Israfel By Poe, An Analysis
"Israfel" is a mesmerizing poem, the beginning of which was first set down by Poe during his days at West Point College.(Allen 233) The poem itself is a direct contrast to Poe's usual poetry, which usually deal with death and dark thoughts or other melancholy, Gothic ideas. Poe's idea of the death of beautiful woman being the most poetical of all topics is here, nowhere to be found. This proves that Poe, when so inclined, could indeed write about something other than opium induced nightmares and paranoid grieving men who are frightened to death by sarcastic,talkative, ravens. Besides "Israfel", Poe's other poetry, "To Helen", as well as "Annabel Lee" and others, are virtually ...
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considering the great variety of works that he wrote and the passion which drove him during his writing. It is this passion that is evident in "Israfel."
The Poem itself draws heavily on Arabian and Oriental literature, subjects which fascinated Poe.(Allen 249) Supernatural elements, which are strong in all of Poe's works and a basic concept of all the Romantics, are represented here, as well as heaven itself. The poem is mystical in nature and a praise of inspiration, which is represented by the angel Israfel, who dwells in heaven and sings so beautifully that the stars themselves have to stop and listen. Poe's note on the text itself is taken from The Koran and reads as this: " And the angel Israfel, whose heartstrings are a lute , and who has the sweetest voice of all God's creatures.—Koran." Coleridge's, "Kubla Khan", in British literature , is similar to "Israfel", in that they both offer a heavenly place of the "ideal."
Israfel seems to represent a muse, of some sort, ...
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and how comforting to his own feelings it was, to imagine that even in heaven his voice would be heard above all others, and be found more acceptable." (Allen 233)
The first seven lines concern the singing of Israfel who, as I have mentioned, sits in heaven and sings in such away that none of the other angels may surpass him. "Whose heart strings are a lute," Poe writes of Israfel in the second line of the poem which he directly quotes from the Koran. He sings so beautifully that the stars themselves are "giddy" and cease their own hymns to "attend the spell of his voice." Again, the "stars", or the well-known poets of the time, must listen to his words which are supernatural or ...
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"Israfel By Poe, An Analysis." Essayworld.com. November 3, 2007. Accessed November 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Israfel-By-Poe-An-Analysis/73770.
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