Helen: Helen is the central figure of the poem and is presented as an embodiment of beauty and grace. The speaker refers to her as "the glory that was Greece /And the grandeur that was Rome," comparing her to the great civilizations of the past. This suggests that Helen's beauty transcends time and space and that she is an ideal of perfection.
Loss: The poem is permeated with a sense of loss and longing. The speaker laments that Helen is "gone into the night" and addresses her as a "departed spirit." This suggests that the speaker is mourning the loss of Helen, either because she has died or because she is unattainable to him.
Memory: The poem's speaker relies on memory to keep Helen alive in his mind. He recalls seeing her as a "stately ship" gliding through the waves and compares her to a "hyacinth" that has faded. These memories allow the speaker to maintain a connection with Helen despite her absence.
The power of art: The poem itself is an example of the power of art to preserve beauty and transcend time. By expressing his admiration for Helen in writing, the speaker ensures that her memory will live on in the minds of readers.
Symbolism: Poe uses several symbols in the poem to convey his ideas. For example, Helen's departure into the night can be seen as a symbol of death or the unattainability of ideal beauty. The hyacinth that fades is a symbol of the transience of life and beauty.
Overall, "To Helen" is a highly stylized and romantic poem that captures the speaker's intense longing for an idealized and unattainable beauty. The poem is filled with imagery of water and wind, and Poe use of alliteration and assonance creates a musical and atmospheric tone.