The Lake. To, Edgar Allan Poe: Summary, Analysis & Themes

"The Lake. To—" was first published in Poe’s 1827 collection Tamerlane and Other Poems under the title The Lake. The amended title appeared in Poe's 1829 collection Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems. The poem expresses Poe’s fascination with loneliness and the melancholic beauty of nature. For the 1845 collection The Raven and Other Poems, Poe revised the first line, changing it from “In youth’s spring, it was my lot” to “In spring of youth it was my lot.”

"The Lake. To—" Poem Text by Edgar Allan Poe

In spring of youth it was my lot
To haunt of the wide world a spot
The which I could not love the less—
So lovely was the loneliness
Of a wild lake, with black rock bound,
And the tall pines that towered around.

But when the Night had thrown her pall
Upon that spot, as upon all,
And the mystic wind went by
Murmuring in melody—
Then—ah then I would awake
To the terror of the lone lake.

Yet that terror was not fright,
But a tremulous delight—
A feeling not the jewelled mine
Could teach or bribe me to define—
Nor Love—although the Love were thine.

Death was in that poisonous wave,
And in its gulf a fitting grave
For him who thence could solace bring
To his lone imagining—
Whose solitary soul could make
An Eden of that dim lake.

Quick Facts

Title:	The Lake. To—
Author:	Edgar Allan Poe
Published:	1827
Rhyme Scheme:	AABB
Structure:	Lyric Poem
Major Theme:	Loneliness

Summary of "The Lake. To—"

"The Lake. To—" centers on the speaker's nostalgic reflection on a desolate, wild lake. In the speaker's youth, they were inexplicably drawn to this lonely spot, finding solace in its isolation. However, at night, the lake transforms into something eerie and mysterious, with the wind whispering a haunting melody. Despite this terror, the speaker feels a strange joy in the loneliness of the lake. The poem concludes with the idea that the lake, though terrifying, offers a kind of death that is almost welcome, a place where a solitary soul can find peace and create its own Eden.

Critical Analysis of "The Lake. To—"

Poe’s "The Lake. To—" is a haunting meditation on loneliness, beauty, and the emotional complexity of terror. The lake, a central symbol in the poem, represents the duality of nature: it is both beautiful and terrifying, inviting yet menacing. The speaker’s attraction to the lake suggests a deeper psychological exploration of how individuals can find solace in solitude, even when that solitude evokes feelings of dread.

The poem also highlights Poe's fascination with death and the afterlife. The lake’s “poisonous wave” and “fitting grave” suggest that death is ever-present in nature, lurking beneath the surface. However, instead of being something to fear, death becomes a place of solace for the “solitary soul” who can find peace in the emptiness. The lake, then, becomes a metaphor for both the isolation of life and the comfort of death.

Major Themes in "The Lake. To—"

• Loneliness: The speaker finds beauty in isolation, drawing a sense of comfort from the solitude of the wild lake.
• Duality of Nature: The poem reflects on how nature can be both beautiful and terrifying, especially as night transforms the lake from a peaceful retreat to a source of fear.
• Death and Solitude: The lake’s poisonous wave symbolizes death, which, for the solitary individual, is seen not as something to fear but as a welcome escape.
• Psychological Terror: The terror felt by the speaker is not one of physical fright, but rather a deeper emotional and psychological experience, marked by “tremulous delight.”

Stylistic Analysis of "The Lake. To—"

• Imagery: The poem uses dark, mysterious imagery to describe the lake, particularly the “black rock” and the “tall pines” that surround it. The nighttime scene adds to the eerie atmosphere.
• Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows an AABB rhyme scheme, giving it a rhythmic and lyrical quality.
• Symbolism: The lake serves as a powerful symbol for loneliness and death, with its waves representing the inescapable presence of mortality.
• Emotional Complexity: Poe blends fear and joy in the poem, as the speaker experiences both terror and a sense of delight in the isolation of the lake.