Analysis of "To Zante"

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Sierra Lewis Dr. Ryan Guth ENG 4604 October 7, 2014 Analysis of Edgar Allan Poe’s “To Zante” A distinct contrast to his more popular poems like "The Raven" or "Annabel Lee," Edgar Allan Poe's lesser known sonnet exemplifies his diverse poetic skill. "To Zante" was first published in The Southern Literary Messenger in 1837 and is one of only three true sonnets Poe is ever known to have written. Weaving together a nostalgic moment about a beautiful island that reminds him of a woman he once loved, Poe creates a Shakespearean sonnet that adheres to the rules of proper meter and rhyme scheme. The use of vivid imagery with a mournful tone helps to further his contrast of the isle Zante and the long lost "maiden." Written as a sonnet, this particular form of poetry typically deals with themes like love, heartbreak, and affection, and "To Zante" is no exception. The title and first two words of the poem inform the reader that the sonnet is addressed to Zante, a Greek island located in the Ionian Sea. Zante, referred to today as Zakinthos, is paralleled to a loved one of the speaker who, with historical evidences and assumptions based on his personal life, is presumably Poe. Certain phrases like "departed bliss" in line 5, " entombed hopes" in line 6, and " thy charms shall please no more-- / thy memory no more!" in lines 10 and 11 suggest that she has died. The exotic setting contrasts beautifully with the melancholic tragedy of lost love, with the latter being an ubiquitous subject one expects to see from Poe. Three quatrains and a couplet comprise "To Zante," adhering to the expected form of a Shakespearean sonnet. The three quatrains deal with the comparison of the island and the unnamed "maiden" (line 7), while the couplet is comprised of two apostrophes and a line written in Italian. When translated, line 14 reads "Island
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