by Greg Bernard

Created on: November 25, 2008   Last Updated: May 25, 2009

The Raven is a narrative poem published by American writer Edgar Allan Poe in the year 1845. It is famous for its eerie supernatural atmosphere, as well as its musicality.
The poem came at a time when there was a general disdain in Europe for American literature and poetry. At the time, many believed American writings to be second-rate. American authors like Emerson, Thoreau, and Poe set out to change the popular opinion of Europeans, and The Raven was instrumental in the success achieved by the authors.

The poem takes place in the narrator's home, where he is reading forgotten lore to try to get his mind off of his lost love, Lenore.
He is excited from his studies by a rapping at his door, so he gets up to see what it is. When he finds no one there, he hears a rapping at his window, and opening it, is surprised by a raven, which flies in to perch on a bust of Pallas. The narrator questions the raven in his surprise, and is startled to hear it answer "nevermore." Thinking the raven is perhaps an unearthly messenger, asks for news of his deceased love, each time being answered by "nevermore" (and in such a way that the answer makes sense.) The theme can be seen to be the reality of death, because the poem is spent by the narrator asking for news of Lenore, who has passed away. "'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.'"

At the end, the narrator sinks, defeated as he realizes that his love is gone really gone; and hoping for news of her is pointless now.

This was a great poem; one that has few equals. It's hard to say what the best part of it was, since the whole of it was sad. It was amusing that everything the narrator says can be answered by "nevermore", but I think the most emotional part of the whole poem is the end when he admits to himself Lenore is gone. Anticipation is built up throughout the poem, perhaps not by the reader, but by the narrator, in his exasperating attempts to get something out of the raven, and makes the reader sympathize with him, only augmenting the sad ending.

The raven is definitely a poem I would recommend to friends, along with all of Poe's works; everything I've read of his has been quite fantastic. Whether one wants a better understanding of classic American literature of this period, or just a good poem, The Raven is an excellent choice.

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