Diction

 "For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;" (34-35) The language in Poe's "Annabel Lee" is extremely important to understand. He uses many different elements of speech to convey an all together straight forward piece of literature. The words that Poe uses in this poem illustrate vivid pictures and pull at your emotions. This makes it much easier to relate to the words and purpose of the work. In his poem, Poe explains that he has lost the love of his life. He is so lonely and sad that it is difficult not to feel some sort of sadness while reading it. His life that once revolved around Annabel now revolves around her death and the everlasting love that he carries with him. His love turns in to obsession as he comes to the realization of his loss. “ 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” (Willhite). Gothic Literature often focuses on gloomy setting, a woman, and fear or psychological violence. Poe incorporates all of these aspects in “Annabel Lee.” The death of Annabel Lee and the sadness he evokes create the dark setting. The entire poem revolves around his love for Annabel and his obsession with her is his own form of psychological violence on himself. The rhythm of the poem is another important aspect to note. The ebb and flow of the piece gives the sensation of a constant beat. This beat can also relate to the beat of a heart. The heartbeat belonging to Annabel Lee, of whom the speaker mourns the death. Rhyme is also key in the understanding of the poem. Poe mentions the name Annabel Lee in each stanza. The repetition that Poe uses stresses the importance of her name. This makes the obsession and love clear to those reading the poem. Each time he writes her name, it pulls at your emotions even more because you can feel the depth of the love.