Does anyone know the full meaning behind "the bells" besides the fact that it's about a person's life? Or know where we can find a critique of this poem, 'cause sparknotes doesn't have anything. Details would be appreciated. Thanks!

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

Answers

During a writer's block episode a lady started Poe off with a line about the outside bells that were driving him to distraction. From then on it grew into Poe's themes and dramatic obsessions. Details in Thomas Ollive Mabbott's book on Poe's works. A separate book especially on Poe's poems I found recently at Borders.

Like many of Poe's poems there seems a loose story if you take into account the narrator is tracing the connection between the rhythm and sound of the bells and his life pushed to absolute limits, finally running up against death, Poe-style. A later poem it seems fair to make this part of his life retrospective in regards to happiness with Virgina and then his recent unreconciled bereavement.

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2002

Some like to say the Bells is about 4 stages of life. But i dont think it has a deep metaphorical meaning. I think it is a creative display of lyrical poetry discribing the different types and uses for bells.

-- Anonymous, June 17, 2003