An Analysis of “To The River___” by Edgar Allan Poe
B.P. English
19 February 2014
An Analysis of “To The River___” by Edgar Allan Poe
“Thou art an emblem of the glow/ Of beauty- the unhidden heart-/ The playful maziness of art” (3-5). “To The River___” by Edgar Allan Poe is a poem about a young boy who is enthralled with the daughter of Old Alberto. The origin of the poem may be explained by the fact that Poe wrote it at the mere age of eighteen; a time when emotions flow freely and the mind is yet to be fully developed. The poem describes the young girl as a perfect example of raw and pure beauty through classic literary elements such as imagery, tone, rhyme, and diction. “To the River” is a beautiful poem that compares the elegance of a young woman to a crystal clear flowing river.
To analyze the poem itself, there is a rhyme scheme of A-B-A-C-C-B-D-E-D-E-F-G-F-G. With the exception of one of the rhymes it is an alternate rhyming cuplet. This style of rhyme can be encountered in many of Poe’s works including “The Raven”. Even with a similar rhyme scheme the rhythms are completely different. This has to do with the diction that Poe incorporates into each of them. “For in his heart, as in thy stream, / Her image deeply lies-/ His heart which trembles at the beam/ Of her soul-searching eyes.” (11-14). The way this poem is written allows for a natural flow of words perhaps to imitate the smooth flow of the river being described. This is exactly why poetry is an art that can only be fully appreciated when read aloud.
The tone and imagery of this poem are what makes it as pleasing to the imagination as it is. Throughout the entire poem there are words used such as, wandering, unhidden, looks, deeply lies, and searching. This sets a tone of unrest and constant yearning, which could suggest that the narrator feels as if the relationship could work, but the feelings are unreciprocated. It could also be interpreted that perhaps Old Alberto, the girl’s father, is in the way of their love and they are forbidden lovers
19 February 2014
An Analysis of “To The River___” by Edgar Allan Poe
“Thou art an emblem of the glow/ Of beauty- the unhidden heart-/ The playful maziness of art” (3-5). “To The River___” by Edgar Allan Poe is a poem about a young boy who is enthralled with the daughter of Old Alberto. The origin of the poem may be explained by the fact that Poe wrote it at the mere age of eighteen; a time when emotions flow freely and the mind is yet to be fully developed. The poem describes the young girl as a perfect example of raw and pure beauty through classic literary elements such as imagery, tone, rhyme, and diction. “To the River” is a beautiful poem that compares the elegance of a young woman to a crystal clear flowing river.
To analyze the poem itself, there is a rhyme scheme of A-B-A-C-C-B-D-E-D-E-F-G-F-G. With the exception of one of the rhymes it is an alternate rhyming cuplet. This style of rhyme can be encountered in many of Poe’s works including “The Raven”. Even with a similar rhyme scheme the rhythms are completely different. This has to do with the diction that Poe incorporates into each of them. “For in his heart, as in thy stream, / Her image deeply lies-/ His heart which trembles at the beam/ Of her soul-searching eyes.” (11-14). The way this poem is written allows for a natural flow of words perhaps to imitate the smooth flow of the river being described. This is exactly why poetry is an art that can only be fully appreciated when read aloud.
The tone and imagery of this poem are what makes it as pleasing to the imagination as it is. Throughout the entire poem there are words used such as, wandering, unhidden, looks, deeply lies, and searching. This sets a tone of unrest and constant yearning, which could suggest that the narrator feels as if the relationship could work, but the feelings are unreciprocated. It could also be interpreted that perhaps Old Alberto, the girl’s father, is in the way of their love and they are forbidden lovers