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ToHelenHelen,thybeautyistome-wornwandererbore海伦，你的美貌于我似远古尼西亚人的帆船，轻轻飘过芬芳的海面，让旅途劳顿的游子，回到他故乡的岸边。gwonttoroam,在漂泊已久、波涛汹涌的海上，你风信子般的头发、古典的脸庞，和尼厄神般的风采已带我回家乡，回到罗马曾经的伟大，和希腊曾经的荣光。antwindow-niche-likeIseetheestand,-Land!瞧！彼处辉煌窗龛里你，恰似雕像，伫立，玛瑙灯儿手中提！啊，普赛克，来自仙土圣地！注：1.thoseNiceanbarksofyore:古代尼西亚人的那些航船，意指具有古典的美。2.hyacinth:风信子花。根据古希腊神话，太阳神阿波罗所钟爱的少年海尔欣瑟斯（Hyacinthus）有一头美丽的长发，在他被误杀后，从他的血泊中长出了一种纤细修长，迎风招展的美丽鲜花。3.airs:音乐旋律和曲调。4.agate:玛瑙。5.Psyche:普塞克，古希腊、罗马神话中嫁给爱神厄洛斯的美女。厄洛斯禁止她看见自己的形象，但是普塞克还是克制不住好奇心，在夜晚举灯看见了丈夫的模样，结果被逐出家门。6.Naiad:古希腊、罗马神话中的水泉女神。ToHelenisthefirstoftwopoemstocarrythatnamewrittenbyEdgarAllanPoe.The15-linepoemwaswritteninhonorofJaneStanard,themotherofachildhoodfriend.Itwasfirstpublishedin1831collectionPoemsofEdgarA.Poethenreprintedin1836intheSouthernLiteraryMessenger.Poerevisedthepoemin1845,makingseveralimprovements,mostnotablychangingthebeautyoffairGreece,andthegrandeurofoldRometotheglorythatwasGreeceandthegrandeurthatwasRome.Theseimprovedlinesarethemostwell-knownlinesofthepoem.BackgroundEdgarAllanPoewrote“ToHelen”asareflectiononthebeautyofMrs.JaneStithStanard,whodiedin1824.ShewasthemotherofoneofPoe’sschoolclassmates,RobertStanard.WhenRobertinvitedEdgar,then14,tohishomein1823,Poewasgreatlytakenwiththe27-year-oldwoman,whoissaidtohaveurgedhimtowritepoetry.Hewaslatertowritethatshewashisfirstreallove.ThemeThethemeofthisshortpoemisthebeautyofawomanwithwhomPoebecameacquaintedwhenhewas14.Apparentlyshetreatedhimkindlyandmayhaveurgedhim–orperhapsinspiredhim–towritepoetry.Beauty,asPoeusesthewordinthepoem,appearstorefertothewoman'ssoulaswellasherbody.Ontheonehand,herepresentsherasHelenofTroy–thequintessenceofphysicalbeauty–atthebeginningofthepoem.Ontheother,herepresentsherasPsyche–thequintessenceofsoulfulbeauty–attheendofthepoem.InGreek,psychemeanssoul.ImageryandSummaryofthePoemPoeopensthepoemwithasimile–“Helen,thybeautyistome/LikethoseNicéanbarksofyore”–thatcomparesthebeautyofHelenwithsmallsailingboats(barks)thatcarriedhometravelersinancienttimes.Heextendsthisboatimageryintothesecondstanza,whenhesaysHelenbroughthimhometotheshoresofthegreatestcivilizationsofantiquity,classicalGreeceandRome.ItmaywellhavebeenthatMrs.Stanard’sbeautyandotheradmirablequalities,aswellashertakingnoticeofPoe’swritingability,helpedinspirehimtowritepoetrythatmimickedinsomewaystheclassicaltraditionofGreeceandRome.Certainlythepoem’sallusionstomythologyandtheclassicalagesuggestthathehadagroundingin,andafondnessfor,ancienthistoryandliterature.Inthefinalstanzaofthepoem,PoeimaginesthatMrs.Stanard(Helen)standingbeforehiminarecessoralcoveinfrontofawindow.Sheisholdinganagatelamp,asthebeautifulPsychedidwhenshediscoveredtheidentityofEros(Cupid).Forfurtherinformationontheagatelamp,Psyche,andEros,seesthecommentsoppositethethirdstanza.Analysis:AsistypicalwithmanyofPoe'spoems,therhythmandrhymeschemeofToHelenisirregularbutmusicalinsound.Thepoemconsistsofthreestanzasoffivelineseach,wheretheendrhymeofthefirststanzaisABABB,thatofthesecondisABABA,andthatofthethirdisABBAB.Poeusessoothing,positivewordsandrhythmstocreateafittingtoneandatmosphereforthepoem.Hisconcludingimageisthatoflight,withabrilliantwindownicheandtheagatelampsuggestingtheglowingoftheHolyLand,forwhichHelenisthebeacon.Original1831versionHelen,thybeautyistomeLikethoseNiceanbarksofyore,Thatgently,o'eraperfum'dsea,Thewearyway-wornwandererboreTohisownnativeshore.Ondesperateseaslongwonttoroam,Thyhyacinthhair,thyclassicface,ThyNaiadairshavebroughtmehomeTothebeautyoffairGreece,AndthegrandeurofoldRome.Lo!inthatlittlewindow-nicheHowstatue-likeIseetheestand!Thefoldedscrollwithinthyhand—APsychefromtheregionswhichAreHolyland!Revised1845versionHelen,thybeautyistomeLikethoseNiceanbarksofyoreThatgently,o'eraperfumedsea,Theweary,way-wornwandererboreTohisownnativeshore.Ondesperateseaslongwonttoroam,Thyhyacinthhair,thyclassicface,ThyNaiadairshavebroughtmehomeTotheglorythatwasGreece,AndthegrandeurthatwasRome.Lo,inyonbrilliantwindow-nicheHowstatue-likeIseetheestand,Theagatelampwithinthyhand,Ah!Psyche,fromtheregionswhichAreHolyLand!