1. “The Bells”
Edgar Allan Poe

2. “The Bells” Critical Thinking Questions
What feeling is being expressed within “The Bells”?
What are the 4 different bells of which Poe writes?
Why do you think some stanzas use more alliteration, some more assonance, some more onomatopoeia?
How does Poe use sound devices to imitate the sound of bells?

3. Stanza I What type of bells are being described?
What effect of Poe’s use of alliteration, onomatopoeia, or assonance have on you as the reader?

4. Stanza II
Type of bells?
Effect of alliteration, onomatopoeia and assonance?
Notice the presence of parallelism (anaphora) and personification?

5. Stanza 3 Type of bells? Alliteration/Assonance/Consonance?
Onomatopoeia?
Personification?

6. Stanza IV
Type of bells?
Personification? Alliteration? Internal Rhyme? Onomatopoeia?

7. “The Bells” Analysis Poetry Form: Lyric; 4 stanzas at various lengths
The stanzas increase in length
Rhythm: Imitative bell rhythm
Sound devices, internal rhyme, line length and punctuation support this
Theme: Progression of human existence especially in the areas of love and death

8. “The Bells” Analysis Symbolism: Gold and Silver Bells Joy and peace
Alarm Bells
Terror, horror and anger
Iron Bells
Oppression, death
Stanzas:
I – Courtship (nighttime; symbolic?)
II – Marriage (nighttime; symbolic?)
III – Inevitable descent into Despair
IV - Death

9. “The Bells” Analysis Mood: I – Excitement and happiness
II – Celebration and promise of joy
III – Terror and horror
IV – Morose and melancholy
Refrain/Repetition: “Of the bells, bells, bells”