The Background
"Annabel Lee" is a lovely poem composed by Edgar Allen Poe in 1849. His inspiration for writing the poem is generally believed to have come from his wife Virginia Clemm Poe who is said to be the "Annabel Lee" in the poem. In any case, the poem was only published shortly after the writer’s demise in the same 1849. We have provided below a comprehensive analysis and tried to provide the meaning of Annabel Lee -A Poem written by Edgar Allan Poe.
The Structure
The poem is written in 6 stanzas. 3 of them have six lines each. 1 has seven lines while the remaining 2 have 8 lines. There’s a definite rhyme scheme noticed in the poem. It is written like a ballad although it’s not actually a ballad in the strictest sense. The poet used several phrases, repetition and other poetic devices in driving home his message.
The Meaning
The title of the poem "Annabel Lee" refers to a beautiful woman whom the narrator fell in love with. Actually, the lady died but the speaker was recounting the love he shared with her when they were young. His love remained so strong even after the death of the lady.
Thus, the theme of the poem centers on love and death. The poem explores the idea of loving someone even unto death. The speaker’s love for Annabel Lee began several years ago when they were still young while residing in a kingdom built by the sea. Their love for each other was very deep and strong that even the angels become jealous of them. When the lady gave up the ghost, the speaker believed that an angel must have killed her out of jealousy. Nevertheless, he kept the love burning even after the death of the lady. He kept dreaming about the woman every single night. He wondered why death could be so cruel to snatch away his love.
Meanwhile, several commentaries and analysis on the poem maintain that the "Annabel Lee" in the poem was actually the poet’s wife. He was simply showing his love for her even after her death.
In all, the poem has a lovely message to pass across. It simply emphasizes the beauty of having true love for someone even when the person is no more. It’s indeed a great poem for lovers.
