Spirits of the Dead" was first titled "Visits of the Dead" when it was published in the 1827 collection Tamerlane and Other Poems. The title was changed for the 1829 collection Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems. The poem follows a dialogue between a dead speaker and a person visiting his grave. The spirit tells the person that those who one knows in life surround a person in death as well

==

The poem “Spirits of the Dead” does not seem to suggest any specific storyline or definitive characters. Rather, it reads like Poe’s reflection on the inevitability of death in general. He personifies the night time and stars saying that they will not look down, but they will seem to give a ‘burning fever,’ a desire to live in the mortal world. It is observed through the poem that he is lamenting about the loss of his wife, Virginia Clemm Poe, and how her leaving him has deeply grieved him. The mood of the poem is that of sadness, depression, brooding oppression and dismay. However, the mood has a slight shift from sadness to anger, then to resignation. It is observed through the imagery of change from dark, night, tombstone, to red, fever, glowing, burning, and finally mist, breath, and breeze. This shows that he finally had come to terms from being frustrated and aggravated to a resignation that death occurs as and when it wants to, and it is only a matter of time before one has to give in to death. In conclusion, the enigma of life and death that goes full circle is reflected in his choice of words, specifically in the first and last stanza. The word “secrecy” in the first stanza is echoed in the words “mystery of mysteries” in the last stanza. Hence, Poe’s “Spirits of the Dead” has a denouement that echoes its beginning, brining it full circle, just like life and death itself.

| Posted on 2012-07-02 | by a guest

==

Edgar Allen Poe wrote dark and depressing poems throughout his life. “Spirits of the Dead” is no exception for dreariness and depression. In “Spirits of the Dead,” Poe writes a five stanza poem with a rhyme scheme of aabbcdcdeeffgg… The rhyme scheme is consistent throughout the poem. Each of the stanzas expresses different aspects about dying, death, and the afterlife. “Spirits of the Dead” is written with iambic tetrameter.


The first stanza talks about dying and being all alone ‘Thy soul shall find itself alone’ and stuck in the graveyard in secrecy and cut off from everything that they once knew when they were alive. This shows that no one will come and ‘pry’ into your privacy of the grave. In the second stanza, Poe criticizes the dead for being restless in their afterlife. He tells them to be quiet and accept their loneliness. He says that previous spirits are with them and not to worry. He then tells them to be still.


In the third stanza, Poe personifies the night time and stars saying that they will not look down, but they will seem to give a ‘burning fever,’ a desire to live in the mortal world. He shows that the stars (red orbs) are a symbol of hope for everyone, dead or alive.


In the fourth stanza, the author describes how all of your thoughts and ideas will never go away. All of the parts of your mind are stuck and will never leave your spirit. For all of eternity and until the end of time, that is what will stay with you and nothing else. The fifth stanza contains a conclusion to the poem. It asks if we actually know what will happen to us when we die. The answer remains uncertain. It surely is ‘a mystery of mysteries!’

=

Spirits of the Dead” by Edgar Allen Poe is a poem about dying, and not being afraid of death. Poe discusses how upon death you, the reader, shall find yourself alone by your tombstone, but you won’t really be alone. He talks about how all of those who where with you in life and had passes on will meet you there. Poe mentions that even though visually you shall vanish from view, the memory of you will forever live on in hearts and minds of those who knew you while you where alive. He also mentions that ‘gods’ breath shall remain still, meaning that dying is something that is meant to be; it is natural and shouldn’t be feared. I also get the feeling that this poem was written for someone who is about to die, or has just recently died, because he writes “thee”, the objective form of thou, which is the old English for ‘you’. Although Poe could be just speaking to the reader and attempting to explain to us that death isn’t something we need to fear, the poem still gives off the impression of being written more specifically for someone else.


==

Knowing Poe's style, this poem seems to be about how the memories of the dead haunt the living. One particular example of that is how the stars are absent, there is no heavens, but "red orbs." I don't see the theme of hope coming from this poem, or any of Poe's work for that matter, considering that the heavens are absent and God sends a mist. Mist usually symbolizes mystery and unease rather than hope and an uplifting tone. The line "Now are thoughts thou shalt not banish" only furthers Poe's point that the memories of the dead are continuous. They cannot be ridded, and the "burning and the fever" are with a man's soul forever