Intro to Poetry

Alone by Edgar Allen Poe

1.      The title signifies to anyone previewing it that the poem will be about his loneliness whether that is physical, like he’s living in the middle of nowhere, or emotional no one in society truly connects with him.

2.      This poem like many by the author is dark and bleak whose tone seems like that from a horror movie or tragedy that leaves the audience spooked, in tears, or both.

3.      Most of his work is depressing, this puts me in a sad mood reminding me of my own problems with depression and what it feels like looking into that abyss uncertain of the future and feeling the happiness choked out of you.

4.      There doesn’t seem to be a major shift…that doesn’t mean there aren’t smaller ones those could be lines like “Then—in my childhood—in the dawn Of a most stormy life—was drawn From ev’ry depth of good and ill The mystery which binds me still”.

5.      As for themes there isn’t really one the intent is to tell the world of his sorrow something most men would not admit back then and still refuse to today. I think a possible theme is the universality of suffering, we all suffer unconditionally, it is the fate of man that we are all damned from birth.

6.      Extra thing my favorite lines from this poem would have to be:  My sorrow—I could not awaken My heart to joy at the same tone—And all I lov’d—I lov’d alone—