agony to heaven?

[Mher]

Hi. Can anybody paraphrase the underlined part: "... and sending forth to the winds an appalling voice, half shriek, half roar, such as not even the mighty cataract of Niagara ever lifts up in its agony to Heaven?"

 

[Mrfatso]

Hi. Can anybody paraphrase the underlined part: "... and sending forth to the winds an appalling voice, half shriek, half roar, such as not even the mighty cataract of Niagara ever lifts up in its agony to Heaven?"

The cataract of Niagara refers to the Niagara Falls waterfall, so what Edgar Allan Poe is saying is that the noise was even louder than its roar.

So something like, " even louder than the noise that Niagara Falls raises to the skies" would be a simplified version. Though someone with more literary flair than me might have a better idea.

 

[kathyjus]

I think you're spot on there Mrfatso. Anyway that's what I got from reading it. However, I think there is a little ambiguity when he says "agony to heaven". Does he mean that the noise made by the Niagara falls are a sort of agony they go through that is so loud heaven can hear?

 

[Mrfatso]

I think the Mr Poe is using it as a metaphor for the motion of the water falling down Niagra Falls. As a native speaker I think of people in agony writhing and twisting in pain, the water might be described as churning or tumbling down the falls, making noises as it falls and lands below.

 

[Carlwhite]

well, learn a lesson,thanks.

 

[Carlwhite]

well, learn a lesson, thanks,guys, everyday in usingenglish learning a lot.