Eldorado (poem)
Eldorado is a ballad poem by Edgar Allan Poe. It was first released on 21 April 1849 in the issue of the Boston Flag of Our Union magazine - a time in which Poe writing neglected and increasingly devoted himself to teaching.
Summary and Analysis
The poem describes the journey of a chivalrous gentleman in search of the legendary Eldorado. He spends most of his life with this task. With advanced age, he finally meets a "walking shadow ", pointing to him the way through the " valley of the shadow ".
The ballad consists of four stanzas à six verses. Poe used in the middle of each verse the term shadow each with a different meaning:
Rise to the emergence of the poem was probably the California Gold Rush, who reigned at the time of publication.
Trivia
Jonathan Adams wrote in 1993 based on Eldorado and two other poems Poe ( Hymn and Evening Star ), the piece Three songs from Edgar Allan Poe for SATB Choir and Piano. It was also the basis for a song text on Donovan's music album Sutras 1996. Frankfurt Music Project Sopor Aeternus concludes his album Songs from the inverted Womb in 2004 with Poe's text. The poem is sung by Goblin Market and Craig Owens.
In Western "Eldorado" from 1966 starring John Wayne and Robert Mitchum an eponymous poem is also quoted, which, however, only loosely inspired by the original.
Eldorado
Gaily bedight, A gallant knight, In sunshine and in shadow, Had JourneyEd long, Singing a song, In search of Eldorado. But he grew old, This knight so bold, And o'er his heart a shadow, Fell as he found, No spot of ground, That Looked like Eldorado. And, as his strength, Failed him at length, He met a pilgrim shadow; "Shadow, " Said he, "Where can it be, This land of Eldorado? " "Over the mountains Of the moon, Down the Valley of the Shadow, Ride, boldly ride, " The shade replied, " If you seek for Eldorado! "
Translation
With good plan a nobleman in the sun and in the shade is mistaken long, a song gezirrt, in search of El Dorado. But he was old the man so stahl'nd and on his heart a shadow fell when he found no ' piece of land, equaled the El Dorado. As without power he ' last entschlafft, he met a shifting shadows: " Shadow ," said he, " Where can it be - This land of El Dorado? " " Behind the Mountains of the Moon deep in the valley of the shadow. Riding ' bold, riding ,' " he spoke g'scheit, " If you're looking for El Dorado! "