By: Emily Crider

In this essay, I intend to explore the connection between the painting “The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli and Poe’s poem “To Helen”. “The Birth of Venus” is a painting that represents the birth of the goddess of beauty. She is poised and elegant, and she is the pinnacle of what most people would deem beauty. Then we have the poem “To Helen”. This poem is representative of a deep infatuation. This poem shows just how idealized one person can be in someone’s eyes. As I write this essay, I would like to show the correlation between these two forms of idolization of women. 

“To Helen” creates a beautiful picture of a goddess-like woman. Which, in Poe’s eyes at the time, was likely his friend’s mother. The mother was called Sarah Helen Whitman, and he has been known to say that she was called “the first purely ideal love of my soul”.Yet, within this poem, she is portrayed less as a real woman and more as a lovely fantasy, further adding to the idea of an untouchable God. And the repeated references to Greek mythology do not help make her seem any more real. When Poe mentions “Thy Naiad airs” (line 8), he is comparing her to a graceful water nymph. This makes me visualize a woman of grace and poise whose movements flow. It makes her appear otherworldly. He continued to make references to the ocean and boats in the poem, furthering how otherworldly she comes across. He compares her “Nicéan barks of yore” (line 2). When he compares her to Nicéan barks, he is comparing her to a grandiose Greek sailing ship. Nicéan ships were renowned for their nobility, timelessness, captivation, and elegance. Not only does this line further the ocean imagery, but it also further idealizes Helen. The ending of that stanza also aids in that same sort of imagery, “The weary, way-worn wanderer bore, To his own native shore” (lines 4 and 5). He is suggesting in these lines that she is taking home after a perilous journey. Keeping in mind that this line comes after the line about Nicéan barks, he is saying that sailing with/ on her is what takes him to this place of comfort. 

Moving away from ocean references, he also employs other imagery to idolize Helen. In lines 11 and 12, he writes, “in yon brilliant window-niche, How statue-like I see thee stand.” He is implying that he watches her from afar, then he compares her to a statue. With him watching her from afar, we can gather that he probably knows a skewed and idealized version of this woman. The line right after where he compares her to a statue furthers this idea of someone who is idealized and not known. Statues are often the most idyllic representation of a person, whether that person is more graceful or more beautiful than the actual person. The final two lines of the poem are equally interesting, “from the regions which are Holy-Land” (lines 14 and 15). When he says she is from regions of Holy-Land, he is making it sound like she is an angelic being that is not of the typical earth.

Painting by the Italian artist Sandro Botticelli, estimated to be painted around 1485-1486

The painting, The Birth of Venus, is supposed to be a representation of the old Roman legend of how the goddess Venus was born. The central point of the painting is Venus standing in a seashell being blown ashore. She is depicted with long flowing hair and a naked body that is hardly covered. Her stance is graceful and somewhat modest for the state she is in. Moving to the left of the painting, we can see Zephyr and Aura, Zephyr being the west wind that is blowing her to shore, and Aura being a nymph accompanying him. To the right of Venus, we have the goddess Horae holding a beautiful cloak, ready to clothe Venus when she gets to shore. Venus is riding on beautiful waters, and her hair is gently blowing in the wind. Venus has a soft, almost tired expression on her face, and she is looking intently at the viewer.

The reason I chose to connect these two works is the romanticization of these two women. Helen is portrayed as a graceful, nymph-like, statue-esque woman, while Venus is clearly supposed to be a goddess. There is also a lot of oceanic imagery in the poem, which connects to the ocean background of the painting. I also think that the legend the painting is based on connects to the poem quite well, especially with Helen being described as a nymph. It also helps me visualize Helen better. It helps me imagine how she may have looked as Poe was watching her through her window. As stated earlier, he was watching her through the lens of being a friend’s mother. She is supposed to be a glorious figure to behold, according to Poe, and I think Venus was meant to depict that very same kind of woman. They are both supposed to represent the pinnacle of beauty and have a beautiful, statue-like quality. I think it provides a lot of insight into what Poe may have envisioned this woman to be, using the poem and the context of why the poem was created. 

In conclusion, both “To Helen” and “The Birth of Venus” show us idolized, near divine versions of women that go beyond reality. Through Poe’s beautiful imagery and Botticelli’s ethereal painting, we can see women who have grace, poise, and beauty, which ultimately lead to a sort of divine inspiration. Through the heavy mythological references, oceanic depictions, and far-off adoration, we get the feeling that neither of the figures is meant to represent real people. They are meant to be seen as idols and ideas more than a tangible person. By comparing these pieces, we gain a deeper understanding of how both art and literature tend to idealize and romanticize women, turning them into perfect icons rather than complex people.