Who or what is "D'Elormie" in the poem "The Bridal Ballad"?

-- Anonymous, December 09, 2000

Answers

Janice,

D'Elormie is the name of her lover that fell and died in battle. You will notice that in the fith line of the second stanza, the word "his" is or, at least, should be italicized. This represents a reference to her lover, not to the man she is to marry. Not particularly one of Poe's best poems, but of special interest here is that the narrator is a woman lamenting her conflicting emotions. She appears to be attempting to convince the reader and herself that she is happy. It is her bridal day, the ring is on her hand, and wealth at her command, the wreath is now upon her brow. All this, she says is proof that she is happy now. Yet she still longs for her lover and hears only her lover's voice as her husband speaks the vows. She fears she has betrayed her lover for "Lest the dead who is forsaken may not be happy now."

Regards,

-- Anonymous, December 09, 2000

What is the meter of "The Bridal Ballad"?

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2005