, only to pass away penniless.

1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart lived from 1756 to 1791 and is considered one of the most celebrated composers when it comes to Western music. As a child, he toured Europe thanks to his talent and would establish quite a fortune, allowing him to live lavishly. However, he avoided patrons and worked independently, and the financial risk of that, paired with his gambling, led to his passing with massive debt. He was buried in a common grave due to his poverty, and to this day, his body has not been found.

2. Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was an influential politician and the third President of the United States. He was born in Virginia and had an illustrious career; however, he also had an overspending problem. He also passed with massive debts, and most of his property was sold afterward to settle his debts.

3. Edgar Allan Poe

Poe is best known for his exceptional work as a writer and poet, and he has written significant pieces like The Raven and The Fall of the House of Usher. From the beginning, Poe struggled, as he was born an orphan in Virginia and would experience financial instability throughout. He would pass at the young age of 40 and was reported to be wandering the streets in 1849 dressed in someone else’s clothes and acting delirious.

4. Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde is best known for his witty and provocative writing during the 1800s. His sharp tongue made him a celebrity in Victorian England, and he produced novels like The Picture of Dorian Gray, and plays like The Importance of Being Earnest. Unfortunately, Wilde ended up getting arrested for his lifestyle due to “gross indecency” and was subjected to hard labor. His health collapsed during this time, and he passed in 1900 from meningitis.

5. Friedrich Nietzsche

Nietzsche is an acclaimed German philosopher who was known for his modern ideas on Western philosophy. He wasn’t appreciated during his time, but did become a professor of philology at the University of Basel. He would eventually end up mentally incapacitated for a significant portion of his life and would pass away penniless.

6. Nikola Tesla

Tesla was a Serbian American inventor and engineer who developed AC power systems, radio technologies, and the induction motor. He had big plans for wireless communication as well, but a lot of his work was stolen by Thomas Edison, who pawned it off as his own. Tesla would pass penniless and alone in a New York hotel room in 1943.

7. Benedict Arnold

Arnold was a Revolutionary War general best remembered for betraying the United States. He often felt slighted by Congress and began plotting with the British to surrender West Point, which was a key fort. He left America shortly afterward and would eventually pass in 1801 in London.

8. Bela Lugosi

Lugosi is a crucial Hungarian actor who is best known for his performance as Count Dracula in the original film. His portrayal helped shape modern-day vampires into what they are today, but despite the success of the movie, he struggled to find other roles and became quite typecast. He would pass in 1956, nearly penniless.

9. Judy Garland

Bela wasn’t the only famous actor to struggle, as Judy Garland was another who owed an immense debt. She’s best known for her role as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and was a celebrated actress and singer from a young age. Unfortunately, she was also burdened since childhood, as her parents would use sleeping pills to control her weight. She would eventually pass away at the age of 47 owing more in debt than she had in her bank account.

10. Bram Stoker

Bram Stoker is the prolific author of Dracula, and the father of modern-day vampires. He was born in Dublin and was drawn to writing early on, but his novels never really sold or achieved financial success. His Dracula earnings were modest at best, and he never made any money from the stage performances, passing on before his work had big success. His wife, however, was able to sue to get some earnings from Nosferatu, though.

11. Sammy Davis Jr.

Sammy Davis Jr. is remembered for his talented career as an entertainer, singer, and actor. He helped break apart racial barriers in 20th-century America, but despite his work in the Rat Pack alongside Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, he didn’t pass away with wealth. He unfortunately suffered through throat cancer and other financial challenges, with a costly divorce and piling up medical bills.

12. Herman Melville

Melville is best known for writing Moby-Dick, which is considered one of the greatest American novels. However, the book was unappreciated while he was alive, and he passed away penniless and unknown. His family fell into poverty, and Melville had to work on a ship as a young boy, which helped to shape his work. It was decades later that his work was recognized in a literary revival in the 1920s.

13. Vincent van Gogh

Known as one of the most influential artists in history, Van Gogh spent most of his life troubled and misunderstood. He only sold one painting and was troubled by mental strains, including depression and psychosis. He passed away very young, and it was afterward that he was recognized as one of the most beloved artists.

14. Franz Kafka

Kafka is best known for his work, The Metamorphosis, but has also written other pieces, including The Trial and The Castle. He wrote mostly in secret, and most of his work went unpublished. He passed away penniless at 40 and spent his life mainly working as an insurance clerk while studying law.

15. Emily Dickinson

Emily was born in Massachusetts and grew up well-educated in a respectable family. She would go on to write thousands of poems and was rather introverted, preferring to communicate through letters. She didn’t share her work, which is why most of it went unnoticed by the public. It was only after she passed that her work was discovered and shared.

16. H.P. Lovecraft

Lovecraft was an iconic horror writer from Rhode Island, best known for creating cosmic horror and notable characters like Cthulhu. He received very little money for his work despite getting them published in pulp magazines. Much of his fame ended up coming after his passing, with his stories continuing to inspire media.

17. Antonio Vivaldi

Vivaldi was a significant Italian Baroque composer from the 1600s. He’s best known for his masterpiece, The Four Seasons, but when he passed, he was penniless and largely forgotten. He ended up being discovered centuries later, with many aspiring artists practicing his pieces.

18. John Keats

John Keats was an English Romantic poet known for writing works like Ode to a Nightingale. He was inspired by other writers like Wordsworth and Shelley and created masterful pieces in the 1800s. However, his poetry received mixed reviews, with many mocking his style. He passed away penniless and disappointed with himself, only to solidify a legacy from beyond the grave.

19. Emily Brontë

Brontë is another poet and novelist who wrote prolific pieces during the 1800s. She lived a short life, but in her 30 years, she wrote significant works like Wuthering Heights. She was rather private and preferred to write under a pseudonym, never really receiving attention until after she passed.

20. Michael Jackson

The loss of Michael Jackson is a more modern affair, with the King of Pop passing away in 2009. He was one of the most successful artists around, revolutionizing music and dance with Thriller, Beat It, and Billie Jean. However, he passed away with 400 to 500 million dollars of debt, and many of his assets were sold to help him stay afloat during legal troubles and settlements.