An Analysis of “the Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe

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Edgar Allen Poe’s poem “The Raven” published in 1845 is one of Poe’s most famous works and it is now considered a masterpiece as well as a milestone of 19th century American poetry. Like his many short fictions, Poe creates a Gothic dreary nightmare-like environment in the poem. It is a symbolic and philosophical narrative poem. One night, when a lonely man tries to ease his "sorrow for the lost Lenore (his lover)," a raven from darkness flew into the house. Surprised by the croaking answer "nevermore" when he asks the Raven his name, the man begins to ask many questions about his dead lover but the Raven destroys his every hope mercilessly by only answering “nevermore”. Is there any “balm” can ease his sorrow? - "Nevermore." Can he found Lenore in paradise? - "Nevermore." Finally when the man gets crazy and tries to drive the Raven out of his room, the answer he gets is still "Nevermore." As Poe points out in his essay “The Philosophy of Composition”, the title of the poem – the Raven – “is emblematic of undying remembrance” or in other words, serves as a symbol for grief which will be taken away. Poe uses multiple poetry devices including personification, simile, metaphor and excellent word choice to shape the Raven as a solemn, steady, merciless and indubitable creature and successfully make him stand with blood and flesh in front of readers. “Nevermore” is the only word that the Raven answers to the narrator’s questions. It not only indicates that the narrator will never see his beloved Lenore again, but also will not even in the afterlife. What desperation! Actually, from the view of any reader of the poem, the answer to every question that the narrator asks is already known, and that the narrator continues to ask again and again is only a self-torture in desperation. The theme of the poem is about death and desperation. To create the hopeless feeling, Poe
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