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I have read the poem "eulalie" several...times.... and I cannotfigure out what its bout...I know that its a love poem...but it dosent seem like its been written by edgar allan poe...because all of this stories and poems are twisted and weird....i wanned a analyst of the poem "Eulalie" and i want to know what the poem is about..and who it was meant for....i need to know what each lines stands for and what it means....please......help me....I know that u can because the poem is very short..but i cannot understand it....if its possible can u please explain the poem to me as if i were a 10year old child......

-Laila

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001

Answers

I know a lot of critics hate this poem that not only gushes uncharacteristically but can even sound abit silly.

But Poe WAS in love with his new bride at this time, his salvation- Virginia. So she saved him from a world of moan, not even a sea of troubles but a "stagnant tide"- dead and in doubt. So this poem is full of contrasting happiness because of her. Happiness that was only to last until her lingering tuberculosis and death.

Now the poem. The narrator is plainly Poe here. He uses repetition to emphasize his bad feelings then the good feelings. She is presented as Eulalie, a shining starlike beacon of inspiration. She even has blond hair(Virgina had dark hair)full of brightness in every aspect.She is like Astarte(Venus type goddess, morning star) a common hope image in Poe. It is about that simple mainly. Poe is ready to live instead of grinding out those agonizing mysteries and melancholy horrors. This is voital because Poe ALWAYS, like any normal person, wanted to live and be happy like this. Despite all his disappointments he always was strong enough to make a comeback.

Try reading this with "To Helen"(youth seeking the Ideal personified in a shining woman) and then "Annabel Lee"(His young bride stolen by death that he clings to on the shoreline of life and death) and in that trilogy you will see Poe's progression in life and in that theme(Ideal-Realized-Lost but defiant). Quite unlike most other love poets if you get a chance to read other romantics.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 2001


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