Literary Devices in Annabel Lee

The phrase “my darling—my darling” is an epizeuxis, or a phrase that is immediately repeated without any words to divide it as a diacope does. The repetition of “my darling” is already forceful, but Poe’s addition of em dashes (—) creates an even more emotionally charged tone.

This line and the next use sibilance, a device in which words with the letter “s” are repeated in succession so that they create a hissing sound when recited. This form of repetition is particularly noticeable because of the hiss; as a result, the narrator’s bold declaration that nothing can separate his soul from Annabel Lee’s has an even more emotional impact.

Poe uses anaphora, or the repetition of words at the beginning of successive lines or phrases, to further underscore the depth of the love shared by the narrator and Annabel Lee. Their love has an almost supernatural strength, given that neither angels nor demons are capable of separating the lovers’ souls.

This line uses alliteration, or the repetition of consonants. Repeating the softness of the letter “h,” as opposed to a hard consonant, reinforces the poem’s tone and lulling rhythm.

The narrator’s portrayal of jealous angels who covet the love he shares with Annabel Lee is a paradox, or a contradictory statement that seems to contain some element of truth. Angels in heaven are commonly depicted as loving beings who commit good deeds and watch over humans on Earth. Therefore, the idea of angels killing out of jealousy is in direct contrast to expectations. However, the narrator depicts Annabel Lee as an almost angelic figure, and it is possible that the angels intended for her to join them for this reason.

This line uses diacope, or the repetition of words separated by other words, by repeating the word “child.” In this context, diacope both contributes to the poem’s repetitive nature while also introducing a tone of nostalgia by emphasizing that they were both children.

“To love and be loved” is an example of antimetabole, or the repetition of a phrase in reverse order. In this case, the reverse of “to love” is to “be loved.” This particular use of repetition emphasizes the love between the narrator and Annabel Lee, who seems to have loved him just as intensely as he still loves her.

This line uses assonance, or the repetition of vowels, in the words “this,” “lived,” and “with.” Assonance is another form of repetition that Poe employs to maintain the poem’s hypnotic rhythm.

The phrase “a kingdom by the sea” is repeated five times throughout the poem. Poe’s heavy use of repetition, along with the poem’s wavelike rhythm, establishes a whimsical tone of nostalgia and sadness.

This line is an anapest, a type of poetic meter used repeatedly throughout the poem. An anapest is a three-syllable pattern featuring two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable. In “Annabel Lee,” anapestic meter creates a cadence that imitates the waves rolling in on the beach.