Bridal Ballad Analysis

The ring is on my hand,
And the wreath is on my brow;
Satin and jewels grand
Are all at my command,
And I am happy now.

And my lord he loves me well;
But, when first he breathed his vow,
I felt my bosom swell-
For the words rang as a knell,
And the voice seemed his who fell
In the battle down the dell,
And who is happy now.

But he spoke to re-assure me,
And he kissed my pallid brow,
While a reverie came o'er me,
And to the church-yard bore me,
And I sighed to him before me,
Thinking him dead D'Elormie,
"Oh, I am happy now!"

And thus the words were spoken,
And this the plighted vow,
And, though my faith be broken,
And, though my heart be broken,
Here is a ring, as token
That I am happy now!

Would God I could awaken!
For I dream I know not how!
And my soul is sorely shaken
Lest an evil step be taken,-
Lest the dead who is forsaken
May not be happy now.

.: The Price of Security :.

The Price of Security
Marriage is a commitment between two people that is valued favourably. Poe’s “Bridal Ballad” addresses the issues that can arise when marriage is preformed for social reasons, and not for love of another human being. The ‘ everlasting’ tie of holy matrimony should be created with a person that one cares deeply for; economic reasons and social status should not be considered in such a permanent decision, as happiness should be the foremost consideration. The young bride in the ballad investigates the emotions evoked by the entanglement of a forced or arranged marriage.
The “ring…on [her[ hand”(l.1) is a token of the binding ceremony that is taking place. The single gold band is a symbol of possession, the young girl is about to give herself to another human. The “wreath [upon her] brow”(l.2) could be an allusion to Christ on the way to his to be crucified; her soul is about to be crucified within this marriage. The tainted motive behind the union is clearly presented as “ Satin and jewels grand/ Are all at [her] command”(ll.3-4). The unification is obviously done for social and economic reasons, not for the pure ideal of love and companionship. The happiness this creates is fictitious. The young groom does not seem to share his mates uneasiness, “ he loves me well;”(l.6). The groom seems unaware that the nuptials are only for social and economic gain. When he is saying his vows his bride feels fear well up inside her breast. The words he says sound mournful to her ears as a “knell/…voice [seems to fall]”(ll.9-10). Such a happy occasion has become dreary and funeral-like. At this point she questions her happiness. Her apparent hesitation is noticed and an attempt is made to quell the anxiety, “he [speaks] to re-assure [her]/… and [he kisses her] pallid brow”(ll.13-14). The open show of affection does nothing to halt her palpitating heart, and her scampering thoughts. Here at the alter this young bride falls into a fantasy: “Thinking him dead D’Elormie”(l.18). D’Elormie was a architect in Europe, perhaps this is the man whom the young bride truly loves. The suggestion that her bride-groom was dead induced a surge of joy, “Oh, [she is] happy now!”(l.19). Suddenly her illusion is shattered with the final words of her “plighted vow”(l.21). Abruptly trapped within her new marriage this young girl finds her “ faith [to be] broken/ And.. [her] heart [to be] broken”(ll.22-23). The ring becomes a painful reminder that all her dreams are lost, and reality has taken hold of her future. She forces herself to remind her emotions that she “[is] happy now!”(l.25). With a heavy heart and a dejected faith she pleads to God: “ Would God [she] could awaken!/ For [she] dream [she] know not how!”(ll.26-27). She wishes with every fibre in her being that she could match the holy power and reverse the dead that she has done. Her “soul is sorely shaken”(l28) as her dreams are forced into the back of her mind. The love of her life must be forgotten and locked away as he has no hold upon her any longer, at least no appropriate hold. The feelings of desire must be blocked, “Lest an evil step be taken”(l.29). With the final acknowledgement on her part that what could have been never will be her soul lets go: “ the dead who is forsaken/ May not be happy now”(ll.30-31). Stuck with her choice of social status over love, she must learn to force the appearance.
Poe deals with a heavy issue of marriage for love, or for wealth. As

| Posted on 2008-04-10 | by a guest