Structure of The Raven:
The Raven is a narrative ballad consisting of 108 lines set in 18 six-line stanzas written in Trochaic octameter. Poe wrote the poem from the first-person point of view. The poem is written with a consistent rhyming scheme of ABCBBB. Poe used many words with similar endings, like Lenore and Evermore. In addition, he also used Epistrophe (or Epiphora), Alliteration, and Caesura in many instances. Poe also made use of Parallelism, Symbolism, and Imagery in the poem.
Themes of The Raven:
The major theme of the poem is the effects of loss and death on the living, such as grief, mourning, and memories of the deceased. In addition, the poet also explores the issue of the afterlife. Another theme is the perverse conflict of the narrator as he desires to forget and a contradictory desire to remember. The poet describes the memories of a deceased loved one as a sorrowful, inescapable burden. The poem is of Gothic nature as it depicts a lonely character in a state of deep emotion, the cold and dark of midnight in December. The Raven itself, a seemingly demonic, talking bird that arrives at midnight, is the poem’s most prominent example of the supernatural. Throughout the poem, it appears that something terrible is about to happen, or has just happened, to the narrator and those around him.
Summary of The Raven:
Stanza 1
“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door—
Only this and nothing more."”
The narrator describes the incidences of a night when he was reading an old book containing old forgotton lores. He continued reading for a long at was feeling weak and tired when at midnight, he heard gentle knocks on the door of his study chamber. The narrator was too tired and was feeling ‘dreary’ or bored and sleepy. He was shocked by the ‘tapping’ on the door as it was not a time when a visitor would appear at his door. Yet, he reasoned that it must be some visitor and nothing else as what else can create such disturbing noise. The narrator isn’t very sure though because of the odd hour of the night.
The poet begins with imagery, offering an idea of ominous suspense engulfing the poem from the beginning. The narrator is reading old mythical folklore as he is a scholar. The closed ‘chamber door’ symbolizes the insecurity and seclusion of the narrator. The door can open the narrator’s chamber to the outside world. The closed ‘chamber door’ is a symbol of the insecurities and weakness of the narrator who is not willing to open up and express himself.
Stanza 2:
“Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Nameless here for evermore.”
The narrator clarifies why he is unsure about the knock on the chamber door. It is a cold December midnight when even the ‘embers from the fireplace were about to die and turn into cold ashes. It was so late that the narrator was eagerly waiting for the dawn to appear. The narrator explains why he was sad, weak, and weary when he mentions that he tried to busy himself in the book of lore while wishing for the night to pass faster, desperately trying to escape the sadness of losing Lenore, his beloved to death. He describes his late beloved as a ‘rare and radiant maiden’ who recently died as now she is ‘nameless here for evermore.’
The ‘dying ember’ in the 14th line symbolizes loss. The narrator lost Lenore, his beloved, (girlfriend or wife) and he is very sad and he is trying to escape that grief by reading. A knock on the chamber door, so late at a cold midnight appears inappropriate and hence he is unsure.
Stanza 3
“And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;—
This it is and nothing more."”
At such an odd time, the narrator was already shocked by the knock on the door and to add the mystery and horror, the ‘purple’ curtains of his chamber rustled up in a frenzied manner. The narrator, who is already weak and burdened by the loss of his beloved feels a sense of terror and it thrills him with horror. He tries to calm himself down and ascertains that it was just some visitor who had come to see him in these late hours and “nothing more.” Though he is not convinced within himself. The ‘purple curtains’ of the narrator’s chamber symbolize his healing wounds as he is trying to recover from the sadness of the death of his beloved lady.
Stanza 4
“Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"—here I opened wide the door;—
Darkness there and nothing more.”
Despite all the uncertainties and a bit of fear, the narrator convinces himself to gather enough courage and answers the knock on the door, and begs pardon for the delayed response. He says, ‘Sir’ or ‘Madame’, he had been napping and the ‘tapping’ at the door was so light that he wasn’t even sure that there was actually someone knocking at the door, at first. Then the narrator opens the door wide and sees no one is on the door but just the darkness of the terrible night. The ‘darkness’ again symbolizes the narrator's difficulties and inability to find optimism and hope in the outer world.
Stanza 5:
“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"—
Merely this and nothing more.”
The narrator is stunned by seeing no one and nothing when he opens the door and wonders if he really heard the knock on the door. He imagines what might have happened and starts thinking of the unthinkable. The only thinking he comes up with is that his dead beloved Lenore visited and knocked on the door. He then whispers her name ‘Lenore,’ and he appears to hear his own echo murmuring back to him. The imagery symbolizes that after the loss of a dear one, often a person finds that there’s nothing more optimistic, pleasurable, or pleasing left for them in the world. When the narrator opened up the door, he expected someone (sympathy) but found none but darkness (endless suffering). As he hears the echo of Lenore, it becomes clear that all the pain he is suffering is emanating from the death of his beloved.
Stanza 6:
“Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—
'Tis the wind and nothing more!"”
The narrator turns back and closes the door again but he feels unease as he wonders if he really heard the knock on the door, and if he did, why is there no one? Furthermore, the immense sense of ‘Lenore’ knocking on the door fills him with pain again. He realizes that he cannot escape from the pain of the fact that he has lost Lenore forever. And then, he hears a clear louder tapping on the door again. The knocking is so loud and clear that the narrator is sure of the tapping. But he is still unsure if there really is someone on the door, or was it just a strong wind that knocked on the door? He decides to check and unravel the mystery.
Stanza 7:
“Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.”
The narrator decides to open the door again and this time, he observes a raven who appears impressive and stately. The aristocratic impressive raven doesn’t acknowledge the narrator and flies in while ignoring him. He first perches on the open door of the chamber and then flies in to sit on the bust of Pallas, the goddess of wisdom. Pallas is the Greek goddess of wisdom who is also known as the goddess Athena. In Roman terms, she is known as the goddess Minerva. The bust of Pallas further ascertains that the narrator is a student.
The raven sitting on the bust of Pallas symbolizes that the feeling of despair, grief, and despair because of the death of his beloved, the narrator has lost his ability to think rationally. His pain of loss is literally sitting on his wisdom.
Stanza 8:
“Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."”
The insolent incoming of the raven brings a little smile on the face of the narrator who is impressed by the stately demeanor of the raven. The raven remained stern and serious though. The narrator personifies the bird and asks its (the bird/his grief) name, as it looked so grand and uncowardly even though it came from the world of suffering (the dark night).
The raven answers ‘nevermore’ which again is a symbol as the raven clearly states a fact to the narrator that what he had the deepest desire for in this life of his, is now strictly nevermore. He loved the maiden Lenore so much, but he can never have her as she is dead.
Stanza 9:
“Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door—
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."”
The narrator is shocked at hearing the raven as the bird answers. He says that though the name of the bird ‘Nevermore’ holds no worth or meaning to it, yet, it is a wonder that the narrator witnessed a speaking bird who perched on his door and sat on the bust of Pallas in his chamber. He states that no living being ever had a chance to hear a raven who speaks like humans. But the raven symbolizes the narrator’s own grief and sense of loss. The poet makes the raven blatantly signify the reason for the weakness and insecurity of the raven, which is his inability to accept the finality of “nevermore.” The narrator says that he is the ‘blessed’ one who met his loss and grief in physical form, and he names this physical form of his grief as ‘nevermore’, the finality of never living with Lenore again.
Stanza 10:
“But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—
Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before—
On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said "Nevermore."”
The raven is still sitting calmly on the bust of Pallas without saying anything but its name, ‘Nevermore.’ The narrator gradually accepts the presence of the raven in his chamber and sits calmly in front of the bird. He wonders and says that though the raven is now with him, he may fly away the next morning like his other friends have left him alone in the past. As the Raven listens to him, it answers back, ‘Nevermore.’ The narrator says that with the death of Lenore, all his Hopes have gone away. Like the optimistic feelings and hopes abandoned him, this personified grief and sense of loss of him will too go away. However, he is startled by hearing the raven answering, ‘Nevermore,’ symbolizing the grief and sense of loss will remain with the narrator forever.
Stanza 11:
“Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of ‘Never—nevermore'."”
The raven's reply startles the narrator as the bird didn’t speak for so long and when it spoke, it repeated the word ‘Nevermore.’ The narrator imagines that it appears beyond any doubt that the raven had been a pet of some sad owner who went through some serious hardship and never experienced good times. Thus, the master of the raven probably used the phrase ‘Nevermore’ too often and from him, the raven picked up and learned to croak ‘Nevermore.’ The narrator is not ready to accept that he won’t be able to forget the grief of losing Lenore, his beloved. He imagines that the previous owner of the stately raven accepted the finality of such grief in his life which is why the raven learned to croak ‘nevermore’ but the thought of having to live with such feelings forever scares the narrator into denial.
Stanza 12:
“But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."”
The narrator is fascinated by this stately raven who looks so impressive. The raven is sitting on the bust of Pallas and the narrator sets a chair in front of the bust and sits on the chair, observing the raven. He wonders what could be the possible meaning of the word ‘nevermore’ that the bird continues to repeat. He allowed his insecurities and weakness to overpower him and then opened the door of realization that allowed this strong sense of grief and loss to enter his inner soul, his chamber, in the form of the raven that now engulfs his wisdom and ability to reason. However, the narrator is not willing to accept that this grief is forever, he wonders why cannot this sense of loss is temporary, why it must remain with him forever, and why he will be free of his grief ‘nevermore?’
Stanza 13:
“This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!”
The narrator continues to observe the raven while contemplating different theories to negate its claim of ‘nevermore.’ However, he realizes that though he speaks no word, the raven can understand whatever he is thinking as he can see directly into the narrator's heart with his ‘fiery eyes’ to read his thoughts. The narrator tries to evade the eyes of the raven and reclines his head on the soft velvet cushion of the chair. As he reclines, he sees the light coming from the lamp gloating on the shining line of the velvet cushion which appears so beautiful. The comfort of the velvet cushion and the beauty of the shining velvet line gleaming in the lamp-light reminds him of Lenore, who will never get a chance to touch that cushion again, now that she’s gone.
Stanza 14:
“Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."”
The narrator begins to hallucinate. He starts to feel as though the air around him is getting thicker with perfume. He imagines angels bringing this perfume to him. He compares this imaginary perfume to ‘nepenthe’, an ancient Greek mythical medicine that was said to be used for curing sorrow. He chides himself and calls himself a ‘wretch’ to help whom, God himself has sent ‘Seraphim’ to offer him nepenthe with a message to forget Lenore. He shouts that he must drink this illusionary medicine nepenthe and forget all his grief and sorrow. However, he is unable to do so as the raven understands his inner thoughts and says, ‘Nevermore.’ even with the godly help, the narrator is not able to defend himself against his grief. His grief overpowers him and still claims that he will never forget her.
Stanza 15:
“"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—
On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—
Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."”
The narrator is extremely annoyed by the raven by now. He experiences the raven’s power over him and calls him a prophet, though he is unsure if the bird came to him while saving itself from a storm, or did Satan himself sent the bird? The narrator says that though he yells at the raven, the bird remains unfazed and unmoved. The narrator is in his home which appears strange to him as if he is trapped in a desolate, deserted land, haunted, and full of horror. The narrator resigns and asks the raven if there is any hope or peace in the future, to which the raven answers ‘Nevermore.’
Stanza 16:
“"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."”
The poet uses Epistrophe or Epiphora (repetition). The narrator again calls the Raven a Prophet of evil as he feels the strength of the words of the raven. He accepts that there is no hope of him feeling the softness of Lenore in his life and that he can never forget her and can be free of his grief. He wonders about the afterlife and asks the raven if it is possible for him to hold the beautiful ‘sainted maiden’ and embrace her in paradise, or ‘distant Aidenn’? The raven answers back again, ‘Nevermore.’ The raven crushes any hope that the narrator could have and affirms that he won’t be able to feel the presence of his beloved even in the afterlife.
Stanza 17:
“"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting—
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."”
As the narrator comes to realize that even death cannot be the path for him to reach near Lenore, he becomes too desperate and angry at the raven. He shouts at the bird and tells it to leave him and go back to the storm it came from and to not even leave a trace of it being present in his chamber. The narrator is not ready to give up the illusions and hopes of anyhow meeting and feeling the presence of his beloved Lenore again. He feels that he was better when he was alone and yells at the bird to go away, but the raven croaks again, ‘Nevermore.’ The raven has engulfed the rational faculty of the narrator and no matter how much the narrator tries to free himself, he is unable to do so.
Stanza 18:
“And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!”
Despite all the efforts of the narrator to fly the bird away, the raven continues to sit on the bust of Pallas, unmoved, and unfazed. The raven is sitting on the bust of Pallas just above the door of the narrator’s chamber and the narrator is sitting in front of the raven. The raven continues to ogle at the narrator with its demon-like eyes and the narrator is unable to avoid his gaze. The lamp-light falls on the raven and casts its shadow that falls on the floor. The narrator feels that the shadow of the raven has trapped his soul of him and he will never be able to free himself from this prison of grief, sorrow, and sense of loss.
So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of American English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!
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