15 From the sun that ’round me roll’d
In its autumn tint of gold—
From the lightning in the sky
As it pass’d me flying by—
From the thunder, and the storm—
20 And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view—
Kylie McCalmont
Ms.Wilson
AP Language and Composition
11 April, 201
In “Alone” by Edgar Allan Poe, he confronts internal struggles that he deals with throughout his life without relying on external help with his depression. Poe explains that throughout his piece, his pessimistic self consumes his life in the bad times and also during the good as he sits isolated from joy. A story told by the heart, Poe uses metaphors, personification, symbolism and the competition between gothic and pastoral imagery to express his independence and his melancholy mind.
Throughout “Alone” Poe makes the argument that he is different from the average person and what makes one happy usually has the opposing effect on himself. This reiterates his feeling of being isolated that is mentioned in the single word title of the poem. To describe this isolation, Poe effectively uses metaphors to reiterate his difference from the average person and explain how his own sorrow is his diversity. Poe claims, “My passions from a common spring—From the same source I have not taken”. (II. 4-5) The metaphor is comparing his passions to a “common spring” or otherwise interpreted as the passions of others and the desires that they have. By comparing his passions to that of others, Poe argues that what makes others happy is the same for himself, but he has trouble actually finding the happiness in it. This again makes him feel alone and isolated. "Poe metaphorically compares his childhood to "the dawn/Of a most stormy life" (ll 10-11) -- but it is that pain that leads to his recognition of the mysteries of life. In these lines, Poe’s childhood is seen as the “dawn of a most stormy life”. Poe is wrought with sadness but here he is hinting that there is a reason for his sorrow. Dawn is deep into the night, one of the darkest parts of a day. He is comparing his childhood to this dark phase and explaining that the traumatic moment that made him so incredibly said could have occurred in his childhood. This moment then encompassed his life and is one of the reasons why Poe feels so isolated.
To further explain his sadness, Poe bring it to life through personification. He states, “My sorrow—I could not awaken.” (II. 6) By bringing his sorrow to have humanistic characteristics, it takes the control off of him and it gives it to his sadness. His sadness is then uncontrollable and almost like a depression as depression is a psychological disorder that engulfs someone and it is not the victim’s job to remove it anymore because it is out of their control. The sadness has taken a mind of it’s own and it must be “awken” to get up and remove itself from the victim. Another line of personification in “Alone” is “The mystery which binds me still”. (II. 12) This explains why Poe cannot get rid of his sorrow. The “mystery” or uncertainty of what lays ahead takes on humanistic traits in Poe’s eyes as it holds him captive to enjoying life and experiencing joy. Through the personification of sorrow and the reasons for it, Poe explains his isolation even more which again goes along with the title of his saga, “Alone”.
The most dramatic literary device that Poe used in “Alone” is what he created to put a finger on his depression and recognize it as not just a person, but a demon. “And the cloud that took the form/(When the rest of Heaven was blue) /Of a demon in my view” (II. 20-22) Through the use of symbolism, Poe associates his depression as not just a “cloud” but “a demon”. A cloud will linger and sometimes seem to follow one on a rainy day but a demon will haunt and never leave one’s side just as it has followed Poe throughout his life. When “Rest of Heaven is blue” and everyone is happy, Poe’s demon or better known as depression lurks not allowing for this “blue Heaven” to be seen or obtained. This demon is the biggest factor in Poe’s isolation from others but most important his isolation of his happiness.
Throughout “Alone” Poe narrates and comes to terms with his sadness that is most likely classified as depression and faces his reason for his isolation and naming of the poem “Alone”. Through the use of metaphors his sadness is identified then brought to life by personification and ultimately classified as a demon that he finally realizes he must get rid of, using the device of symbolism.
Both Edgar Allan Poe in "Alone" and Emily Bronte in Wuthering Heights [italics] address the blessing and the curse individuals who are outsiders may experience. Heathcliff’s happiness is dependant of Catherine’s and whether he has her with him. Although he had experienced much abuse as a child from Hindley, Catherine’s brother, one of his worst experiences was the five week time period that he spent away from Catherine as she stayed at Thrushcross Grange. In “Alone” Poe says, “In my childhood—in the dawn Of a most stormy life—was drawn From ev’ry depth of good and ill.” (II. 9-12) This first isolation was the approaching dawn for Heathcliff as he didn’t have anyone to rely on as a friend besides Catherine. The dawn could be considered as Catherine’s death. Heathcliff couldn’t bare to be away from her that he asked God to spare Catherine happiness and wonder the earth as a spirit until Heathcliff passed away. Heathcliff says, “Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest so long as I live on! I killed you. Haunt me, then! Haunt your murderer!”(Bronte 101) Catherine claimed that Heathcliff returning killed her as she had to decide between two loves, him and her husband. Once she died, Heathcliff refused to be isolated again. This same type of paranormal activity was mentioned in “Alone”. “And the cloud that took the form(When the rest of Heaven was blue) Of a demon in my view” (Line 20-22) Poe’s depression is considered a demon. Although some may consider a ghost a demon and experience fear just as one of the narrators in Wuthering Heights experienced when seeing Catherine’s ghost, but Heathcliff welcomed it. Poe did not want his sadness to haunt him but although Heathcliff did feel isolated throughout most of the book, Catherine was his happiness and he begged her to shadow him until he no longer walked the Earth.
Mason High School
Alone
Wuthering Heights Poetry Essay
Kylie McCalmont
Ap Literature and Composition
Ms.Wilson
April 20, 2016
I have read and understand the sections in the Student Handbook regarding Mason High School's Honesty/Cheating Policy. By affixing this statement to the title page of my paper, I am certifying that I have not cheated or plagiarized in the process of completing this assignment. If it is found that cheating and/or plagiarism did take place in the writing of this paper, I understand the possible consequences of the act, which could include a "0" on the paper, as well as an "F" as a final grade in the course.