Edgar Poe’s Annabel Lee: Narrative Text Analysis Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Introduction

Of Edgar Allan Poe’s entire legacy, Annabel Lee is, perhaps, the most famous poem. It incorporates a range of themes and creates a unique mood, allowing the reader relate to the lead character. A careful choice of stylistic devices and a form makes Annabel Lee a true gem even among Poe’s major works.

Key Themes: Love, Death and Mortality

Like most of Poe’s works, Annabel Lee renders the theme of death. While the poem is often viewed as a lyric one and, therefore, related closely to the theme of love, Annabel Lee is shot through with the anticipation of death and renders the concept of mortality in a very obvious way: “That the wind came out of the cloud by night, /Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee” (Poe, 1849, lines 25–26). Much to Poe’s credit, though, the theme of mortality is not stated in the poem explicitly; instead, the poet renders the issue of death with the help of a range of symbols, including the mentioning of heaven: “The angels, not half so happy in Heaven” (Poe, 1849, line 21). The incorporation of the idea of mortality into the poem that was supposed to concern solely the issue of love may seem somewhat controversial; however, seeing that such an expression as “loving someone till death” has become a household cliché, relating the specified themes to each other seems quite legitimate.

Mood: Between Transcendental and Existential

As death and mortality along with love make the key themes of the poem, it will be reasonable to suggest that the mood of the latter is quite dark, despite the lyrical tone and the fact that love remains one of the key themes of Annabel Lee. As a result, the mood of the poem turns out to be driven by melancholy and can be defined as existential.

It could be argued, though, that the supernatural element, particularly, the mentioning of Heaven and afterlife, makes the overall mood of Annabel Lee quite transcendental (“With a love that the winged seraphs of Heaven” (Poe, 1849, line 11)), with some elements of the supernatural being mentioned as the story of love unwraps: “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” (Poe, 1849, lines 30–33). Indeed, there are arguments regarding the overall mood of Poe’s poetry. While some sources claim it to be transcendental, others consider the gloomy realm of Poe’s universe as questioning the meaning of life and, therefore, leading to the existential interpretation of life. Therefore, it can be assumed that Annabel Lee has a bit of both in it.

Point of View: Through the Lens of the Lead Character

Written in the first person, the poem invites the reader into its universe from its very first lines. With every new sentence, Poe develops the story as the narrator sees it, allowing the reader to identify themselves with the leading character: “I was a child and she was a child” (Poe, 1849, line 7). The point of view, from which the poem is represented to the audience, is easily identifiable, since Poe uses the first person pronouns like “I,” “me,”“we,” etc. in every single line (“And this maiden she lived with no other thought/Than to love and be loved by me” (Poe, 1849, lines 5–6)) to denote the people in his story and create a very strong link between the characters and the audience: “I and my Annabel Lee” (Poe, 1849, line 10). Powerful and sad, the poem is packed with metaphors and hidden innuendoes, which makes it a truly fantastic work of art.

Reference List

Poe, E. A. (1849). . Poetry Foundation. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2020, June 15). Edgar Poe’s Annabel Lee: Narrative Text Analysis. https://ivypanda.com/essays/edgar-poes-annabel-lee-narrative-text-analysis/

Work Cited

"Edgar Poe’s Annabel Lee: Narrative Text Analysis." IvyPanda, 15 June 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/edgar-poes-annabel-lee-narrative-text-analysis/.

References

IvyPanda. (2020) 'Edgar Poe’s Annabel Lee: Narrative Text Analysis'. 15 June.

References

IvyPanda. 2020. "Edgar Poe’s Annabel Lee: Narrative Text Analysis." June 15, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/edgar-poes-annabel-lee-narrative-text-analysis/.

1. IvyPanda. "Edgar Poe’s Annabel Lee: Narrative Text Analysis." June 15, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/edgar-poes-annabel-lee-narrative-text-analysis/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Edgar Poe’s Annabel Lee: Narrative Text Analysis." June 15, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/edgar-poes-annabel-lee-narrative-text-analysis/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1