One of Poe's most indelible works is the poem Annabel Lee, which was written shortly before his death. In its entirety, this poem encompasses several aspects that set it apart from some of his other works.
Language and Imagery
The language and imagery used in Annabel Lee gives the poem a kind of strength, and emotion, that could not be accomplished though prose alone. Other elements, common to poetry, contribute to this poem's uniqueness and contrariety from prose.
Annabel Lee is a work that expresses great loss and sadness. The speaker laments that he has lost the one true love of his life. The loneliness and sadness that permeate the lines of the poem result in an obsession of sorts over the love that the two shared. Every thought and all the dreams he has -- everything has to do with this love that was lost.
In modern day thought, such an obsession that results in the speaker going to the grave to lay by her side could be viewed as a form of necrophilism, or morbidity. In the traditional vein of gothic/romantic fiction, or poetry, such behavior is considered to be a sign of ardor to one's true love.
Element of Rhythm
One aspect that makes this poem unique, from prose, is the element of rhythm. The rhythm of Annabel Lee is fairly fast paced. In the opening lines, the language flows in such a way that the rhythm is established with the syntax alone. The rhythm is maintained throughout the poem by the repetition of the name Annabel Lee.
Granted language is universal, it is the way that this poem is written, which demonstrates that the depth of what is being expressed could very easily go unnoticed if written in prose. The words that Poe uses to express the feelings of the speaker are emotional and penetrating. The imagery expressed is very powerful.
Emotional Words
The speaker wants what he is feeling to be known, if not felt, by those who read his words. On the surface, this poem may appear to be more of a depressed and obsessive expression of emotion. But the underlying themes, and thoughts, rest in the way the lines, and the words themselves, are put together.
Strong words such as kingdom, sepulchre, and heaven demonstrate the depth, which the speaker seeks to convey. Usually, such words are thought of in an ethereal context, which would embody more than mortal, or earthly, understanding. This ethereal reference may have been deliberate, on the part of Poe, to show the spiritual impact that was experienced by the speaker.
Element of Rhyme
As with almost all poems, rhyme is another important aspect that differentiates poetry from prose. Throughout this poem, the name "Annabel Lee" is an important part of the rhyme scheme. With every stanza, Annabel Lee is mentioned more than once. Reiteration such as this could be for the sake of rhyme, as well as to emphasize the importance of her name, which is associated with the speaker's tremendous feelings of solitude.
Traditionally, most poems are stanzaic. The poem of Annabel Lee is written in six stanzas, each stanza being composed of six to eight lines. The lines of each stanza seem to alternate. Part of the reason for the alternation of lines may be due to the aspect of rhyming and rhythm. In the instance where the lines vary, the flow of the poem would be disrupted if it were changed in any way.
Ethereal vs. Mortal
Although imagery can be found in all forms of literature, the imagery that is contained in this poem could not easily be reproduced in prose. The connections that Poe makes between the ethereal and the mortal are dynamic and lucid. The phrasing expresses the final fate of Annabel as very daunting.
The idea of being “shut up” in a sepulchre is ominous and, in a sense, morbid. The reader can get the sense that the speaker feels that his beloved should not be “shut up” in a vault, but able to roam free. The speaker may feel that his beloved’s spirit cannot survive if it is contained in such a cold and dense place.
Another possibility for such dark imagery could be explained by reasoning. There is no doubt that the speaker is very distraught over his loss, and a way for him to express his resentment would be to use strong words and imagery when relating what took place. Such reasoning could very well explain not only the strong words and imagery, but also the connection and interplay of the ethereal aspect.
Mystique of Poe's Verse
Poe relates a very emotional and dark tale to his audience through the use of stanzas and verse. By comparison, the overall effect that this work has had on many generations of readers may have been altered, in some way, had Poe chosen to write this tale in prose.
All these components add to the mystique and power of Poe’s tale of Annabel Lee. These various aspects show the variance from prose this work demonstrates, and the importance of such differences.
Poe, Edgar Allan. The Unabridged Edgar Allan Poe. Philadelphia: Running Press, 1983.
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