Eldorado (poem)
Encyclopedia
"Eldorado" is a ballad
poem by Edgar Allan Poe
, first published in April 1849.
" in search of the legendary El Dorado
. The knight spends much of his life on this quest
. In his old age, he finally meets a "pilgrim shadow" who points the way through "the Valley of Shadow." It was first published in the April 21, 1849, issue of the Boston-based The Flag of Our Union
.
s. Poe uses the term shadow in the middle of each stanza. The meaning of the word, however, changes with each use. First, it is a literal shadow
, where the sun is blocked out. In the second, it implies gloom or despair. The third use is a ghost
. The final use, "the Valley of Shadow," references the "Valley of the Shadow of Death
," possibly suggesting that Eldorado (or riches in general) does not exist in the living world, or may be extremely difficult to find in the physical realm. Eldorado can also interpreted not as the worldly, yellowish metal, but as treasures that actually have the possibility of existence in the abode of spirits. These "spiritual" treasures are that of the mind: knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. In this case, Edgar Poe doubted the worthiness of humanity to possess such "mental wealth" and admitted to the inescapable worldliness of mankind.
The time of the poem's publication, 1849, was during the California Gold Rush
and was Poe's reaction to that event.
"Eldorado" was one of Poe's last poems. As Poe scholar Scott Peeples wrote, the poem is "a fitting close to a discussion of Poe's career." Like the narrator of the poem, Poe was on a quest for success or happiness and, despite spending his life searching for it, he eventually loses his strength and faces death.
1993: "Eldorado," along with "Hymn" and "Evening Star", was adapted by choral composer Jonathan Adams
as Three Songs from Edgar Allan Poe for SATB chorus and piano.
1996: The poem was used for the lyrics of a Donovan
's song on his album Sutras
.
2000: "Eldorado" was adapted as song by the Darkwave
band Sopor Aeternus on the album Songs from the inverted Womb
.
2008: Craig Owens
released a demo version of a song titled "El Dorado" on his Myspace page. The song uses Poe's poem as lyrics.
2009: The Jim O'Ferrell Band, of Richmond, Virginia
(where Poe was raised), released a song based on the poem (retitled "El Dorado") on their album Back to the World.
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
poem by Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
, first published in April 1849.
Summary
The poem describes the journey of a "gallant knightKnight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
" in search of the legendary El Dorado
El Dorado
El Dorado is the name of a Muisca tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and, as an initiation rite, dived into a highland lake.Later it became the name of a legendary "Lost City of Gold" that has fascinated – and so far eluded – explorers since the days of the Spanish Conquistadors...
. The knight spends much of his life on this quest
Quest
In mythology and literature, a quest, a journey towards a goal, serves as a plot device and as a symbol. Quests appear in the folklore of every nation and also figure prominently in non-national cultures. In literature, the objects of quests require great exertion on the part of the hero, and...
. In his old age, he finally meets a "pilgrim shadow" who points the way through "the Valley of Shadow." It was first published in the April 21, 1849, issue of the Boston-based The Flag of Our Union
The Flag of Our Union
The Flag of our Union was a popular, weekly newspaper published in Boston, Massachusetts in the mid-19th century. In addition to news, it published works of fiction and poetry, including contributions from notable writers.-Brief history:...
.
Analysis
The poem is made up of four six-line stanzaStanza
In poetry, a stanza is a unit within a larger poem. In modern poetry, the term is often equivalent with strophe; in popular vocal music, a stanza is typically referred to as a "verse"...
s. Poe uses the term shadow in the middle of each stanza. The meaning of the word, however, changes with each use. First, it is a literal shadow
Shadow
A shadow is an area where direct light from a light source cannot reach due to obstruction by an object. It occupies all of the space behind an opaque object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, or reverse projection of the object blocking the...
, where the sun is blocked out. In the second, it implies gloom or despair. The third use is a ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
. The final use, "the Valley of Shadow," references the "Valley of the Shadow of Death
Psalm 23
In the 23rd Psalm in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, the writer describes God as his Shepherd. The text, beloved by Jews and Christians alike, is often alluded to in popular media and has been set to music....
," possibly suggesting that Eldorado (or riches in general) does not exist in the living world, or may be extremely difficult to find in the physical realm. Eldorado can also interpreted not as the worldly, yellowish metal, but as treasures that actually have the possibility of existence in the abode of spirits. These "spiritual" treasures are that of the mind: knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. In this case, Edgar Poe doubted the worthiness of humanity to possess such "mental wealth" and admitted to the inescapable worldliness of mankind.
The time of the poem's publication, 1849, was during the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
and was Poe's reaction to that event.
"Eldorado" was one of Poe's last poems. As Poe scholar Scott Peeples wrote, the poem is "a fitting close to a discussion of Poe's career." Like the narrator of the poem, Poe was on a quest for success or happiness and, despite spending his life searching for it, he eventually loses his strength and faces death.
Adaptation
1966: Excerpts from the poem are spoken in the movie El Dorado by a young James Caan.1993: "Eldorado," along with "Hymn" and "Evening Star", was adapted by choral composer Jonathan Adams
Jonathan Adams
Jonathan Adams was an English actor, born in Northampton, England.He acted in a number of roles in British TV and film, including the part of Adam in the TV mini-series Jesus of Nazareth, the part of Carter in Nemesis, and the part of Professor Marriott in Yes, Prime Minister.He acted as the...
as Three Songs from Edgar Allan Poe for SATB chorus and piano.
1996: The poem was used for the lyrics of a Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
's song on his album Sutras
Sutras (album)
Sutras is the nineteenth studio album, and twenty-second album overall, from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the UK and the US on October 14, 1996...
.
2000: "Eldorado" was adapted as song by the Darkwave
Darkwave
Dark Wave or darkwave is a music genre that began in the late 1970s, coinciding with the popularity of New Wave and post-punk. Building on those basic principles, dark wave added dark, introspective lyrics and an undertone of sorrow for some bands...
band Sopor Aeternus on the album Songs from the inverted Womb
Songs from the inverted Womb
"Songs from the inverted Womb" is the darkwave band Sopor Aeternus & the Ensemble of Shadows' sixth album, released in 2000. The album is dedicated to the "memory and resurrection" of Little Seven, a boy who died "at the age of six"; "inverted Womb" was recorded in an attempt to resurrect the...
.
2008: Craig Owens
Craig Owens (musician)
Craigery Michael "Craig" Owens is an American musician from Davison, Michigan. He is best known as the former lead vocalist of Chiodos and has had an involvement in various side projects such as Cinematic Sunrise, and the supergroup Isles & Glaciers...
released a demo version of a song titled "El Dorado" on his Myspace page. The song uses Poe's poem as lyrics.
2009: The Jim O'Ferrell Band, of Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
(where Poe was raised), released a song based on the poem (retitled "El Dorado") on their album Back to the World.