Comparing Poe's Poetry Essay

Edgar Allen Poe demonstrates in his written works of Lenore, Annabel Lee, and To Helen an element that seemingly attempts to give the reader exceptional emotional sadness. Poe does this by telling the poem in a point of view where a man tells the story of the death or remembrance of a young love or woman. He also puts a sense of gloom in each of his poems. This allows for the reader to create a mental image if the setting, without him having to directly point it out. As well, the gloominess of his poetry could also be due to his longing effect of sadness that he attempts to express.

These three poems have a distinct connection to each other. All of which share a resemblance, because all of them express love to the other in one way or another; as it is seemingly that these poems in their entirety have been commemorated to someone Poe himself once felt these feelings for. For example in the poem To Helen, the narrator portrays of Helens beauty. A simple poem, and seemingly short compared to the other two, it simply tells of the narrators views of the young lady he is admiring. Also unlike the other two, Poe uses positive words and rhythms to create an ending mental vision that illustrates Helen to be that of graceful beauty, with her placed in a window with a glowing lamp that signifies to him of the Holy Land or Heaven, for which he sees Helen to be the Angel of in representation.

However, a poem such as Lenore is told in a much more saddening, although not completely depressing element. This poem exemplifies Poes more frequent theme of death combined with beauty is presented. Guy De Vere, however, is not completely saddened by the deathly occurrence; but he is rather outraged because he believes that everyone had wished her dead due to loving the wealth that she had carried but rather hating the pride that she carried along with it. The frequent repetition of the phrase "died so young" also emphasizes a sort of feeling of regret. Although he does not mourn her passing because he believes that she has ascended to heaven. This poem is just like the other two because the woman is seen through the eyes of the loving man that emphasizes both the inner and outer attractiveness perceived, more or less making her a pinnacle of beauty in the eyes of the reader. Just like the other two, this poem places high emphasis on the woman being spoken of.

The poem Annabel Lee is also written and spoken about in a similar saddening way as Lenore. It is told as a gloomy love story between two children that lived by the sea. Both of them loved each other equally as much. This was described in the poem as a love that was more powerful than that of the angels who envied their affection for each other. However, a wind chill killed the narrators precious Annabel; and their love was too great to be stopped. There narrator is soon reminded of everything that brings a remembrance of her such as the moon and the stars. Because of this, at night he lies by her tomb by the sea. The gloominess of this poem is given by a few gothic elements. The way it is described as a kingdom by the sea gives a mysterious and undefined location; this depicts a dark feel towards the poem itself simply in setting.

All of the poems combined share minute varying elements in the way they are told, but each of them share a similar theme. Although To Helen is told in a more positive tone compared to the other two, each of them tell a story of affection towards a young woman who has had varying and particular hardships. As well, they are told in a way that seemingly honors the woman presented; that all of them share a particular connection within the poem itself between the narrator and the woman involved attempt to give the same feeling to the reader.