LITR 5535: American Romanticism

Student Presentation on Reading Selections, summer 2002

Reader: Beth Hammett
Selection Text: Poe’s “Annabel Lee”
Recorder: LaDonna Williams
10 June 2002

            Poe’s “Annabel Lee” is an example of his theory: “the death of a beautiful woman is the most poetic of subjects.”  Is the poem autobiographical?  If so, does Poe’s poem border on the perverse? 

            The desire and loss of Annabel Lee is the subject of the poem.  This is similar to Poe’s real life marriage to Virginia Clemm, his cousin, who was age thirteen at the time of their marriage.  Poe was twenty-six, double Virginia’s age.  Poe has been criticized for the love and marriage of his young cousin. At the same time, Virginia’s mother remained in the home as Poe’s housekeeper.  A somewhat unusual arrangement. 

            The poem is nostalgic as the narrator mourns for the lost love of Annabel Lee.  Poe as the narrator sees death as a metamorphosis, a change from the physical being to the spiritual being.  This can also be seen as transcendental.  There is a spiritual reunion for the narrator to look forward to in the future.  The cosmic discovery of seeing Annabel Lee in the moon and stars allows the narrator to experience the endless love of his life.  

            The term “dark romanticism” has been used to describe “Annabel Lee.”  Does the poem borderline on gothic?  Possibly since the terms used in stanzas 3-6 can be described as gothic: envying, chilling, killing, demons, night tide, and tomb.  Although Annabel Lee is beautiful, her death may not have been pretty. Is the death of a beautiful woman romantic? The image of water as rebirth could be tied to the reunion of the narrator in his later life with Annabel Lee.  Is there an impatience in the narrator to join the deceased?  Does the narrator feel threatened by the aging of his beautiful Annabel Lee? 

            Discussion took place after the reading of stanzas three, four and five.  Questioning of the term “dark romanticism” was pointed out, and is the poem gothic in nature?  Words from the stanzas used as examples of gothic text were: clouds, chilling, sepulchre, killing and tomb.  Jill suggested the narrator was lying beside the dead body of Annabel Lee. 

            Poe’s theory from above was entered as a subject, and discussion of whether the poem is autobiographical took place.  Information from the second paragraph was introduced and the phrase, “I was a child, She was a child” was debated. 

            Poe keeps writing about the death of a beautiful woman because this is his life and as David pointed out, “But it was not as extreme as it would be today.”  It was not uncommon at the time to have a man of twenty-six marry his thirteen-year old cousin.  Incest was a topic of discussion.  Byron fathered a daughter by his half-sister, Augusta Lee, and his wife divorced him.  Harriet Beecher Stowe went to England to defend Lady Byron.  Another example was given, Wuthering Heights.  Heathcliff and Kathy bordered on a love relationship.  This keeps coming up because of the glorification of childhood and the relationships made are one of life’s most important.

            Other relationships include: nature—clouds, sea; religion—angels, demons.  Al said that is why Annabel Lee dies even though the angels are jealous.  The sublime is also prevalent in the poem.  There are a lot of water images that suggest rebirth.  Is that what the narrator is seeing at the end?  Does he expect the couple to reunite?  Is he impatient?  Is he willing to wait?  This reminded Jill of Romeo and Juliet.

            There is also the Romantic Period theme of desire and loss.  There are two stanzas of Annabel Lee being alive then she is gone.  The line expressed as “very Poe” is line eight:  “But we loved with a love that was more than love.”  We will see this again in William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily.”  Poe is a Southern writer. 

            The question was asked, “Does the narrator feel threatened that the child will age?”  This means the narrator will age as will.  Beth thought of the poem as ironic that Annabel Lee is beautiful, but her death is not pretty.  Someone replied the angels being  there made the death beautiful.  Al proposed the loss of children is always difficult.

            In the Romantic Period we have a familiarity with death.  Emerson digs up the coffins of his wife and favorite child.  Twain’s Emily in Huck Finn writes poems on the dead.  Satires of the cult of mourning were given.  Angels and demons were related to the Scientific Revolution.  God is killed, but the devil lived another generation.  There was a rise in gothic. 

            “Annabel Lee” has internal rhyme with no set rhyme scheme.  However three stanzas have six lines while three have eight lines.  Craig informed us Poe reads well musically, sounds good and lots of readers do not pay attention to the ending.  Poe’s “The Raven” is loved by people who went to socials just to hear the poem read. 

            In closing, observe objective 1A.  “Annabel Lee” is a lyric poem and we can hear it.  David suggested  “Closed on Account of Rabies.”