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Literary terms for "Spirits of the Dead"

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Literary terms for "Spirits of the Dead"

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1.) This poem illustrates personification, (when a nonhuman object is given human characteristics), this happens in the second stanza, " For the night -- tho' clear -- shall frown -- And the stars shall look not down" (Lines 1-2). Poe gives human attributes to the night saying that it shall frown, and the stars saying that they will not look down. He says this to describe how heaven sees death.
2.) "Spirits of the Dead" also uses many hyperbole's, (a deliberate exaggeration of overstatement), to describe that death is a lesser deal then what everybody makes it out to be. "The breeze -- the breath of God -- is still" (Stanza 5; Line 1). Because God is never still and always watching over his children; it shows an exaggeration. Also for a breeze to be a breeze it must always be moving; therefore it is an overstatement to say that a breeze is still.
3.) "Shadowy -- shadowy -- yet unbroken" (Stanza 5; Line 3). This quote is an example of consonance, (the repetition of consonant sounds in stressed syllables dissimilar vowel sounds), because of the repetition of the word "Shadowy". Poe repeats this word to show the importance the word "Shadowy" has as a symbol and a token in the meaning of death.

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1.) The poem "Alone" uses many examples of metaphors, (a comparison between two things without using "like" or "as"). This is used in lines 1-3, "From childhood's hour I have not been As others were -- I have not seen As others saw".  This is used to describe how Edgar had a childhood unlike other children.

2.) This poem uses a lot of examples of imagery, (descriptive language used to recreate sensory experiences), to put an image into the readers mind of how alone Edgar really was. "In its autumn tint of gold -- From the lightning in the sky...And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue) Of a demon in my view" (Lines 16-22). Poe shows in this portion of the poem that through all the lightning and clouds, there is always beauty beneath.

3.) "Alone" also uses a variety of symbols, (a person, place, or object that stands for something beyond itself), to describe Edgar's feeling in multiple ways with only one word or phrase. "Of a most stormy life -- was drawn...From the torrent, or the fountain --" (Lines 10, 13). This describes how Edgar's loneliness and life was like unto a torrent or a fountain... fast and strong.

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"The original manuscript was signed “E. A. Poe” and dated March 17, 1829. In February of that year, Poe’s foster mother Francis Allan had died" (Complete Poems). This shows how Edgar was feeling after his foster parents died. It showed him being alone because both his real parents and foster parents died before he was twenty.

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This poem does not contain stanzas, and the meaning for this is that this poem is meant to show one ongoing thought from beginning to end. It also has an A, B, A, B, A, B, etc. rhyme such as in lines 3-4, "As others saw -- I could not bring My passions from a common spring--".

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The them of this poem is literally in the title; loneliness. The narrator, (most likely Poe) describes how they have felt alone during their childhood, and that they continue to feel alone. "From childhood's hour I have not been As others were -- I have not seen" (Lines 1-2). The subject of this poem is Poe himself expressing his feelings of feeling forever alone. The poem is happening in the authors past childhood, and his present day. It is happening everywhere, and describes that in lines 13-15, "From the torrent, or the fountain... From the sun that 'round me roll'd". The tone is dark and somber because Poe describes all the bad things that have happened in his life. The connotations are supported by the theme because of how Poe uses dark words to describe his life reflecting of a dark tone.

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"Spirits of the Dead" Historical Content

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"Spirits of the Dead" Historical Content

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This poem was published the same year Poe was discharge from the army. "That same year Poe was honorably discharged from the army, having attained the rank of regimental sergeant major..." (Poetry Foundation). This describes that Poe most likely wrote this poem to have closure of all of the people he knew whom died in the army.

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This poem has a structure like unto most poems. It is told in first person, and has several stanzas to help signify the beginning, middle, and end. There are also random rhymes thrown into the poem, but they are probably to help the reader remember these lines. "As a burning and a fever Which would cling to thee for ever:" (Stanza 3).

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To begin, the theme of this poem is that death is not necessarily the end, nor is it a bad thing. Death is though, a mystery to all the living whom no one can describe until they have actually died. Unfortunately, not many have lived through it to tell. In stanza three it says, "From thy spirit shall they pass, No more -- like dew-drop from the grass:". This quote describes death a a peaceful matter. The subject of this poem is the spirits of the dead, and the poem discusses what happens between the grave and the final veil to death. The author wrote the poem to give their interpretation of what happens following a death. This poem is happening at anytime, and in the spirit world at a grave site. The tone of this poem is solemn and sincere because of the authors sympathy with death. A connotation with hope is found in the second stanza when hope is described as a burning and a fever. This is a connotation because hope, which is suppose to be peaceful is described as something terrible.

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1809-1849
At the time of Edgar's birth, both his mother and father were professional actors for the repertory company in Boston. Unfortunately, when he was only three years old both his parents died, and he was sent away to live with his uncle, John Allan. Poe's education was great, he always attended the best schools possible, but was unfortunately forced to leave the University of Virginia. In 1827, Poe joined the army in which he published his first collection of poems, "Tamerlane, and other poems". In 1829, Poe was discharged from the army after becoming a Sergeant Major. Later, he went to live with his aunt in Baltimore after publishing his third set of poems. He was able to win a cash prize for best story in Baltimore, but unfortunately he was still not earning enough money to provide for himself financially. Thus, he accepted an editorship in Richmond, where he brought his aunt, and his twelve-year old cousin that he would soon marry in 1836. His writing's gained the height of attention in the late 30's to the early 40's. On October 3rd, 1849, Poe was in the state of a semi-consciousness, and four days later he was dead with no explanation to what happened during the last few days of his life.

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"American history the 19th century." American history the 19th century. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.
"Edgar Allan Poe." Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.
Giordano, Robert. "Poetry by Edgar Allan Poe." Poetry by Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven, Annabel Lee, Alone, and more - Poestories .com. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.
""Spirits of the Dead" by Edgar Allan Poe." Stuff Jeff Reads. N.p., 02 Oct. 2014. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.
"The Complete poems of Edgar Allan Poe, by Edgar Allan Poe." The Complete poems of Edgar Allan Poe, by Edgar Allan Poe : Alone. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.

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From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were -- I have not seen
As others saw -- I could not bring
My passions from a common spring --
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow -- I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone --
And all I lov'd -- I lov'd alone --
Then -- in my childhood -- in the dawn
Of a most stormy life -- was drawn
From ev'ry depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still --
From the torrent, or the fountain --
From the red cliff of the mountain --
From the sun that 'round me roll'd
In its autumn tint of gold --
From the lightning in the sky
As it pass'd me flying by --
From the thunder, and the storm --
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view --

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Thy soul shall find itself alone
'Mid dark thoughts of the grey tomb-stone --
Not one, of all the crowd, to pry
Into thine hour of secrecy:
Be silent in that solitude
Which is not loneliness -- for then
The spirits of the dead who stood
In life before thee are again
In death around thee -- and their will
Shall then overshadow thee: be still.

For the night -- tho' clear -- shall frown --
And the stars shall look not down,
From their high thrones in the Heaven,
With light like Hope to mortals given --
But their red orbs, without beam,
To thy weariness shall seem
As a burning and a fever
Which would cling to thee for ever :

Now are thoughts thou shalt not banish --
Now are visions ne'er to vanish --
From thy spirit shall they pass
No more -- like dew-drop from the grass:

The breeze -- the breath of God -- is still --
And the mist upon the hill
Shadowy -- shadowy -- yet unbroken,
Is a symbol and a token --
How it hangs upon the trees,
A mystery of mysteries! --

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By: Maggie Sanders
Two poems by Edgar Allan Poe called, "Spirits of the Dead" and "Alone".