The Loss of a Loved One
Jonathan Grupenmacher
Mr. Williams
English 1B
26 April 2012
Word Count 1341
The Loss Of A Loved One
Individuals have their own way to express emotions. Writers express sadness and love by writing poetry. “Annabel Lee,” by Edgar Allan Poe, is a lyrical ballad that tells a story of a young couple in love, and how the man responds to the early death of his beloved. The male narrator is also the main character of the poem, which makes this ballad different from the usual ones because, beyond the story, there is also an emotional expression. The poem’s narrator, like Poe himself, is a depressed and angry man who tries to understand the loss of his beloved. Both the narrator and Poe are poor, which is suggested by the poem when the narrator refers to the woman’s relatives as “highborn kinsmen”(line 17). Therefore, the depressed outlook and financial pressure reinforce even more that this poem is not just a ballad, but also an emotional expression of the author. The story occurs at a non-specified time and in a “kingdom by the sea,” which connotes a fairytale and royal setting (2). The narrator’s love is special. The poem describes his anger and obsession to find an answer for her death, which makes him lose perspective in life. After he answers his question, he realizes that their love is not over yet because their “souls” are intertwined (32). Their love is eternal because the narrator believes that his love continues after death. The poem creates the theme of eternal love by using words drawn from fairytales, and multisyllabic words with a religious meaning. Additionally, images evoke loss and sadness. For example, “night” is the time when most of the events occur; the narrator gives the reader sense of a sad world. The repetition and rhyme of “Annabel Lee,” “me,” and “sea” also reinforce the tight link between the narrator, his lost love, and the sea. Finally, the ballad’s peaceful and pleasing rhythm created by anapests and iambs, “It was ma/ny and
Mr. Williams
English 1B
26 April 2012
Word Count 1341
The Loss Of A Loved One
Individuals have their own way to express emotions. Writers express sadness and love by writing poetry. “Annabel Lee,” by Edgar Allan Poe, is a lyrical ballad that tells a story of a young couple in love, and how the man responds to the early death of his beloved. The male narrator is also the main character of the poem, which makes this ballad different from the usual ones because, beyond the story, there is also an emotional expression. The poem’s narrator, like Poe himself, is a depressed and angry man who tries to understand the loss of his beloved. Both the narrator and Poe are poor, which is suggested by the poem when the narrator refers to the woman’s relatives as “highborn kinsmen”(line 17). Therefore, the depressed outlook and financial pressure reinforce even more that this poem is not just a ballad, but also an emotional expression of the author. The story occurs at a non-specified time and in a “kingdom by the sea,” which connotes a fairytale and royal setting (2). The narrator’s love is special. The poem describes his anger and obsession to find an answer for her death, which makes him lose perspective in life. After he answers his question, he realizes that their love is not over yet because their “souls” are intertwined (32). Their love is eternal because the narrator believes that his love continues after death. The poem creates the theme of eternal love by using words drawn from fairytales, and multisyllabic words with a religious meaning. Additionally, images evoke loss and sadness. For example, “night” is the time when most of the events occur; the narrator gives the reader sense of a sad world. The repetition and rhyme of “Annabel Lee,” “me,” and “sea” also reinforce the tight link between the narrator, his lost love, and the sea. Finally, the ballad’s peaceful and pleasing rhythm created by anapests and iambs, “It was ma/ny and
Cited: Poe, Edgar A. “Annabel Lee.” 250 Poems A Portable Anthology. Ed. Peter Schakel, and Jack Ridl. Bedford/St. martin’s. Boston/New York. 61-62 “Poe’s Poetry Summary and Analysis.” GradeSaver. 26 April 2012 <http://www.gradesaver.com/poes-poetry/study-guide/section12/>.