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Home , Lenore (poem), To Helen, Ulalume

WOMAN REPRESENTATION IN POE’S

Fiola Kuhon Bina Sarana Informatika University, PSDKU Tegal [email protected]

ABSTRACT Sir. was recognized for his gothic yet in depth writings. Every object he put in his works ended up as an interesting center of a literary study. Therefore, the aim of this research was to analyze the representation of a woman in Poe’s To Helen, the first version of the poem published in 1831. Meanwhile, to analyze the poem, an expressive approach and feminism approach were applied during this research. Hence, this research was a descriptive research where all the data were obtained and presented in words. Having analyzed this poem, it was discovered that in this poem, Poe depicted woman opposite to his major theme of beautiful victimized women. In this poem, the woman was represented as fair, caring, comforting and full of wisdom to the extent where a person found love and home in her.

Keywords: Woman, Representation, Depiction, Poe, To Helen, Poem

1. Introduction is a work where someone inspirations. Women had been the can sum up ample and deep story in a subject of numerous poems written by short manner. However, as short as it Poe, and there were considerably might seem, a poem covers more than amount of them are entitled after the what can be imagined by the readers. female character. “To Helen” (1831), Therefore, whoever or whatever the “” (1831), “ – A Song” object of the poem is, they must hold a (1845), “ – A Ballad” (1847), special place in the poet’s heart. “To Helen” (1848), “For Annie” (1849), Despite of the reason behind it; love, and “” (1849). However, in lost, anger, fear, or even death, lies a most of those poems, especially the special tale that promotes the writing women mention in the poems above, process. Thereupon, the process to were represented as vulnerable victim, read and analyze a poem is always taken away by death. Therefore, they challenging and enlightening. were called as Poe’s dark women back Edgar Allan Poe was a respected in the day. writer for his works where To Helen is a poem written by Poe romanticism, gothic, horror and women and published in 1831. Although it is meet. Many researchers found that not as popular as Annabel Lee but this women had become one of his biggest work has got a chance to gain attention

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from the readers back then. Coming Poe’s To Helen. Hence, the approach from the same topic which as a woman, used were an expressive approach, To Helen seemed to have a different where the writer reflected the content vibe than Annabel Lee since in To of the poem with the life of the poet’s Helen, the woman is depicted since the writer believed that the beautifully. However, is that so? During setting for when the work was created his career as an American writer, Poe had an immense impact into the work has written many works and among itself. Therefore, the feminism them women has appeared quite a bit approach was also included since the as the object of his works. However, poem was about women the most well know works are where representation, furthermore since the the women were depicted as victim or poem itself was published in 1831 even worse death. where the first wave of feminism took By then, the first wave of the place, this approach was seen insightful feminist movement occurred in Europe for the discussion. Thus, the discussion and America. The oppression and was limited and focused only on how marginalized by the men, created a the woman in Poe’s To Helen was commotion among women to be able represented through the lexicons and to have an equality in voting and the way she was narrated in the poem. experience a more appropriate education. During this era, many 2. Literature Review literary works where women were Wherefore Sir. Edgar Allan Poe is a objectified and victimized were all over big name in for his phenomenal works, the world. Among them, Poe was many studies have been conducting to considered as a male writer who analyze his poetry or tale. Hence, the presented women with weakness and studies about all the women mentioned laxity. in his works were also conducted. A study conducted by Martens However, most of the studies focus (2013) showed that women had more on the stories where beautiful appeared in Poe’s poems often. In The the women became the helpless Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar victims or murdered and dead, as in Allan Poe (the 2006 edition by Barnes & Annabel Lee and Lenore. Noble), he stated that around 54% of Besides gothic, woman is a very the poem included in the book were poplar theme in Poe’s works. However, about women. However, as far as the as mentioned before, most of the writer’s research went, there were only women appeared in his poem was a few researches were conducted pictured as helpless victims, someone about To Helen, especially in analyzing who is sick, dead and even worse the woman representation in this murdered. Therefore, considerably specific poem. As women were quite amount of studies about them were often featured in Poe’s poem, conducted heretofore. In early 2010, a therefore the writer was interested and study conducted by Grcic entitled Poe’s challenged to analyze the Ladies: Search for Perfection stated representation of woman limited in during his lifetime, Poe had

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experienced facing the death of women theme where women were closed to him which most likely represented by Poe. In fact, there were affected his works and drove him to some interesting women, such as the unload those painful experiences to intelligent women named Kate in Three ample of his works. Grcic then wrote Sundays a Week and Madame Lalande ”Throughout his work Edgar Allan Poe in The Spectacles. Thus, only a few is guided by the idea explained in his studies were conducted about to “Philosophy of Composition” where he Helen, especially on how the woman is says that the best inspiration for the depicted in the poem. Therefore, this most poetical melancholy is found in study was conducted to focus more in “the death of a beautiful woman”…”. It analyzing the representation of women explained why popular works like in Poe’s To Helen. Annabel Lee, Lenore, , , , , Madeline 3. Research Method were created. In conducting this research, the Furthermore, The Loss of the Ideal researcher used a qualitative research. Woman in Edgar Allan Poe’s Poetry, a Therefore, all the data were taken in study carried out by Reynaud (2014), form of words rather than numbers and stated similar testimony about how the it did not deal with numbers, diagram experience of losing significance and formulas. Therefore, the data in women had an immerse influence in this research were collected from Poe’s works. When Poe found a relevant books, articles and documents, beautiful, intelligent and inspiring both from offline and online sources. In women in Jane Stanard, his friend’s addition, the researcher divided the mother whom he honored in To Helen source into two parts; those were the after she died. Jane was the women primary source and the secondary whom young Poe has fallen in love sources. The primary source was a with, He began idolizing her and later poem To Helen by Edgar Allan Poe. referred to her as his “passionate Moreover, the secondary sources that boyhood, *…+ the first, purely ideal love the researcher used consist of of *his+ soul” 25 in a letter to Sarah H. supporting books about the poet, Whitman. As for Annabel Lee, Poe poetry, and related articles about Poe’s wrote this in grief of the death of his To Helen and Poe’s biography. wife Virginia Clemm who died very Hence, to analyze the poem, the young and left Poe a miserable and researcher used an expressive emotionally painful life. approach which the researcher A year before, a study entitled The assumed would be suitable for this Representation of Women in the Works research. As stated by Abrams (1979) of Edgar Allan Poe was conducted by “Expressive approach judged the work Martens (2013). In this study he by its sincerity or genuine or adequacy explained more about the to the poet’s individual vision or state representation of many women who mind; and it often looks in the work for appeared in Poe’s works. It appeared evidence of the author who consciously that victim women were not the only has revealed in it.” Thus, to analyze the

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poem, researcher was obliged to study The weary, way- The weary, way- about the life of Poe to comprehend worn wanderer worn wanderer how it affects the poem in any way bore bore possible. Expressive approach believes To his own native To his own native that the state of emotion when the shore. shore. poet writes a work will most likely On desperate seas On desperate seas influences the process of writing. long wont to roam, long wont to roam, Therefore, the poet and his poem was Thy hyacinth hair, Thy hyacinth hair, not separable. thy classic face, thy classic face, Furthermore, in the discussion, the Thy Naiad airs, Thy Naiad airs have researcher also analyzed certain area of have brought me brought me home the poem by using a feminism home To the glory that approach. Prior to the creation of the To the beauty of was Greece, poem which took place in 1800s, when fair Greece, And the grandeur the first wave of the feminism And the grandeur that was Rome. occurred, this approach was used to of old Rome. analyze the relation of the woman Lo, in yon brilliant Lo! in yon brilliant window-niche representation in the poem and the window-niche How statue-like I phenomena that was going at that How statue-like I see thee stand, time. see thee stand, The agate lamp The agate lamp within thy hand, 4. Findings and Discussion within thy hand! Ah! Psyche, from To Helen was one of the first poems Ah, Psyche, from the regions which written by Poe in his young age and the regions which Are Holy Land! one of the first where woman was the Are Holy Land! object, especially entitled by a woman’s name. Ample of researches and 4.1 Allusions scholars believed that this poem was To Helen was a poem wrote by Poe made to honor Mrs. Jane Stanard, Poe’s to honor the late of his friend’s mother first purely love and mother figure Jane Stanard, published first in 1831 whom a mother of his childhood friend. and later on was published again with Below were the two versions of the minor adjustment. Following was the released poems, To Helen (1831) revised version of the poem which was version which was featured in The published in 1845. The complete Poems of Edgar Allan Poe (2017) and To version of the poem analyzed in this Helen (1845) version from discussion was featured in a book and Other Poems (2002). published in 2002 entitled The Raven and Other Poems. To Helen (1831) To Helen (1845) Helen, thy beauty is Helen, thy beauty is The Raven and Other Poems. to me to me Like those Nicean Like those Nicean Helen, thy beauty is to me barks of yore, barks of yore Like those Nicéan barks of yore, That gently, o’er a That gently, o'er a That gently, o’er a perfumed perfumed sea, perfumed sea,

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sea, (Nike is the Greek goddess of victory) The weary, way-worn wanderer and soon became one of the busiest bore ports. Located on the Mediterranean To his own native shore. coast, made the beauty of the sea as its glory with blooming orchards on the In the first Stanza, this poem began shore whose scent can be smelled by with word “Helen” which believed by the people on the ships near the many as the Greek goddess of light or harbor. Helen of Troy who is the most beautiful “…The weary, way-worn wanderer woman ever lived. In tune with the bore…” here comes the first line where word, …thy beauty is to me” follows to the poet mentioned himself and stress the fact the woman is indeed depicted his own self as the weary, strikingly fair and beautiful in the poet’s way-worn and sickened wanderer. To eyes. The first line opens the poem the poet, Helen is the fine harbor for with a fine depiction of a fair woman, in his weary, way-worn and sickened soul. harmony with her name “Helen” as the As the line goes “…To his own native most beautiful Goddess from Greece. shore…” the poet praised the woman Poe himself inclined to insert many as his “native” shore. This lexicon has a Greece lexicons in his poem. broad meaning, as it can also mean “…Like those Nicéan barks of “mother” to his longing for a mother yore…” appears to reassure and figure and maternal love. supports the name Helen, as it was related to her Story. Helen, Zeus’s On desperate seas long wont to daughter, was the wife of Melenaus roam, King of Sparta who happened to run Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic with Paris, King of Troy and cause an face, immersed war known as the Trojan Thy Naiad airs have brought me war. Nice itself was a city where major home ships would anchor there. Therefore, To the glory that was Greece, Nicean barks refer to the situation long And the grandeur that was ago, where the small sailing (barks) Rome. took people home. Take note that Poe chose to use “barks” as an old word of The second stanza elaborated more ships and “yore” to indicate the period about the women’s physical traits of a long time ago. where the poet chooses specific “…That gently, o’er a perfumed lexicons to represent her fine beauty. In sea,…” this line once again emphasizes the first line of the second stanza, he the prior line where the poet elaborate wrote “…On desperate seas long wont about the city of Nice, which located on to roam…”. This is the second line the Mediterranean coast. Nice (Nicaea) was poet wrote to describe his emotional founded around 350 BC by the Greeks state, as in tune with “desperate seas”. of Massilia (Marseille), and was given The poet is wanderer, cruiser who longs the name of ("Nikaia") in honor of a for home. victory over the neighboring Ligurians

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“…Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic Rome which consider as the powerful face,…” this second line mentioned sovereign. “hyacinth” a fragrant beautiful flower from Mediterranean whose name was Lo, in yon brilliant window-niche derived from Greek. This special flower How statue-like I see thee stand, is also a precious flower in Rome. The The agate lamp within thy hand! poet compared the woman’s hair to the Ah, Psyche, from the regions beautiful, sweet-scented and classic which Greece flower. Hence, her face was Are Holy-Land! depicted as “classic” face by the poet. With a fair face and beautiful, sweet- The third stanza was started with an scented hair, the women must have exclamation of a deeper comparison fine physical traits in the eyes of the the poet depict the woman in this poet. poem. He wrote “Lo! in yon brilliant “…Thy Naiad airs have brought me window-niche…” which represents the home…” is a meaningful line to enclose depiction of how picturesque the the praise of the woman’s beauty. AS woman was in his eyes. Depicted as “Naiad” were actually water creature in “brilliant window-niche” could also Greek mythology, also a nature refer to something beyond her goddess in Rome mythology, and appearance as window is also often usually represented as beautiful, associated with knowledge, it is eye- lighthearted, and beneficent. It can be awakening. Thus, brilliant window- concluded that in the eyes of the poet, niche could also a representation of this unbelievably fair woman was able how smart that woman compared to to bring him home to where he belong any other women the poet known in even just by looking at her beauty. that period of time. This stanza was closed with two “…How statue-like I see thee lines “To the glory that was Greece, stand,…” follows as the second line in And the grandeur that was Rome.” this stanza. This line once more where the poet compared this classical emphasizes how fair and beautiful this beauty woman to the Greek’s glory and woman in the poet’s point of view. Rome’s grandeur. There was a reason Even by looking on the way she stood, the poet chose “hyacinth” as a caused to emerge him a fully comparison to the woman’s beauty, as admiration. Statue-like is phrase to the hyacinth flower was also a very represent how goddess-like a person is, special and precious flower in both that just by standing and still the Greek and Rome. Hence, Naiad was beauty radiated her surroundings. also minor nature goddesses in Greek In the third stanza, the poet wrote and Roman mythology, known for its “…The agate lamp within thy hand! beautiful form. The way the poet see a …” to represent the wisdom of the beauty was classical, natural and woman. Agate lamp itself was a lamp romantic. Thus, the classical beauty of made of a stone called agate which the woman reminded the poet of all name was given by Theophrastus, a the glory and grandeur of Greek and Greek philosopher. In ancient world,

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the agate lamp was a symbol to how the feminist phenomena at the enlightening knowledge, even more time where this poem existed, reassuring with the fact that the name influenced the object of the poem itself was given by a Greek philosopher. itself. As stated by Humm (2002), In Greece, a philosopher was a symbol “Feminism is an ideology of women's of high educated and fully liberation, …” as this poet was from the knowledgeable people. This line is a first wave of feminism movement, it clear representation of a smart and will be discussed, how this wisdomed woman. phenomenon reflected in the character Another impressive exclamation as of the woman presented in this poem. the closure, the poet wrote “…Ah, Psyche, from the regions which Are 4.2.1 The Woman as His “home” Holy-Land!” where he represented the Having analyzed this poem, it can woman as Psyche, a beautiful Greek clearly be seen that Poe was smitten goddess of soul coming from Greece with the object of this poem. Helen, and Rome that were referred as Holy – who many scholars and researchers Land in ancient time. believed as Jane Stanard, the mother of young Poe’s friend whose death 4.2 Significance propelled this poem. Shortly after her In this session, a further discussion death, Poe wrote this poem to honor about the poem would be presented. her for her nurturing love and wisdom Since the poem was analyzed with that encouraged young Poe to become expression approach and a feminism a writer. To his friend Mrs. Whitman, theory as a complementary approach, Poe wrote and described her as “the therefore the discussion below was to first purely ideal love of my soul”. Mrs. relate the significance of the poem with Stanard was seen as fair, classically the poet’s life. Since “Expressive beautiful in Poe’s eyes, made her the approach defines the romantic first woman Poe has ever fallen in love temperament, the author’s emotions, with. However, this love was not purely intention, identity, and originality. That a boyhood love since Poe also depicted is the idea that the writer has her deeper, beyond her fine physical personalities to express remain at the traits. In the first stanza, Poe center, as most of the creations were represented her as his “home”. “…The authorial. The criticism included entire weary, way-worn wanderer bore…” biography and gave a relative look to followed by “…To his own native the writings.” Abrams (1979), thus it shore…” Young Poe was a complicated was important for the writer to analyze teenager. He lost his biological mother the poem as related entity with the when he was an infant. The man who poet’s life, feelings and thoughts. adopted him did not support his Moreover, since the object of this passion in writing. Thus, when he found poem was a woman, which inspired it was inconvenient at home, he would from a real woman from the poet’s rush to Mrs. Stanard home to find childhood memory existence, therefore comfort and acceptance. In her, he the writer was attempting to discover found the motherly love that he

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desperately needed. She was the barks languages. However, his foster father who brought him home, an anchor to wanted him to inherit his business and his wondering soul. abandon his dream to become a writer. Furthermore, in the second stanza In Mrs. Stanard home was where he Poe wrote “…Thy Naiad airs have found a true acceptance and support. brought me home…”. Not only a She supported Poe’s passion in writing common creature, Poe represented her and even better encouraged him to as Naiad, a beautiful creature from keep writing poem. For a woman in her Greece and Rome mythology, who era, to simply care about passion and brought him home, to where he dream, it was such an immense action. belonged. The loss of his mother figure Especially, during the era, the feminist left an emptiness in his soul. Thus, movement was not as immense and finding someone in a beautiful form, vocal as it is today. At that time, the tenderly loving him, taking care of him movement was just begun and started and comforting him became a huge to take the awareness in European deal for this lonely and complicated countries such as England and France. young Poe. Therefore, to him, Mrs. In America, the first wave focused on Stanard was more than just a classical the women’s rights to vote and had an beauty, fair woman, she was to him a appropriate education. In a book called comforting, loving, safe and a peaceful Feminism: A Very Short Introduction, home. Walters (2005) then wrote “For a married woman, her home becomes a 4.2.2 The Woman as Intellectual prison-house. The house itself, as well According to Xi Li (2018), “in the as everything in it, belongs to the Western academic world, like many husband, and of all fixtures the most male authors in 19th -20th centuries, abject is his breeding machine, the Edgar Allan Poe is not regarded as a wife. Married women are in fact slaves, writer who supports feminism by many their situation no better than that of scholars. Indeed, Poe’s works are Negroes in the West Indies.” It simply criticized by some feminist scholars depicted how mistreated and invisible since the female characters in his the presence of women back then. stories often die and are quiet (p. 4).” Therefore, when the feminist This statement aroused because in movement aroused, organized most of his works, the women were campaigns, clubs and movements for victimized. In “Lenore” (1831), “Eulalie women’s rights emerged to improve – A Song” (1845), “Ulalume – A Ballad” female condition in terms of education, (1847), “To Helen” (1848), “For Annie” opportunities to work outside their (1849), and “Annabel Lee” were households, reform in laws affecting depicted as the hopeless victim of married women and, for the first time, death and the uncanny. However, in for the right to vote. Education became this poem, the opposite representation one of the concerns the women fought was discovered. for. It seemed that in this poem, Poe Young Poe was an excellent depicted the woman or Mrs. Stanard teenager, he excelled in literature and herself as someone who was not a

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common housewife. She had her own package, physical traits and character thoughts and ideas, and she shared it were what made Mrs. Stanard, Poe’s with Poe. One of the things that Poe dearly Helen an impeccable woman as share with his friend was, Mrs.Stanard, “To the glory that was Greece, And the unlike his family, supported his dream grandeur that was Rome.” and passion to write. Supporting and following one’s passion and dream was 5. Conclusions something that resembles a feminist. Although Edgar Allan Poe was well That was made Mrs. Stanard special known for putting beautiful victimized and different from any other women and powerless women in his works, around Poe at that time. however not all the women who were Therefore, Poe later represented featured in his works were ended up her as a woman who was intellectual dead or being murdered. In this poem and full of wisdom. In the second To Helen, Poe represented the woman stanza Poe wrote “…The agate lamp as someone who was physically within thy hand!…”, depicted a beautiful and possessed fine beautiful woman with an agate lamp in characters. Her beauty was compared her hand was a symbol of how to an ancient Nicean barks anchored enlightening and inspiring the woman near Mediterranean coast where was. The agate lamp itself was a special Orchards flowers used to fully bloom lamp made of an ancient stone whose and scented the ocean with its sweet name was given by Theophrastus, a scent that reminded the barks to come Greek philosopher. Thus, the agate home. Hence, Poe praised her more lamp in her hand represented an represented her beauty as a classical enlightening knowledge, moreover the beauty with hyacinth hair, referred to lamp itself was named by a Greek how beautifully scented her hair is like philosopher. As in Greece, a hyacinth flowers and her face was fair philosopher was a symbol of a scholar, like how the ancient classical beauty highly educated and an intelligent was portrayed. Poe even compared her individual, thus for Poe to put this lamp as Naiad, an ancient goddess creature in the woman’s hand was a significant from Greece and Rome who was sign to represent her as more than just beautiful and fair. To a wondering soul a beautiful woman. This woman, Mrs. like young Poe, this woman was an Stanard was beyond fair and beautiful. anchor and a bark that brought him Poe saw her as a perfect figure of a home. Furthermore, Poe represented woman with classical beauty which her as caring and loving woman with cannot be denied, loving and caring like wisdom that comforted him. In the a mother figure but also enlightening second stanza Poe wrote “…The agate for a young boy with dream. Mrs. lamp within thy hand!…”, depicted a Stanard represented in his poem, was a beautiful woman with an agate lamp woman who had it all, the fairness, the which in Greece was a symbol of nobleness, the wisdom, the love and intellectuality and wisdom since the the intelligence, she was a muse. The agate was a stone whose name was way Poe saw beauty was whole given by a Greek philosopher. To Poe,

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his Helen was an impeccable woman Poe, E. (2002). The raven & the other with undeniable beauty and noble poems, Reissue Edition. New character. York: Scholastic and Paperbacks. Moreover, although Poe’s works with women were the anti-feminism Poe, E. (2016). The complete tales and literary works, however in this poem poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Barnes Poe was successfully represented a & Noble Leatherbound Classics. woman who was not only classically New York: Barnes & Noble beautiful but he was able to honor a Publishing. woman of his own love experience Poe, E. (2017). The poems of Edgar where the woman was also loving, Allan Poe. New York: Dover caring and supporting showing her Publications. mother nature but also her liberty of Reynaud, K. (2013). The loss of the ideal expressing her concern towards one’s woman in Edgar Allan Poe’s dream and passion. Therefore, this poetry. France: University Post- poem was different with the rest of the Viva Dissertation Deposit. poems mentioned prior in this study. Tsokanos, D. (2016). Hellenic references in Edgar Allan Poe’s References critique on contemporary society. Abrams, M.H. (1979). The mirror and International Journal of English the lamp: Romantic theory and Studies. Spain: University of the critical tradition. New York: Murcia. Oxford University Press. Walters, M. (2005). Feminism: A very Case, K & Semtner, C. (2009). Edgar short introduction. Oxford: Oxford Allan Poe in Richmond. San University Press. Fransisco: Arcadia Publishing. Grcic, E. (2010). Poe’s ladies: Search for perfection. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/3855 6449/Poes_Ladies_Search_for_Pe rfection Humm, Maggie. (2002). Ensiklopedia Feminisme, Terj. Mundi Rahayu. Yogyakarta: Fajar Pustaka Baru. Li, Xi. (2018). Edgar Allan Poe and female victimization. Ohio: University of Dayton. Martens, E. (2013). The representation of women in the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Universiteit Gent. Nayef, M. (2013). Edgar Allan Poe; Love, death and women by Louise Lockwood Review. Pennsylvania: Penn State University Press.

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