jetis50@aol.com--Can you please tell me the meaning of the poem, "Ulalume"? I don't understand what he is trying to say.

greenspun.com : LUSENET : The Work of Edgar Allan Poe : One Thread

jetis50@aol.com-- What does the poem, "Ulalume" mean? I heard it is a happy and uplifting poem about dreams and fantasy but what is it about? Please e-mail me. Thank you so much!

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2000

Answers

Cindy,

I suppose you could say that it was uplifting but not necessarily from a perspective of happiness as much as from the perspective of a revelation, a realization that Virginia, his wife, was still with him spiritually.

This poem was first printed in the American Review in December 1847 but was published anonymously with the title "To ___ ___ ___, Ulalume, A Ballad." It wasn't until January 1848 that it appeared in the Home Journal as "Ulalume - A Ballad". The poem may have begun as early as 1846 but according to Sarah Helen Whitman, it was written (at least finalized) as late as early 1847 following the death of Edgar's wife, Virginia.

According to Arthur H Quinn in his book, "Edgar Allan Poe - A Critical Biography", the poem reflects the conflict and struggle in the poet's mind between the human passion for one woman, symbolized by Astarte and the spiritual love he still feels for his lost Ulalume (Virginia). He has forgotten or somehow does not choose to recall that it is the anniversary of Ulalume's death and is unaware that he has set upon the course to her tomb. Psyche, acting as his companion, represents the "spiritual aspect" of his soul and is able to see the dangers which the poet chooses not to see and saves his soul from its loss of identity by revealing the "legended tomb" of Ulalume. In effect, recalling the memory of his lost Ulalume.

Quinn also points out that, "It is dangerous always to read much of a poet's personal life into his verse. But if "Ulalume" is to have a meaning in terms of Poe's emotional conflicts, that meaning is clear. Virginia had filled both sides of his nature, the spiritual and the physical. She died and he was adrift. He turned to others for that support he needed in the endless struggle and was about to delude himself with the love that is merely passion, when the memory of Virginia came to his rescue."

While I do not fully concur with each and every point Quinn makes, the variations are certainly, for me, inconsequential and not worth mentioning. I hope you find this useful.

Thanks for making me re-read this poem... it was fun.

Best Regards,

-- Anonymous, November 08, 2000


Unfortunately, I do not think this poem is all about fantasy and dreams. Rather, it is an almost depressing look into Poe's sad life. This poem is a story of the battle between mind (the narrator) and soul (Psyche), and the contrary wishes each contains. It tells of the different wishes and deceptions of each. The first stanza reveals a vivid setting for the poem. The area the narrator and Psyche are walking through is a perfect place to remind them of loved ones. They are in a dark, deserted, and ashen woodland. The narrator foreshadows the coming sense of remembrance of death in the second stanza, as he walks through an area filled with cypress, which is commonly related to death and funerals. He, the narrator, speaks of the turbulence his heart is going through, and describes it as "volcanic," a raging pit of emotions as he tries to forget the death of his wife, Ulalume. Although the narrator does not realize that his wife died a year ago to the day, the talk between he and Psyche is solemn. They do not take heed to where the are wandering. The narrator is not aware of the place he is leading his own self to. As night begins to fade, the narrator looks to the skies and observes the stars. He looks out over the lake and sees the star of Astarte, the Phoenician goddess of love. This star begins to tempt the narrator into despair and, worse, suicide. As he gazes upon the star, he thinks of the heavens in which Astarte lives. He says that she knows of his great grief, and, to symbolize this, she has risen over the Lion, a common sign for courage, to offer him the easy way out of his pain. Then Psyche, not wanting the narrator to sink into deeper depression, tells him that she feels they must quickly leave the area, for she does not trust the message Astarte delivers. Psyche begins to cry for the narrator, because she knows he will not listen to her and she doesn't want him to kill himself. The narrator, oblivious to the dangers of Astarte, convinces Psyche that everything is all right, and that they should follow Astarte. He says that surely Astarte will lead them to a good place, for she is from the heavens. Saddened, Psyche follows the narrator after the star. However, Astarte only was there to fool the poor man. Psyche and the narrator walk right up to a tomb. Afraid, the narrator asks Psyche who the tomb belongs to. Psyche tells the narrator that the tomb is naught but that of his deceased wife, Ulalume. Then, the narrator is greatly saddened. He realizes that this night is indeed the one-year anniversary of the death of Ulalume. He is brought back from a seeming spell and realizes that he is, indeed, at the very site that he laid Ulalume to rest only one year ago.

-- Anonymous, May 03, 2001

Moderation questions? read the FAQ