How does Poe use classical allusions within his body of poetry (2-3 sources)?
In his poetry, Poe draws from a number of ancient Greek and Roman sources to add a layer of meaning to his words. For instance, in “Sonnet – To Science,” he refers to the Hamadryads, Naiads, and Diana to contrast the products of the human imagination with the nature-killing effects of the science of the Industrial Revolution. In “To Helen,” Poe recreates the central female as a classic beauty tending the hearth for a weary wanderer, and Helen’s name may itself be a reference to Helen of Troy, whose beauty supposedly sparked a decade-long war. Alternatively, in “The Raven,” the raven’s choice of the bust of Pallas Athena as a perching spot complicates the narrator’s story as it leads the reader to wonder if wisdom lies in the non-sentient raven, in the narrator’s ravings, or elsewhere. • How is the female idealized in Poe’s writing (at least 2-3 examples)? In “To Helen,” Poe praises Helen as a steadfast beacon of faith, love, and nurturing for a man who is tired of his worldly travels,
