Annabel Lee

By: Alex ShearCorey MilliganSarah Gould

Colton Gillmore

Annabel Lee

• This title is the name of a love he once had.

Many years ago Annabel Lee, a maiden, lived by the sea. We loved each other very much. We were young and our love was our own kind. Our love was so good that even angels in heaven are jealous of it. For that reason, long ago, the angels made her sick in the winter and killed my Annabel Lee. Her brothers and sisters came down and took her away from me. The angels were jealous because they weren't half as happy as us. Still, our love is stronger than those who are older or stronger. Heaven nor hell can separate our souls. There is never a night’s sleep that I don’t dream of her, or a day I don’t think about her. I never leave her side by that tomb by the sea.

Paraphrase

Connotation

When the poem says that a wind came and chilled Annabel Lee taking her away, it mean she got sick because of the cold and died. Also, when he speaks of her highborn kinsmen, it mean that he believes she is an angel and her family in heaven got jealous and took her back home. Not only that, but when he says the angels were, “not half so happy in heaven”, he is saying that his love with Annabel is better than heaven!

Attitude

It is obvious that he is angry because he blames the angels in heaven for Annabel’s death. On the other hand, he is also optimistic because he believes that they are still together and will never really be separated.

Shift

There is a shift in the third stanza where he begins with, “And this was the reason that,” because he goes from writing about his life with his wonderful love to speaking of the reason for her death. This was an instant mood-changer. Also, there is another shift in the fifth stanza. It begins with “but our love.” He then describes how their love was so great that their souls can never be separated, and she is not really lost to him.

Title

Annabel Lee was indeed his love and his basis for this poem.

Theme

The theme of this poem seems to be optimism.

Citations

• 30 Apr. 2008 <http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2a8rvad&s=3>.

• 30 Apr. 2008 <http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=5vvms7&s=3>.

• 30 Apr. 2008 <http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=t0p9g0&s=3>.

Citations cont.

• 30 Apr. 2008 <http://farm1.static.flickr.com/23/28012902_eddd240281.jpg?v=0>.

• 30 Apr. 2008 <http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2uyjdl3&s=3>.

• 30 Apr. 2008 <http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=qqvfxu&s=3>.