In “To Helen”, Poe depicts a weary traveler called home by the majestic image of the beautiful Helen. Through idealistic imagery and diction, he develops the romantic image of feminine beauty. The lofty rhyme scheme throughout the poem similarly enhances the speaker’s admiration of Helen. In response to Poe’s picturesque description, H.D. reveals her title character in “Helen” as a brutal reminder of the hardships of war. Her usage of imagery and …showed first 75 words of 769 total…

…showed last 75 words of 769 total…so directly contrasts that of “To Helen”, H.D. emphasizes her opposing response to Poe’s idealistic portrayal. As Poe develops a classic, romantic vision of a woman who’s beauty returns sailors home from the sea, H.D. bitterly responds with her own contrasting views. Her undercutting tone mock Poe’s romantic image of beauty, and instead exposes the darker side of Helen, as a sad representative of the hardships and loss of war.