Question

annabel lee
by edgar allan poe

it was many and many a year ago,
in a kingdom by the sea,
that a maiden there lived whom you may know
by the name of annabel lee;
(5) and this maiden she lived with no other thought
than to love and be loved by me.

i was a child and she was a child,
in this kingdom by the sea;
but we loved with a love that was more than love,
(10) i and my annabel lee;
with a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
coveted her and me.

and this was the reason that, long ago,
in this kingdom by the sea,
(15) a wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
my beautiful annabel lee;
so that her highborn kinsman came
and bore her away from me,
to shut her up in a sepulchre
(20) in this kingdom by the sea.

the angels, not half so happy in heaven,
went envying her and me-
yes! that was the reason (as all men know,
in this kingdom by the sea)

select the correct answer.

why does the speaker repeat the phrase \my annabel lee\?

to share a nickname he had for his lover.
to demonstrate how jealous he was.
to highlight how connected he was to annabel lee.
to create internal rhyme.

Explanation:

Analyze the question and context

The question asks why the speaker repeats the phrase "my Annabel Lee" in Edgar Allan Poe's poem. We need to examine the relationship described in the text.

Evaluate the options using poetic analysis

Using Poetic Word Choice, we look at how the possessive pronoun "my" combined with her name functions. The speaker emphasizes a deep, personal bond.

Connect to tone and theme

Using Tone Analysis, the repetition conveys an intense, eternal connection that transcends death, highlighting how connected he was to her.

Eliminate incorrect options

• "to share a nickname": "Annabel Lee" is her actual name, not a nickname.
• "to demonstrate how jealous he was": The repetition shows love and devotion, not jealousy.
• "to create internal rhyme": The phrase does not function primarily to create internal rhyme.

Formulate the final conclusion

The repetition of "my Annabel Lee" underscores the speaker's profound emotional attachment and eternal connection to his beloved.

Answer:

• to share a nickname he had for his lover.
• to demonstrate how jealous he was.
• to highlight how connected he was to Annabel Lee. (Correct answer)
• to create internal rhyme.