purpose why edgar allan poe wrote the poem "the lake"

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2003

Answers

you might get some insight from here:

http://global.cscc.edu/engl/299/PoePoeticPrinc.htm

مفتي مد ظله العالي

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2003

Two answers. Personal and responding to other Romantic poets, in this case Thomas Moore who had visited the same lake much earlier with a different approach. Poe's own visit and knowledge of the "A Ballad: the Lake of the Dismal Swamp". Read both poems and mark each difference. Poe's consistent uniqueness is thus highlighted, his emphasis, his themes more important than the vaguely alluded to legend or the mere picturesqueness of the scene.

It becomes another idealized landscape of the soul, a vision mediated by nature but with symbolism so internalized that nature is but a dark womb for the birth of inspiration.

At www.eapoe.org study the youthful AND the mature versions. His later changes are also extremly important as a retrospect on the vast importance of his particular Muse, more important than love or or object or worldly fulfillment that he ever hoped or experienced.

An excellent source is Mabbott's book on Poe's poetry, some knowledge of the Romantic movement of Poe's time and the relentless consistency of Poe's very personal and passionate poetic opus.

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2003