Annabel Lee Essay

460 Words2 Pages
Edgar Allen Poe’s poem Annabel Lee was the last one he ever composed. Although it is not officially considered a ballad, Poe himself labeled it as such. Annabel Lee follows Poe’s favorite theme- the death of a beautiful woman, which he referred to it as the most ‘poetic topic in the world.’ Unproven, many believe Annabel Lee is written in remembrance of Poe’s young wife and cousin, Virginia Clem. Married at age 13, Virginia was the love of 26 year old Poe’s life. She died two years before the poem was composed which reinforces the possibility that young Virginia was Poe’s in fact Annabel Lee. One must agree that this poem is most certainly meant to be read aloud. There is a musical quality to Annabel Lee that causes it to roll off the tongue with ease. Short and long lines alternate throughout most of the poem with every short line ending in an ‘ee’ sound. It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me. This rime scheme continues throughout all six stanzas of the poem as Poe describes his beautiful Annabel Lee and the love they still share even after her death. Although Poe speaks of his deep and abiding love for the beautiful Annabel Lee, the poem is not a happy one. In fact, it paints a rather gloom picture of his ‘kingdom by the sea.’ In lines 30 -34 Poe says “And neither the angels in Heaven above/ Nor the demons down under the sea/ Can ever dissever my soul from the soul/ Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.” This intense imagery creates a picture of harsh weather and even harsher landscape surrounded by avenging angels above and demons below, both of whom are determined to separate Poe from Annabel Lee. Some may argue that the angels succeeded in separating the two young lovers since Annabel Lee
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