could i please get the analysis of the poem Eldorado bye Edgar Allan Poe

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2002

Answers

The Gold Rush of 1849 in California. Spanish gold. The knightly quest, the adventure of life's search for the ideal. Poe resisted the actaul lure of the mines for the call of his career as a writer. "Von Kempelen and His Discovery" is another piece from that time. The Quixotic madmamn wandering boldly around, the "Tom-o-Bedlam" type. the ballad song has the same meter as "The Man for GalwayZ" in a book Poe reviewed. Eldorado(Golden One) is a Colombian legend used as an idealized domain or goal long before 1849.("Dream-Land"). Remarkably, Poe maintains the combined ension of light and shadow, the ideal and failure, exuberant life and death as a unity. At first the optimism oand confidence of the challenger predominates. then as time and unease weigh heavily comes a doubt and a conversation with shadow that is certainly similar to talking with a raven. the reply is enigmatic, mixed with dread, daunting trial and an alomst mocking doom(again see "The Raven") Therhytm is gallopping and jaunty although the journey itself becomes anxious and haunted, the ideal goal not attained. Instead of setting forth, arriving, or return, we have two other parts entirely. The joyful ride(youthful exuberance) and then the weary pause of doubt with the challenge to go on with a different grimmer or deperate resolution devoid of the original bright spirit. It is all vaguely hinted at, colorlessly, no description of rider, horse, historic setting or scenery. only the sound of the music, the lift and then crushing of spirit, the appearance of the talking Shadow. Nor do we know the rider's reply or choice. Does he have any? The answer of the shadow ends the poem with an enigma, but definitely more challenge to keep on boldly riding. You sense Poe's actual state of weariness, doubt and energy, his "now" in the world where his will like Ligeia's will keep on though the goal is uncertain. Only the quest itself exists for Poe in this state.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2002