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Comparing Poe's The Raven And Annabel Lee

Decent Essays

POEtry Analysis Essay

Edgar Allan Poe was a writer who wrote many poems and short stories. His poems are well received and are loved by many people. Poe’s work is usually bleak and sad. Two of his well known poems were The Raven and Annabel Lee. The Raven and Annabel Lee have many similar themes and subjects.

Most of Poe’s poems are sad and deal with grief and depression. The Raven themes are depression and grief, the poem says “And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;” which shows sadness. The poem also mentions the death of the narrator's wife Lenore,”From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore”. The Raven’s motifs are used to create a mood of melancholy and longing by the Raven repeating “nevermore”. Annabel Lee’s themes deal with love and sadness, the poem says “But we loved with a love that was more than love” which displays love. The couple had a strong love with each other (love theme) but the angles blow a wind towards Annabel Lee which chills her and kills her which makes the husband fall into a depression (sadness theme). The subject …show more content…

The Raven’s presence is supposed to represent death and grief, like how the poem says, “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!”. The Raven also symbolizes never ending remembrance. Figurative language used in The Raven is metaphors and personification. The Raven (Bird) is personification because of the Raven saying, “nevermore”. Annabel Lee’s imagery is the use of the phrase “To shut her up in a sepulcher, In this kingdom by the sea.”. The “kingdom by the sea” uses visual imagery and the use of the word sepulcher gives a more descriptive sense of imagery. Figurative language in Annabel Lee is the use of symbolism. The main character Annabel Lee is a symbol for Edgar Allan Poe’s dead wife. The sea is also a symbol for an ominous and deadly

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