FAQ

No one has answered this question yet.

Summary... via Wikipedia! The poem describes the journey of a "gallant knight" in search of the legendary El Dorado. The knight spends much of his life on this quest. In his old age, he finally meets a "pilgrim shadow" who points the way through "the Valley of Shadow". It was first published in the April 21, 1849, issue of the Boston-based The Flag of Our Union.[1]

Analysis... The poem is made up of four six-line stanzas. Poe uses the term shadow in the middle of each stanza. The meaning of the word, however, changes with each use. First, it is a literal shadow, where the sun is blocked out. In the second, it implies gloom or despair. The third use is a ghost. The final use, "the Valley of Shadow," references the "Valley of the Shadow of Death," possibly suggesting that Eldorado (or riches in general) does not exist in the living world, or may be extremely difficult to find in the physical realm. Eldorado can also be interpreted not as the worldly, yellowish metal, but as treasures that actually have the possibility of existence in the abode of spirits. These "spiritual" treasures are that of the mind: knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. In this case, Edgar Poe doubted the worthiness of humanity to possess such "mental wealth" and admitted to the inescapable worldliness of mankind. The time of the poem's publication, 1849, was during the California Gold Rush and was Poe's reaction to that event.[2] "Eldorado" was one of Poe's last poems. As Poe scholar Scott Peeples wrote, the poem is "a fitting close to a discussion of Poe's career."[3] Like the narrator of the poem, Poe was on a quest for success or happiness and, despite spending his life searching for it, he eventually loses his strength and faces death.[3] Particularly ironic is the narrator's encounter with a ghost who supposedly knows the way to Eldorado. A ghost represents a dead person, who by definition has failed to find eternal life. Conversely, a ghost does not have a fixed lifespan and can be said to have achieved eternal life, though certainly not of the sort living humans aspire to. Poem... Gaily bedight, A gallant knight, In sunshine and in shadow, Had journeyed long, Singing a song, In search of Eldorado.

But he grew old-- This knight so bold-- And o'er his heart a shadow Fell as he found No spot of ground That looked like Eldorado.

And, as his strength Failed him at length, He met a pilgrim shadow- "Shadow," said he, "Where can it be-- This land of Eldorado?"

"Over the Mountains Of the Moon, Down the Valley of the Shadow, Ride, boldly ride," The shade replied-- "If you seek for Eldorado!"[4]

It's very similar in it's settings and characters.In Howard Hawks' earlier film it was Dean Martin - the deputy sheriff who was an alcoholic but whereas Rio Bravo begins with the character trying to get over his problem,this film starts with Robert Mitchum - the sheriff been sober and then becoming an alcoholic.Arthur Hunnicutt's character Bull is in the Walter Brennan (Stumpy) role and James Caan's character Mississippi is in the Ricky Nelson (Colorado) role.Both nicknamed after a place.Unlike Colorado though,Mississippi is not a gunslinger,in fact he can't shoot.John Wayne's character Cole is very similar to his previous character Chance but in this he's a gunfighter not a lawman.The sheriff's office is virtually identical to the one in the previous film as is the town setting.It's more of a re-working rather than a remake,with many huge differences in the plot and events hat unfold.The biggest difference been that it isn't set in the same town from beginning to end.One scene that plays out virtually exactly the same is the scene where a man gets away in the street and Robert Mitchum's character enters the saloon to find him.This is practically a direct lift from Rio Bravo.

When Cole returns Luke to his family he tells him that Luke had fallen asleep on watch and when he heard Cole he jumped up and fired. It's possible that when Cole goes down the rock to tie the horses together that he would've carried on talking to Luke to try and comfort him and that conversation took place off-screen.

An 1855 Colt revolving rifle.