what is the deeper meaning of the poem Dream-Land by Poe

-- Anonymous, March 23, 2004

Answers

every thing poe wrote is deep and means something. you just have to read it and understand poe to figure what it is about.

-- Anonymous, March 24, 2004

i think the meaning of the Dream Land is that it has to do somthing with dreams in General or that it has to do with somthing that he has dreamed about.

-- Anonymous, March 25, 2004

A dream vison simply that the poet describes upon awaking. He describes the wild but visually reduced scene. He starts with the refrain about his dream and return "Out of Space- out of Time" then he elaborates in the first section on the colorless static grandness of nature, especially the waters. Then Poe launches into one of his panoramic sweep progressions down to the merest cranny where wander sheeted memories of people lost in death. Typical Poe reaction is one of peaceful horror. Yet the rules for visitation of this land are simlar to St. Paul's two states "Now the see things but darkly as in a mirror(ancient cloudy mirrors)but then I shall see perfectly and know as I am known." So Poe knows this is an imperfect land where neither side can touch. Also references to Psalm 21, the valley of shadow and Poe's "Eldorado" and many other dreamscape poems reflective on loss and memory.

Deeper meanings are not necessarily allegoric. Even the allegory of King Night is vague as are other themes. The complex mood is more important and fairly self-evident if the poem works. Really underneath it all is a common Poe/dream theme of being in touch with mast ghosts and memories in this neutral spot that has no substantial reality except for the temporay timeless(sense) contact. For Poe this is a source(not all unpleasant) of sadness and restless repose meaning more to him than hopes of an afterlife or pleasant reminiscence. he conjures instead the memeories connected intimately only with the sense of sad loss and the ever haunting- the between state- as is sleep.

-- Anonymous, March 25, 2004

when studying dreamland for an a level theatre studies project last year we realised that on closer observation on what poe initially says relates to the issues of travveling through an almost hellish world...out of space.. out of time" can be reflected in a few ways.this could be the hazy gap which surrounds all the images of hell the idea that you cant escape(out of space-claustraphobia) and out of time( because days are no longer days) the fact that he talks about "the pools where dwell the ghouls" also suggests this to me.... (though poe does leave his poetry very open to the use of the imagination) i percieved the world elderado as irony....i say this because throughout the rest of the poem other than the use of this world is talking about "haunted angels",almost demonic angels,satans slaves..

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2004

I think Edgar allan poe was speaking of what he saw when he was drunk and hallucinatting

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2004

What Poe is trying to express through this poem is that no matter how bad a lif can be, a dream can make life seem like heaven

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2004

Dream-Land describes the country of Poe's prevailing mood; cold, obsure, distant and melancholy. Not a nightmare vison but a place created in a waking dream to give succor to his tortured psyche. This is a place where only the gloomy and depressed may find comfort, a place in sympathy with his soul. Certainly an unwelcome place for those whose spirit is light and blithe; they will not easily stumble upon it through error and that is just how Poe wants it.

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2004