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Bells by Edgar Allen Poe

In: English and Literature

Submitted By arose321
Words 329
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The poem “Bells,” by Edger Allen Poe, describes the movement through a person’s life. In the first stanza silver sleigh bells represent childhood. Silver is a precious metal but not as precious as gold or the next stage of life. The bells “tinkle, tinkle, tinkle” (4) which represents playful and merry times. The poem uses i- sounds, joyful verbs such as “twinkle,” and phrases like “jingling and tinkling” (14) to bring us back to childhood. In the second stanza, the type of bell is a wedding bell made of gold. Gold is a very precious and expensive medal just as your wedding day is the most important day of your life. The bells show happiness with words like “delight” using long i- sounds. These sounds make the stanza richer and more resident. This makes the stanza seem longer and more important. The “swinging and ringing”(31) tell of dancing and having fun. According to Poe, this day is one you will never forget. In the third stanza, the bells are alarm bells made of brass. They represent fear and terror. The time of life Poe is portraying is old age. The author uses long e sounds such as “shriek” to show that the person is realizing they are getting old and aren’t as young as as they used to be. The “tale of terror,” (38) informs the reader that this is not a happy part of life but a worrisome stage. A person in their older age tends to be surprised or startled once they realize they are no longer in their youth. In the fourth stanza, the bells funeral bells made of iron which have a

more drawn out deep sound. The emotional state during this time is no longer cheerful or happy it it solemn or serious. The time of life that is now being represented is death. The author uses phrases such as “ moaning and groaning”(117) to show the feelings of meloncholy and sadness.

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