The Bells Tone

The nineteenth century poet Edgar Allen Poe makes use of several literary devices in order to create a gloomy atmosphere in his poem “The Raven”. Alliteration, rhyme, onomatopoeia, assonance, and repetition are used to contribute to the melodic nature of the work and provide an almost “visual” representation of his gothic setting. Poe is a master of using these writing techniques. “The Raven” is one of his most popular works. This is certainly due, in part to his use of these literary devices in this piece.

For instance, “Nevermore” is emphasized the most and is repeated for eleven times in the poem. Nevermore is basically another word for “never again.” In this case, it’s allowing the readers to know that Poe will never be able to fully forget her. Poe used many rhymes in this poem such as “dreary” and “weary” in line one. As well as, “napping” and “tapping” in line three. Rhymes were used in this poem to give a musical beat, and to appeal older and younger readers. Not only that, but it also helps establish the structure and rhythm of the poem, making it easier to memorize and read out loud. Another poetic device that were used in this poem is alliteration in line thirteen which quotes, “And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain.” The purpose of why alliteration was used in this poem is to grab the attention of the readers and make certain phrases stand out. In this case, the author is trying to tell us that even the look of the curtains appear sad and

At the end of the first paragraph Poe uses foreshadowing when he writes “And the whole seizure, progress and termination of the disease, were the incidents of half an hour” (1). I see this as foreshadowing the event that ends the party and the lives of all those present. The entire thousand assembled die when the Red Death came. The “last chime had utterly sunk” (3) also foreshadows the end where each individual “died in the despairing posture of his fall” (4). Combining both these instances together shows that the whole situation or incident, from the “presence of a masked figure” (3) to “one by one dropped” (4), ended before the clock chimed the next passing hour. The “seventh apartment” (1) also foreshadow the presence of the Red Death. The entire apartment was “shrouded in black velvet tapestries” and the window “panes here

Poe uses imagery and diction to portray the narrator’s state of mind. Poe’s descriptive language demonstrates the narrator’s sorrowful life without Lenore, and Poe’s choice of words reveal his fear towards the sinister raven. For the sorrowful and fearful narrator, the whole world seems to be bleak and terrifying. Everything, even darkness, reminds him of his lost love,

First at the beginning of the story the narrator is very sad and affected that Lenore had died. Adding the fact that the narrator is very angry because someone or something had knocked on the door and was very mad about it. Later he started scream and nagging to leave him alone and to go away. I think that Edgar Allan Poe choose this his setting because he like to do psychological thrillers. If Poe had chosen to do this on a carnival or a circus the I think that the mood would be the opposite what actually is in the story. The reason is simple that generally go to the carnival or to the circus when they are happy. And very rarely some will go to those places when they are sad because there are a lot of sound and people. Most of the people when they are sad stay in their home crying or in a bad mood. Also, that the narrator is very stressed and very fragile to hear child cry, scream, etc.… With that mood, the setting and what happens in the poem will be never be the

“Its pendulum swings to and fro with a dull, heavy, and monotonous clang, causing everyone to stop, including the music”(Poe 374). Although this quote may seem meaningless, it supports the idea that nobody wants to perish or want their life to be interrupted. The quote also supports the theme of “death is inevitable” by making the rings never fade away while the characters gossip about it. The entities from the black apartment, such as the scarlet windows, also give an ominous and dark addition to the story. These objects help develop the theme of the short story.

makes the reader aware of Poe's prominent tone of melancholy. A strong device for the

Each stanza of "The Bells" deals with a particular type of bell and seeks to establish a specific mood. the first stanza suggests courtship, while the second speaks explicitly of marriage. The third section then darkens the mood, suggesting an inevitable descent into terror and despair, and finally, the poem and the human lifetime end in the iron bells of death. Poe associates the silver sledge bells in part 1, Hear the sledges with the bells-- Silver bells! What a world of merriment their melody foretells! , with merriment and excitement. While the golden wedding bells in part 2, Hear the mellow wedding bells-- Golden bells! What a world of happiness their harmony foretells! , are a celebration and a promise of joy. Then with the next two

In the final stanza Poe writes that everything in this natural world reminds him of his beloved and that his heart still longs for his beloved wife. "and so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride, in her sepulcher there by the sea- in her tomb by the sea". In this stanza the true feelings of Edgar Allen Poe are clearly evident. He pours his entire soul into this single stanza. He cries out to the world that his one true love is really gone; but he is only truly crying out to those who are able to view the tragedy of life and death through his eyes. Poe’s belief that fate somehow holds a grudge against him for finding love and happiness with a 13 year old girl is begging to be justified.

In the second Stanza, Poe uses a disparate environment to express the situation " loss of love" ; the excruciating context in the Poem.. Poe introduces the reader to his lack of love or impotence in other words through the imagery of himself grasping grains of" golden sand" that "creep". This image that Poe represents in his Poem is a significant idea because it is ultimately Poe 's central argument that Poe seems to keep on

The gothic nature of “The Raven” gives the poem a much darker and negative tone, compared to “Annabel Lee,” which expresses the sorrow the narrator feels after his loss. Poe uses words in “The Raven” that makes the narrator appear weak, helpless, and desperate to know if he will see his wife, Lenore, again in the afterlife. In the early stanzas of the poem, the narrator hears a tapping at his bedroom door; he then reveals who he believes is trying to come into his room when he states, “And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?” \ This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!” - \ Merely this and nothing more” (Poe, 28-30). This quote is an example of how Poe sets the tone of the poem when the speaker whispers into the darkness, calling for his wife who he knows is deceased. This reveals to the audience that the man is not yet at peace with the reality that his wife is no longer with him. On the other hand, in “Annabel Lee,” Poe sets a more hopeful tone by exhibiting how the narrator feels about his deceased wife. Near the conclusion of the poem, the narrator

The poem, "The Bells," by Edgar Allan Poe, reveals the theme of changing seasons through word choice, symbolism, and poetic elements, like onomatopoeia, alliteration, and metaphors. Each stanza represents a different season with different meanings. The first stanza represents spring; a jolly, happy season. This stanza includes multiple samples of onomatopoeia and words that indicate mood. Lines that indicate this include lines 1, 3, 8, 11, and 14. These lines say, "Hear the sledges with the bells... what a world of merriment their melody foretells... With a crystalline delight... To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells... From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells." The words, "sledges," "merriment," "crystalline delight," and "melody" all mean happiness. The calm and joyful sound of the bells that are "jingling and tinkling" indicates the joyfulness and calmness of the beginning. Spring is a joyful season, with blossoming flowers and being able to enjoy the sun after winter. Then, the second stanza mostly relates to summer, an also happy and enjoyable season. The second stanza represents an also jolly and harmonizing mood. Lines 15, 17, 19, and 35 show characteristics of onomatopoeia and symbolism. The lines show, "Hear the mellow wedding bells... what a world of happiness their harmony foretells... how they ring out their delight... to the rhyming and the chiming of the bells!" This indicates the "mellow wedding bells," an iconic example of symbolism. The wedding bells show a time of happiness, as it's usually a memorable and joyful event for many. Then, the "world of happiness their harmony foretells" and how they "ring out their delight" shows examples of onomatopoeia, which lets the reader realize that it's a harmonizing and peaceful sound. This stanza resembles the season of summer; a time to relax and have memories and fun. Then, as the poem progresses, it reaches a more dark state. The third stanza represents a sad and somewhat scary mood. Examples of alliteration and onomatopoeia are present throughout this stanza, like on paragraph 38, 40, 45, 58-59, and 69 have numerous examples of this. The lines indicate, "What a tale of terror, now, their turbulency tells... how they scream out

He is concerned for Irene, asking her if she is afraid of being in this place. He wonders why she is dreaming in this place, and of what. The speaker says that she must be from a far away land, because even the trees are left to wonder about her. He comments on the peculiarity of how white her skin is, how strangely she is dressed, as well as the length of her hair is off setting to him. He is addressing her as if she will respond to him, which is another use of apostrophe. He is seemingly disoriented by her lack of courteousness; she will not answer his questions. The introduction to Irene being placed in the second stanza is important because it allows for a mood to be created, for the poem to establish an emotional investment for the speaker; we must first get a vivid image of the external surroundings. Poe constructs a mystical setting for his poem which conveys the music in the speaker’s soul. He does this by using alliteration in the first stanza, “And, Softly, dripping, drop by drop. The sensuality of these descriptions conveys how he feels about Irene. Once we are introduced to the slumbering beauty we can see he is concerned for her soul. His probing questions with an expectation of an answer haunt us into the realization that his love transcends through the confines of death. Poe uses iambic tetrameter in this poem, which allows the flow of the poem to captivate the reader into this fantastic setting. The rhyme scheme of

Furthermore, Poe shows that he longs for the reader to be with Annabel, because she was adored and loved by all. This diction gives the poem a romantic feel, which is outside of its gloomy morbid tone, showing his true love for his deceased. This shows that Poe wants the reader to feel a different side of the poem, most of the tone of the poem is dark and extremely morbid, but by saying this he adds a bit of relief to the readers, showing them that it’s not all bad. The most dramatic illustration of this poem is when Poe uses the lines in the poem that suggest imagery such as “For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams of the beautiful Annabel Lee” “and the starts never rise, but I feel the bright eyes” This imagery shows the reader what Annabel Lee was like, it glamorizes her showing the reader that she was an incredibly amazing and beautiful person. The diction in Annabel Lee cannot be any more applauding; by doing this he sets the tone for the whole poem, which makes the poem so wonderful in the first place.

Poe uses word choice that is highly appropriate for his setting and the visit of the Raven within the poem. He mentions the Raven visits in December and that during that time “each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor” (8). The actual meaning of this phrase, means that ashes are falling on the floor from the fire; however, it implies that with each moment within December the narrator experiences a new form of pain and grief. In addition, when the narrator sees the curtains move he says that the movement “filled [him] with fantastic terrors never felt before” (14). This specific phrase shows that the narrator is scared about discovering what is awaiting him. Poe also provides a list of actions the narrator was participating in while frightened by the Raven; the narrator is said to be “wondering, fearing, doubting, [and] dreaming dreams no moral ever dared to dream before” (25-26). This list includes actions that an individual would partake in during an event of extreme discomfort and while in extreme panic. In addition, Poe adds that upon the narrator’s discovery of the bird “the silence was unbroken” (27). This small yet simple phrase increases the disturbing of the Raven’s unannounced arrival because it did not specify its purpose for visiting the narrator. Poe use of word choice continually promotes fear and darkness. For example, the narrator hopes that the bird will give him some