To My Mother

Using figurative language, imagery, repetition, and rhyme, Poe weaves together an ode that is universal in its themes of love, motherhood, and family, and yet suits the specific and unique set of circumstances in his life. The poem is as much an ode to his mother-in-law as it is a poem expressing love for a deceased wife, with Poe referring to Virginia several times throughout the poem and mourning her tragic death.

Beginning as if in the middle of thought with the word “Because” (Line 1), the poet describes divine imagery of the heavens to justify the use of the word “mother” for the person he is addressing. The speaker begins by meditating on the concept of mothers in general without referring to specific individuals in Poe’s life. Poe includes imagery of “the Heavens above” (Line 1), angelic beings, and a tender love that cannot be put into words. Poe decides that the most accurate way to put this love into language is by using the name “mother” to refer to the person he is addressing. The statement in Line 5, “Therefore by that dear name I long have called you,” implies that the person has acted as a mother to the speaker for much of his life. The tone of the first five lines is affectionate. The poet creates this tone by using divine imagery, which implies that the person whom the speaker calls mother is a blessing in the speaker’s life. The simple and unassuming title also suggests that the poet’s subject will be clear, but as the poem progresses, the speaker clarifies that the subject is not as simple as it initially appears.

In the first quatrain, or set of four rhyming lines, Poe sets up a certain expectation for what the poem will be about and then surprises the reader by subverting this expectation later in the poem. The speaker does not yet fully reveal that, rather than addressing the poem to his deceased biological mother, Elizabeth Arnold Poe, or his foster mother, Frances Allan, he is instead addressing the poem to his mother-in-law, Maria.

In the second quatrain of the poem (Lines 5-8), the speaker’s tone shifts toward a darker subject: death. The speaker personifies “Death” (Line 7) not as an evil or sinister force but as a force that freed the spirit of his deceased wife, Virginia. The poet juxtaposes Virginia’s death with her life, praising his mother-in-law for bringing Virginia into this world. The poet uses figurative language in Line 7 when he states that his mother-in-law “filled [his] heart of hearts” by creating Virginia. The language “heart of hearts” (Line 7) implies that Virginia was the most important person in the speaker’s life, and thus, her mother is also one of the most important people in his life; they are both nearest to the core of his heart. The imagery of love alongside death emphasizes the speaker’s sadness over the loss of Virginia but also expresses the speaker’s gratitude that he had this love in the first place.

In Line 9, or the beginning of the sestet (a six-line stanza) of the sonnet, the speaker changes his tone and subject unexpectedly. This is traditionally called the “turn” or “volta” in a sonnet: Sonnets are known for discussing a subject in a certain manner in the first half and then switching attitude, tone, or perspective in the middle or latter half of the poem. The first volta arrives when the speaker refers to his “own mother” (Line 9), meaning his biological mother who died when he was a child. The line also uses a dash, which creates a dramatic pause and a sense of heightened emotional tension as the speaker is suddenly referring not to his metaphorical mother but to his biological mother. However, the speaker states that while his biological mother gave him life, she was not as important to him as his mother-in-law: Poe uses logic to explain that his mother-in-law is “dearer” (Line 12) than his own mother because she created the one whom he “loved so dearly” (Line 11). Poe uses repetition here with the words “dearer” (Lines 12 and 14) and “dearly” (Line 11) to emphasize the tender affection he feels both for his mother-in-law and for his wife who passed. This highlights the connection between the love the speaker felt for Virginia and the love he feels for his mother-in-law.

In the final couplet (Lines 13-14), or pair of rhyming lines, Poe uses another turn, or a counterturn, in the sonnet. The final two lines shift radically away from the subject of mothers and toward the subject of the lost love, Virginia. By mentioning “infinity” (Line 13), the speaker highlights the incalculable depths of love that he felt for his wife who passed away and his wish to honor her mother for bringing Virginia into this world. The repetition of the word “soul” on the final line clarifies why the speaker loves his mother-in-law more than his own mother: The speaker explains that the love his soul feels for Virginia surpasses the love that he feels for himself. The compound word that Poe invented, “soul-life” (Line 14), expresses Poe’s view that the soul is an infinite and boundless thing, and that Virginia was his soulmate. The final couplet expresses the utmost admiration both for Virginia and her mother. This shows the speaker’s wish to continue honoring his mother-in-law even though her daughter is no longer living.