What is the meaning behind the poem Annabel Lee? It says such things as "the windcame out from the sea's killing and chilling my annabel lee - what did he mean by this? that namonia killed her? could i have an explination of this poem?

-- Anonymous, November 27, 1999

Answers

As you may already know, Annabel Lee is about Poe's wife, Virginia Clemm. Poe loved his wife very much, and it appears that she loved him the same. She died at a young age from a disease, I do beleive it was pneumonia. Poe wrote this poem as a farewell to her, expressing their great love. "And we loved with a love that was more than love, I and my Annabel Lee." Basically what Poe is saying in this poem is that the angels of heaven became jealous because of the love he and his wife shared so they tried to end it by making her sick. But Poe states that even in death they still were joined, e'en though they were parted physically they were still united in love.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love Of those who were older than we- Of many far wiser than we- And neither the angels in heaven above, Nor the demons down under the sea, Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 1999

When Poe writes "The angels, not half so happy in heaven, went envvying her and me..." He's making himself god-like, not so that he can attain any sort of power over any person, but so that he can experience a heightened sense of emotion that not even heaven can provide.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2000

Just like to say for the record that virgina clemm died of turbuculosis, not pneumonia

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2000

I personally think that Annabel Lee refers to Nancy. As you all know Poe during the year he wrote this poem was in love with Nancy Richmond, who changed her name to Annit soon after Poe's death. But her husband took her away, and by doing that he killed her emotionally. Also, I think that Poe is trying to say that if the 2 had met earlier, they would have shared a greadt life, for in the beginning of the poem, he talks of 2 CHILDREN in love.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2000

Regarding Eddie's comment, I dont believe that is the case. His wife Virginia was 13, and he in his mid 20's... I know some argue that this means they were not both children at the time. However, he IS in his mid 20's and he IS a poet. He perhaps felt like a child then, or felt like a child because he had her (Happy as a schoolboy, so to speak). Poetic liscense allows for every arguement I've ever heard for it being anyone other than his late wife. Poe did die 2 years after his wifes death and this was one of his last poems.. It stands to reason it's about Virginia.

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

What does the part "in a kingdom by the sea" mean?

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2002

I this poem is about how much Poe was inlove with Virginia Clemm, His wife and cousin,who was barely 14 when they wed. They were definatly in love you can just tell by his writing

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2002

you people are being too literal...you have to look at this figuratively. poe leaves subtle clues behind in all of his writings. he would never just come out and say that she died if she really did. as we all should know, poe secretly married a rich neighbor's daughter by the name of elmira royster. while poe was away at college, failing, Elmira tells her father about Poe, however poe was not legally adopted by the Allan's yet so he wasnt considereed to be rich, or part of that class. Elmira's parents were furious and immediately told the Allan's about their childrens' plans. Mr. Allan was not happy about this and kicked poe out, and emira was forced by her father to marry abother man. "so that her highborn kinsmen came and bore her away from me, to shut her up in a sepulchre in this kingdom by the sea." the kingdom by the sea does not really exist. this kingdom is the rich neighborhood that poe once lived in but he wasnt really a part of it, being that he wasnt really adopted. Elmira's parents took her away from poe and "locked her up in a sepulchre" by forcing her into a marriage where no love was present. "the angels not half so happy in heaven" (their rich parents ) "went envying her and me." (their parents, even though containing all of the money in the world, werent happy because they werent that much in love. they could only find happiness within the money they owned and not by love that should be shared. "that the wind came out of the cloud, chilling and killing my annabel lee." their parents took their love and killed it by forcing her to marry another and kicking poe out of the neighborhood. and at the end of the poem, fihuratively she is dead, bc she is no longer in his life.

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2003

Truthfully, I honestly think no one really knows about Edgar Allan Poe's real life. People just "assume" they know. I'm not saying that I know, but obiviously a poem is just a poem and if we are discussing a poem of his, why not we just stick to the topic instead of going off topic and discussing his life? Back to the poem and as to my own personal thoughts, the wind that chilled his beautiful Annabel Lee was the diease that he was refering to. In addition, when Poe talked about the wind chilling and killing his Annabel Lee was the diease that was making it worst on Virgina and of course the result of her dying.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2003

~Annabel Lee is not just another love story. It is a true heartbreak. Edgar Allan Poe is writing about his wife Virginia dying from a horrible disease. She dies young and loved young. Poe blames her death on the angels from Heaven. In a form of writing he says that the angels became jealous of he and his wife's happiness and Even through sickness, the lovers hearts raced with love for an eternity. Even after death, love kept them together in soul. Such passion and such joy lost in just a mouthful of words!~

-- Anonymous, March 21, 2003