Poem for the Week of April 11 - ANNABEL LEE.

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clong
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Poem for the Week of April 11 - ANNABEL LEE.

Post by clong »

A nice online version is available here.
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Post by Kvetch »

I've read it, but I'm not really sure what to make of it. It reminds me a little of Captain Jack and the Mermaid which has a similar theme of loss by the sea.

To be honest, I expect that the poem will turn out to be a commentry on the religious censorship of the romans or something similarly odd, but I can't see it.

Apart from noting the strong internal rhythym, I cannot find anything else to say.
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Post by tollbaby »

I dunno... it always sounded to me like he was talking about a boat. I know he's not, but it always struck me that way...

Not one of my favorite Poe poems... way too sing-songy for my taste. I like poems to have a rhythm like a heartbeat, but not like a child's nursery rhyme.
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Post by clong »

This was one of his last works. Most commentators believe that it was inspired by the loss of his beloved wife Virginia.

It is in some ways very childlike. The conceit that jealous angels would send a chill wind to kill his beloved certainly sounds like a child's explanation for the loss of a loved one.
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Post by Kahrey »

I've always loved this poem. It has a personal meaning to me.

I have always thought it was probably inspired by his wife's death, though I have never really dug deep into it and tried to find out how she died or anything to relate it further.

The meaning it has to me is about my sister and I. We are extremely close, and no one can seem to understand it. Of the numerous times they've tried to split us apart and make us hate each other, it has never worked. And I know that my mom has always been jealous of our relationship. She tells lies to each of us about the other to try to split us apart, to try to kill our friendship. Of course, it has never worked and thus has a better ending than that of Annabel Lee.

Maybe I'll think over it some more and see what I can come up with. But this has been one of my favorite Poe poems.
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Post by ravenwing989 »

This poem is so beautiful. ^^
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Post by The Egoist »

It is about Virginia. So are the Raven and Lenore.

The reason he's talking about childlike things is she died at the age of 19. But of course they'd already been married for 6 years by that point. Meaning she was 13 when he married her (and his first cousin, if that wasn't already creepy enough). He was in his late 20's when they married.

So, for their entire marriage, she literally was a child. Poe wasn't just recognizing that, in his own quirky, obsessive way, he was celebrating it. The poem is, without being flip, a pedophiles lament of his lost child-bride.

Note that in the beginning of Lolita, Humbert Humbert will name his first love Annabelle Leigh. And they will meet on the Cote Normand (which he will describe as a kingdom to his young mind) and that she will tragically die young.
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Post by Freddy »

Impressive !

Can you notice the element of rhythm in the poem ? It is is fairly fast paced.
The rhythm is maintained throughout the poem by the repetition of the name Annabel Lee.

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