Edgar Allan Poe Style Analysis
By: Jack Edwards
Language Style (Metaphor)
Edgar Allan Poe also uses metaphors in "A Dream". An example of this is "That holy dream (Line 9)" and "A lonely spirit guiding" (Line 12). Here he is comparing his dream to a holy spirit by talking about how his dream guides him like a spirit. Another example of this is "What could there be more purely bright/ In Truth's day-star?" (Lines 15-16). Here he is relating his dreams to the sun, and how the sun pokes through a storm like his dreams poke through reality.
Edgar Allan Poe uses multiple metaphors in "Dreams". One example of this is "Oh! that my young life were a lasting dream!" (Line 1). Here he is comparing his dreams to his life as a young child and later discusses the idea of eternal dreams. Another example is "That dream was as that night-wind- let it pass." (Line 26). Here he is comparing his dreams to a night wind passing by and how they both come over him at night and leave a lasting image on him.
Language Style Part 2 (Imagery)
Edgar Allan Poe also uses imagery in "A Dream". An example of this is "In visions of the dark night" (Line 1). In this line he is using dark as a descriptive word to give the reader a better image of the night and the setting he is describing. Another example of imagery is "What thought that light, thro' storm and night," (Line 13). Here he is creating a scene where he is contrasting the light and the darkness of the storm and creating an image of the light poking through the storm.
Edgar Allan Poe also uses imagery in "Dreams". An example of this is "For I have revell'd, when the sun was bright/ I' the summer sky," (Lines 13-14). In this example Poe uses descriptive words like "bright" and "summer" to create an accurate image of the sunny day to the reader.