“Fairy Land” is one of the famous poems of Edgar Allan Poe that describes the views of the poet. The poem is mysterious has deep pathos.
It was published sometime between 1845 to 1848. When the poem got published, readers took it positively though later critics quote many things in the poem. K. Anna Craft opines,
“I have arranged my takeaway thoughts unique Poe work
(Fairy-Land, not to be confused with Fairyland,
because god damnit, Poe) into a haiku:”
Table of Contents
Summary
From the very first lines, Edgar Allan Poe describes nature. There are dim vales and shadowy floods, there are cloud-shaped woods that takes a huge shape but it can not be judged.
Tears have dripped all over and the poet is thinking about that. The moon is looking wax and wane. So, this is an image of the night the moon is waxed and wane. Then the poet says, in every moment of the night, the world is changing again and again.
“And they put out the star-light
With the breath from their pale faces.”
In these two lines, the poet talks about the star lights that are breathing, and their faces that are getting pale. These are the imageries where the poet’s motto is to explain nature.
This is filmier than the other descriptions and the stars have found their selves to be the best. In that part, nature is being highlighted. The stars are coming down, down to earth to the center of the crown.
“Of a mountain’s eminence,
While it’s wide circumference”
They are still at the eminence of a mountain while they are having their circumstances. Suddenly from the woods, he goes with the start and describes their journeys.
In the easy drapers, they fall even over the hamlets, and over the halls. If we see, they will find that the poet is matching the rhymes and that is why his motto is not very clear. The descriptions are also arguable. Where they are exactly falling that is not also very clear.
“O’er the strange woods—o’er the sea—
Over spirits on the wing—
Over every drowsy thing—”
In these three lines, Poe further speaks that maybe they will fall over the strange woods of the sea or the spirits of wings, and maybe even on every drowsy or hazy things.
They will be buried and will be engaged to ‘labyrinth lights’ which means confusing circumstances.
“And then, how, deep! —O, deep,
Is the passion of their sleep.
In the morning they arise,”
Now he suddenly speaks that they are very deep. As deep as the passion of their sleep. In the morning they rise and the moon covers them with its light.
They soar in the skies and blink in times. Then the poet compares the stars with an Albatross. The stars do not use the moon for the time being.
“Of which those butterflies
Of Earth, who seek the skies,”
It like the trees that seek butterflies and the earth that seeks the skies. In the last lines, he says that he has bought a specimen upon their quivering wings. The poem ends here.
Analysis
This is a narrative poem where he speaks on a diary land and that is full of happiness. But throughout the poem, Poe is exaggerating the content a lot. For that reason, many readers do not like it very much.
On analyzing, we find that he is describing nature and its components. But exaggeration is everywhere, even the main theme of the poem is not established perfectly.
Maybe the poet’s motive is to let the readers be aware of these things bt he had done so in a fragmented manner.
Literary Devices
‘Fairy Land’ is a poem that consists of forty-six lines and the whole is poem is written in a single stanza. The scheme of the poem is ‘aabbccded’.
Enjambment is another relevant rhetorical device that means a continuation of thoughts even to the next stanza like,
“And their moony covering
Is soaring in the skies,”
Then comes Alliteration that means the repetition of the same words in a single line like,
“Again-again-again”
Several imageries also play a big role.
“And cloudy-looking woods,”
Syncope is also a very relevant literary device that means the use of a word using apostrophe like,
“O’er the strange woods—o’er the sea—”
Then comes Anaphora that means the repetition of the same words at the beginning of lines just like,
“Over spirits on the wing—
Over every drowsy thing”
These are all relevant poetic devices.
Questions and Answer
What is the poem fairyland about?
The poem is about the description of fairyland.
What is the meaning of Edgar Allan Poe’s Eldorado?
Eldorado is a poem of Edgar Allan Poe that talks about the poet’s carrier.
What does the poet mean by fairyland?
Fairyland means the land of mystery and happiness.