“The death…of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most

poetical topic in the world – and equally is it beyond doubt that

the lips best suited for such topic are those of a bereaved lover.”

Edgar Allan Poe

from “The Philosophy of Composition”

“POE”TRY TRUTHS

Poe’s professional life was full of failure

His greatest success was “The Raven,” which brought him fame but earned him only $14.00

Poe wrote many short stories simply for the money; ironically he is most famous for these stories

He saw himself as a poet but could not make a living from writing poetry

He is the most important American poet before Walt Whitman

Poor Poe

• After the death of his wife, Poe went insane, desperately trying to find someone to take her place

• His death remains a mystery; his final words were, “God help my poor soul.”

Poe saw women as angelic figures: “Women have been angels of mercy to me.”

Poe’s characters are often tortured by guilt

Poe’s stories are quite modern in their psychoanalytical components

Like many of his characters, Poe was caught between

Rationality & irrationalityOrder & chaos

“The Raven” reflects the darkness, anger and frustration Poe felt while watching his wife Virginia die for five years due to tuberculosis

During that time, Poe struggled to keep Virginia fed and warm, and also to give her the medicine she desperately needed

The guilt & anger he felt are expressed in the darkness of “The Raven”

“The Raven” Background

“The Raven” Critical Thinking Questions

What is important about the title of the poem, "The Raven"? Why does he use the title?

What are the conflicts in "The Raven"? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or emotional) do you read?

What is the central/primary purpose of the poem? Is the purpose important or meaningful?

How is madness or insanity explored in the poem?

“The Raven” Analysis

Poetry Form: Narrative; 18 sestets

Setting: The chamber of a house @ midnight

Speaker: 1st person narrator; A man who lost his beloved wife, a woman named Lenore

“The Raven” Analysis

Symbolism: The ravenA glorified crowOften appear in legend & literature as a sinister

omen.

Theme: The death of a beautiful woman, as lamented by her bereaved lover

Tone: Melancholy, mournful, anxious, suffering

“The Raven” Analysis

Who is Lenore?: She represents Poe’s beloved wife, Virginia, who was very sick when he wrote this poem.

Refrain: Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”

Rhythm: Uses both internal rhyme & end rhyme; Has a pattern of stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable with a total of 16 syllables per line.

“The Raven” Analysis

Allusions: Pallas, Plutonian Shore, Gilead, & Aidenn

Personification: “unmerciful Disaster,” “his Hope” and “lamplight gloated o’er”

Metaphor: “To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core”

“The Raven” Analysis

The speaker asks the Raven 4 questions & makes a request. What are they?

What is your name? Will you leave me?

How can I forget or repent about Lenore? Will I ever see Lenore in the afterlife? Leave my loneliness unbroken

-The End-