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Mary Brandon Harrell

Mrs. Kirschner
English II- Block 1
28 January 2016
Dark Romanticism in Works of Edgar Allan Poe and Herman Melville
Edgar Allen Poe believes that memory [is] replete with horror- horror more horrible
from being vague, and terror more terrible from ambiguity (5). Writers during the time of Dark
Romanticism, which occurred in the mid 19th-century, experimented with different ways to
incorporate a creepy and horrific feeling, like this one, throughout their stories. Works of Dark
Romanticism usually consist of horrific themes that cover the ideas of struggles of human nature,
surroundings that could be filled with evil, and horrors of evil lurking in everyone. Readers can
find these horrific elements of Dark Romanticism in Berenice and Annabel Lee, by Edgar
Allan Poe, and The Lightning-Rod Man, by Herman Melville. Throughout the works of Poe
and Melville, Dark Romanticism is present through symbols, imagery, figurative language, and
theme.
Authors of the Dark Romantic time use common symbols to convey a sense of creepiness
and horror. In Annabel Lee the words kingdom, sea, and sepulchre are symbolized to
create an implied Dark Romantic theme. Kingdom and sea are symbols that signify a large place
where the love of the narrator and his companion exist. The symbol sepulchre creates an allusion
to graves and burials, which is a dark and creepy component of Dark Romanticism. In The
Lightning-Rod Man, the symbol of lightning can be seen as Gods wrath towards earth and all
its people. The lightning-rod man is trying to sell lightning rods to people during a time when
their fears are at an utmost high. He scams them into believing they need the lightning rods,

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toying with their intellectual thoughts while they are the most vulnerable. Here, Melville shows a
common element of Dark Romanticism: evil is lurking within everyone. This symbol of the
lightning-rod man is the most prevalent in the story and shows a creepy attribution that evil is
everywhere in our surroundings. Also, Dark Romantics reveal these frightening thoughts through
the use of imagery.
Dark Romantic authors take the time to go beyond a simple description, creating
fascinating images with sensory details. Poe uses vivid detail and imagery in his story of
Berenice, to convey the disturbing atmosphere. For example, he writes, he pointed to the
garments; -they were muddy and clotted with gore (Poe 6). At this point in the short story,
readers discover that the narrator, who is mentally ill, unburies his lover and extracts all of her
teeth. This morbid thought and telling way to explain the extraction displays the disgusting
elements of Dark Romanticism and how authors use this to create impressive images for the
readers to absorb. Melville also utilizes this common method in his story, The Lightning-Rod
Man. Melville explains that, with his right fore and middle fingers in his left wrist. But ere
the words had well escaped [him], another exclamation escaped [The Lightning-Rod Man] (3).
Melville is displaying traits of Dark Romanticism as he seems to be implying a weirdness to the
lightning-rod man. Through these sensual explanations and images, Dark Romantic authors
communicate the truly gloomy feel of Dark Romanticism. Authors continue to communicate this
through figurative language and other elements in their pieces.
By analyzing the text deeply, readers can find figurative language and other devices that
help the piece go beyond its elementary meaning, generating a deeper, horrific meaning. In
Annabel Lee, the repetition of In a kingdom by the sea (Poe 2) establishes an important
meaning of the symbol to the reader. This continued phrase shows the importance of that fact that

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the characters are in a lonely place where only their love can exist, causing an obsessive concept
of Dark Romanticism. In this story, Poe also writes about winged seraphs of heaven (11).
While people normally view angels as good, Poe twists this and views them as evil creatures that
take away Annabel Lee. These changes in good and evil are a result of the Dark Romantic
thought going around during this time.
Dark Romantics works have one common theme-- horror. While most authors stray and
make this theme more complex, all pieces can be connected through their common theme and
tone of horror. This theme of horror is exceedingly profound in the story Berenice. The
narrator adds this creepy touch when he says: dreams a cry as horror and dismay; and thereunto;
after a pause, succeeded the sound of troubled voices, intermingled with many low moaning of
sorrow or of pain (Poe 5). Here, the narrator remembers of a terrible time where even the
unknown reached the ultimate terror. Another way Dark Romantic author try to reveal a fearful
theme is through implicit meaning. Melville shows this in The Lightning-Rod Man when he
implies an uneasy feeling throughout the story through phrases like, he singularity impelled a
closer scrutiny (1). The story teaches readers to see evil in everything in their surroundings,
which is one of the most important aspects of Dark Romanticism. Authors communicate a
thematic undertone of horror and terror, generating true elements of Dark Romanticism.
Berenice, Annabel Lee, and The Lightning-Rod Man all are key examples of Dark
Romanticism. Fearful symbols, sensual imagery, vivid figurative language, and horrific themes
are extremely prevalent throughout the works. All Dark Romantic authors believe in these eerie
aspects of Dark Romanticism and examine the deeper meaning to the horrific life that lives in the
minds of the mentally ill.

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Works Cited
Melville, Herman. "The Lightning-Rod Man." American Literature. American Literature Society,
21 Sept. 2011. Web. 9 Oct. 2015.
Poe, Edgar Allan. "Annabel Lee." Edgar Allan Poe Works. Edgar Allan Poe Society of
Baltimore, 21 Dec. 2009. Web. 09 Oct. 2015.
Poe, Edgar Allan. "Berenice." Poestories. Design215 Inc., 27 June 2005. Web. 09 Oct. 2015.