Poe's Poetry Lesson Plan

In “The Conqueror Worm,” Poe describes the allegorical history of man’s existence, as angels watch. What important themes are notable in how “The Conqueror Worm” describes mankind? What does the narrator believe is the conclusion of the human experience?

Students will likely mention on the saddening and pessimistic language used to describe the play and mankind’s role in it throughout the poem. They may also mention how the mimes seem to have very little control over their own movements and choices, suggesting that man has very little control over factors that impact his life. Students may note how, after the allegorical man has been terrorized by spirits and demons,...