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Cole Pittman

LNG 311

Mrs. Weaver

28 April 2011

Edgar Allen Poe

Edgar Allen Poe’s poetry is about darkness and sadness. In the poem “Alone” Poe

talks about his childhood. Poe’s childhood was a dark path that almost nobody could

walk through. In this poem Poe uses imagery, an emotional landscape, and a dramatic

situation.

Poe’s use of imagery is what sets his work from everybody else’s work. When

writing Poe is usually sad and suicidal. When Poe says, “The cloud that to the form of a

demon” you can picture the demon coming right at you. The use of imagery Poe uses is

almost like 3D picture. Poe also says, “The red cliff of a mountain” this shows that just

because he is writing it does not mean you cannot be there.

Poe uses a dark and lonely tone that really brings you down when you read his

poems. Some words Poe use are “sorrow” and I lov’d. Poe also likes to contrast between

two things. In the poem “Alone” Poe contrasts that his life is one of darkness and
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arrogance. He uses these tones because his childhood was the worst that is recorded. His

parents both were gone at the age of three.

The dramatic situation is an important role in the poem “Alone.” The speaker of

this poem is a lonely man who’s had a rough life. The speaker is addressing his life until

now. Also he’s addressing that his life is terrible and it cannot get any better. The conflict

is between him and society. His family is all gone so he has nothing. His only will to live

is fading away and on the verge on going crazy.