Cynthia Bily critically analyzes Annabel Lee, explaining how Edgar Allen Poe, the narrator, portrays himself as a madman through a repetitious love story. Bily feels the love between Annabel and Edgar is just like a fairy tale. Their strong love was shown as Edgar mentions how the angels become jealous and unhappy of them. However, even though they were happy together, Bily notices the possible implication dealing with different social equality than his lover Annabel, as this young couple did not seem to have received a blessing. Instead of looking at the poem as a beautiful love story as it was written to be, Bily points out how she feels the primary purpose of the poem was to accuse others who prevented the young couple from being together, rather than enjoying what type of relationship they had. Cynthia Bily feels Poe’s accusations are portrayed through repetitiveness, which creates a boring mood throughout the poem. …show more content…
Even though Poe writes in a repetitive manner, he adds dramatic sounds to the rhythm to create a mysterious and haunting tone. Bily feels this mysterious tone is what makes this poem so memorable. However, it seems as if Edgar Allen Poe tried to portray himself as a madman rather than a lover. Paranoia is shown through Edgar’s crazed thoughts towards the people who he feels purposely kept him away from his beloved Annabel. The characteristics of a madman are shown through his mentally unbalanced life, as he becomes desperate and obsessed for her. Bily creates the question of how can people can feel this forbidden love if the only option is to view Poe as crazy man living in an obsession for a girl rather than a committed