The Valley of Unrest

By Edgar Allan Poe(1831)

Once it smiled a silent dellWhere the people did not dwell;They had gone unto the wars,Trusting to the mild-eyed stars,Nightly, from their azure towers,To keep watch above the flowers,In the midst of which all dayThe red sunlight lazily lay.Now each visitor shall confessThe sad valley's restlessness.Nothing there is motionless-Nothing save the airs that broodOver the magic solitude.Ah, by no wind are stirred those treesThat palpitate like the chill seasAround the misty Hebrides!Ah, by no wind those clouds are drivenThat rustle through the unquiet HeavenUneasily, from morn till even,Over the violets there that lieIn myriad types of the human eye-Over the lilies there that waveAnd weep above a nameless grave!They wave:- from out their fragrant topsEternal dews come down in drops.They weep:- from off their delicate stemsPerennial tears descend in gems.

Summary

This poem speaks of a valley or a village, That has been Deserted to possibly avoid war (“They had gone unto the wars”). It mostly describes the silence and the desolation in the village or valley, and goes to great lengths to create the impression of complete emptiness in the valley, the poem also speaks of how even though the valley is empty, it is still filled with activity.

I choose this poem because of the great way it conveys a mood, and becauseof how easily you can imagine what this valley may look like due to the way thepoet describes details and creates a mood for the poem, and almost; it seems, for the valley itself. I also like this poem because of how much it leaves to the imagination, Edgar Allan Poe leaves a lot for you to imagine, just leaving you with the beginning of possibly numerous ideas of what this poem means, and allowing you pick your own. This poem uses personification in quite a few places (i.e. “The red sunlight lazily lay” “The sad valley's restlessness” and also uses words like “solitude” and “restlessness” to create a mood, which I feel is lonely and empty.

Five Questions

I: What kind of mood does this poem create?

II: How well does it create this mood?

III: What words are used convey a mood?

IV: How does this poem feel? (i.e. current/dated)

V: Does the poet succeed in creating a mood and conveying his ideas?