Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Okay. It's time for the Big One. Here we go: Is it possible to know if all of life is just a dream within a dream?
- Does the speaker really believe all of life is a dream within a dream, or does he seem doubtful? How can you tell?
- What's with the wonky form? At first glance, it looks pretty straightforward: short rhyming couplets, and equal-ish stanzas. But then we realize that Poe's got some extra lines and rhymes tucked in there. What's the effect?
- What effect does the rhyme have on the poem's content? Does it make it seem more or less serious?
- Why do you think the woman is in this poem? What effect does she have on its themes and message? Is she just a metaphor, or is she a real figure?
- Is this poem about the nature of reality or the nature of loss? Can it be about both?