I am writing a poetry analysis on Poe's poem The Bells. Can someone please help me develop a good thesis statement for my paper. Thanks!

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2003

Answers

When writing of the church bells in his neighborhood Poe lengthened the poem along a plotting of the ages of man- after his own fashion. Goes from happy days of courtship seemingly upon winter night when the stars and the bells "twinkle" in universal sympathy and joy. From winter silver to golden marriage bells suggetsing summer("balmy") when the promise and fulfillment looks to the future. The sound becomes fuller, warmer, rapturous. Next comes the fire bells of calamity whose ringing spells out the ebb and flow of dnager. Ominously the fourth is about the iron funeral bells. "shiver with affright" as the trolls in the steeple mock the previous hopes and joys of the previous stanzas.

The seasons stop when life is at the waxing of the moon, from carefree to insensate wild joy of impersonal "demons". In Poe's ages of man he goes up to his point where tragedy and death have left him prey to that present dismal plague of bells- and no further. Of course the sound picture playfulness and juxtaposition were suggested to him by Mrs. Shew so it is the working out and expansion into this Poesque universe that ismost original. "The Devil in the Belfry" "The haunted Palace" "The Masque of the Red Death" for the ideas of bells, dwellers haunting within, mad inhuman joys.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2003