Annabel Lee Poem by Edgar Allan Poe

Annabel Lee Poem by Edgar Allan Poe captures an intense and tragic romance, where love transcends even death. The imagery of the kingdom by the sea, the jealous angels, and the eternal bond between the speaker and Annabel Lee make it one of Poe’s most moving works. A hauntingly beautiful poem of love and loss.

Annabel Lee Poem by Edgar Allan Poe is a melancholic yet enchanting poem that explores themes of love, loss, and the supernatural. Written in 1849, this poem is one of Poe’s most famous works, often interpreted as a reflection of his grief over the death of his wife, Virginia. The poem narrates the tragic love story of the speaker and Annabel Lee, emphasizing that their love was so strong that even angels envied it. The poem’s rhythmic and musical quality, coupled with its gothic imagery, creates a deeply emotional and haunting experience for the reader.

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It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;–
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.
She was a child and I was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea,
But we loved with a love that was more than love–
I and my Annabel Lee–
With a love that the winged 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 by night
Chilling my Annabel Lee;
So that her high-born kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,
Went envying her and me:–
Yes! that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of a cloud, chilling
And killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we–
Of many far wiser than we-
And 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:–

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,
In her sepulchre there by the sea–
In her tomb by the side of the sea.
~ Annabel Lee Poem by Edgar Allan Poe

Line-by-Line Meaning and Analysis of Annabel Lee Poem

Stanza 1:

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;–
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.
~ Annabel Lee Poem by Edgar Allan Poe

The poem begins in a fairy-tale-like manner, establishing a distant past in a mystical “kingdom by the sea.” The speaker introduces Annabel Lee, a young maiden whose only purpose in life was to love and be loved by him. This opening sets up the deep, innocent, and almost fated nature of their love.

Stanza 2:

She was a child and I was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea,
But we loved with a love that was more than love–
I and my Annabel Lee–
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.
~ Annabel Lee Poem by Edgar Allan Poe

The speaker describes their youthful love as something pure and unparalleled. The mention of “winged seraphs of heaven” (high-ranking angels) suggests that even divine beings envied their love, foreshadowing external forces that would seek to destroy it.

Stanza 3:

And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud by night
Chilling my Annabel Lee;
So that her high-born kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.
~ Annabel Lee Poem by Edgar Allan Poe

Here, the poem takes a tragic turn. The speaker suggests that Annabel Lee died due to supernatural forces—”a wind blew out of a cloud by night, chilling” her. The “high-born kinsman” (likely her family) then took her away and placed her in a tomb. This implies that societal or familial forces also played a role in separating them.

Stanza 4:

The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,
Went envying her and me:–
Yes! that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of a cloud, chilling
And killing my Annabel Lee.
~ Annabel Lee Poem by Edgar Allan Poe

The speaker directly blames the angels for Annabel Lee’s death, reinforcing the idea that their love was so extraordinary that even celestial beings sought to end it. The word “chilling” now explicitly means death, turning the poem into a lament for lost love.

Stanza 5:

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we–
Of many far wiser than we-
And 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:–
~ Annabel Lee Poem by Edgar Allan Poe

Despite Annabel Lee’s death, the speaker insists that their love is stronger than the wisdom and experience of others. He declares that no force, whether angelic or demonic, can separate their souls. This highlights the theme of eternal love.

Stanza 6:

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,
In her sepulchre there by the sea–
In her tomb by the side of the sea.
~ Annabel Lee Poem by Edgar Allan Poe

The poem concludes with the speaker finding solace in his memories. The moon and stars remind him of Annabel Lee, and he reveals that he visits or even sleeps by her tomb. This final stanza cements the idea of undying devotion, as the speaker refuses to move on from his beloved.

Summary of Annabel Lee Poem

Annabel Lee is a poem of love and loss, where the speaker recounts his deep and unbreakable bond with Annabel Lee. Their love was so powerful that even angels grew jealous, leading to her untimely death. Despite her passing, the speaker remains devoted, believing that no force can sever their connection. The poem explores themes of youthful love, jealousy, fate, and the persistence of memory.

Themes of Annabel Lee Poem

Eternal Love: The speaker insists that love transcends death, making Annabel Lee immortal in his heart.
Jealousy: Both supernatural (angels) and human forces (Annabel Lee’s family) conspire to separate the lovers.
Fate and Tragedy: The lovers’ fate is controlled by external forces, adding a sense of inevitable doom.
Death and Mourning: The speaker’s grief is all-consuming, and he refuses to let go of Annabel Lee.
The Power of Memory: Annabel Lee lives on in the speaker’s dreams and in the beauty of nature.

Conclusion – Annabel Lee Poem

Poe’s Annabel Lee is a timeless poem that continues to captivate readers with its themes of passionate love and tragic loss. The rhythmic, almost song-like structure makes the sorrow even more poignant, as if the speaker is caught in an endless cycle of longing.

Now, let’s hear from you! What emotions did this poem evoke in you? Do you think the speaker’s undying devotion is romantic or tragic? Share your thoughts in the comments below!