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Alexis Thomas

Dr. Sterling

ENGL 1302

30 March 2017

E.A Poes Annabel Lee: Who killed Annabel Lee?

Edgar Allen Poe is a famous writer who lived a tragic, impoverished life and was

surrounded by death and sorrow that are believed to be the inspirations in most of his works

(EAP). If one has ever read Poes works, he/she would find a similar theme of darkness in

them. Poes literature usually involves his creation of a character that kills others or narrates

ones death and torments in life. Poes last piece of literature he wrote before his death was

published in 1849 titled Annabel Lee (Some Words). In this poem, Poes word choice, plot

setting, and use of repetition give readers the impression that Annabel Lees death was

intentionally caused because of the love his narrator shared with her.

Poe begins his narration with the history between Annabel and the persona. Annabel Lee

is loved and highly thought of by him; Poe describes their love using analogies and comparisons

with what many would consider valuable more so over the average love. Thus, she has been

killed in this kingdom by the sea (Poe). Annabels death seems to be a natural cause from

illness of the season. However, Poe seems convinced that it was The angels, not half so happy

in Heaven, /Went envying her and me and was responsible for her death (Line 20-1). She was a

young, highborn maiden madly in love with Poe and sent to her death by those envying angels.

Now her body rests In her sepulchre there by the sea / In her tomb by the sounding sea (Line

39-40). Annabel love will forever linger in the narrators heart and his thoughts will always be

consumed by her.
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Poe deems it necessary for readers to be fully aware of his feelings for Annabel as of

herss for him, by setting the plot with what he believes are the key factors needed to interpret

their love for one another. Since Annabel is not alive to share her take on this love affair, the

persona is constantly seen defending their relationship, stating, And this maiden she lived with

no other thought -/Than to love and be loved by me. / I was a child and she was a child, / In this

kingdom by the sea, / But we loved with a love that was more than love (Line 5-9). Notice how

Poe emphasizes that their love was established in early childhood; he wants readers to know how

their love comes from a place of innocence, one without impurities. Thus, the narrator believes

that their love is much deeper than just the average love, possibly insinuating some form of soul

binding as one, love (Poe). For example, he quotes in the fourth stanza

But our love it was stronger by far than the love Of those who were older than weOf

many far wiser than weAnd neither the angels in Heaven above Nor the demons down

under the sea Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of the beautiful Annabel

Lee; (Line 28-34)

Annabel was led to her ill death as the wind came out of the cloud by night, Chilling and killing

my Annabel Lee (Line 22-3). So naturally, one could assume Annabel became sick with the flu

or something similar due to the foul weather. While Poe acknowledges this as the real cause of

Annabels death, he cannot leave half the blame to the chilling nights. He claims, The angels,

not half so happy in Heaven, / Went envying her and me/ Yes!that was the reason is him

demonstrating his beliefs on the true origins of Annabels death. Similarly, perhaps the narrator is

also to blame With a love that the wingd seraphs of Heaven / Coveted her and me. / And this

was the reason that, long ago, / In this kingdom by the sea, / A wind blew out of a cloud,

chillingAnnabel Lee (Line11-6). The persona could be insinuating his uncanny love for her
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as another aspect at fault.

Poes use of repetition of certain words may leave many readers wondering if there is more to

them beyond their literal meaning such as symbolism. The narrator mentions that Annabel is of

highborn possibly, a royal descent which gives the impression that the words In this kingdom by

the sea refer to some sort of Castle bordering the beach (Poe). However, the words are only

repeated until Annabels death is sealed and no longer spoken. Could the words represent a place

that he and Annabel created outside of reality or a place in his heart that is sacred for their

relationship? Poes use of the word sepulcher is in different contexts: So that her highborn

kinsmen came / And bore her away from me, / To shut her up in a sepulcher (Line 18-20) and

then he uses the word at the ending I lie down by the side / Of my darling. In her sepulcher

there by the sea/ In her tomb by the sounding sea. (Line 38-41) Is she buried in the tomb and

does the word sepulcher mean something else? Maybe the word sepulcher represents Annabels

prison, and To shut her up . perhaps means to silence the sound of her coughing (Line 20).

While the word sea is symbolizing the narrators love for her. The word kingdom represents

some sort of safe haven the two shared.

With the use of plot setting, word choice and repetition, Poe paints a poem with

complexities. He leads readers with doubts and questions about Annabels death. However, he

does not fail to ensure readers the love Annabel and he shared. There is also speculation that this

Annabel character is inspiration drawn from Poes real life tragic romance (EAP). Being that

this was Poes last piece he wrote and how well it parallels to his true life, might prove that Poe

really does draw his influences from his personal life (EAP). As for as who or what really

killed Annabel Lee is left to the readers judgment. Overall, the poem was true to Poes style of

literature and might as well be considered a classic; if it is not already.

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Works Cited

EAP - Edgar Allan Poe. Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation,

www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/edgar-allan-poe. Accessed 30

Mar. 2017.

Poe, Edgar Allan. Annabel Lee. Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation,

www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/44885. Accessed 30 Mar.

2017.

Some Words with a Mummy. Google Books, Read Book Ltd, 2012, books.google.com/books?

hl=en&lr=&id=9AXKCgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT4&dq=annabel%2Blee%2Bedgar

%2Ballan

%2Bpoe&ots=nnz9qg6llr&sig=BT9fBWOMvS_qVvYzpYF1oBxmd5o#v=onepage&q=a

nnabel%20lee%20edgar%20allan%20poe&f=false. Accessed 30 Mar. 2017.