The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe (1845)

Name: The Raven
Author: Edgar Allan Poe

The Raven is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845. It tells the story of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow fall into madness. The lover, often identified as being a student, is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further instigate his distress with its constant repetition of the word "Nevermore". The poem makes use of a number of folk, mythological, religious, and classical references. The poem begins with the narrator sitting in his chamber, pondering the loss of his beloved Lenore. Suddenly, a raven appears at his window and perches on a bust of Pallas. The narrator is surprised by the raven's presence and, half-believing it to be a sign from the gods, asks it a series of questions. The raven's only response is "Nevermore". As the narrator's questions become increasingly desperate and morbid, the raven's repetition of "Nevermore" serves only to deepen his despair. Eventually, the narrator despairs of ever finding peace and, overcome by his emotions, sinks into a fitful slumber. The poem ends with the narrator's final admission that his soul is trapped beneath the raven's shadow.

By Edgar Allan Poe · First published 1845 · Genre: Gothic Literature, Romanticism, Mystery · 1,251 words

First lines

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 visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door- Only this and nothing more."

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.

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The Raven is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, dated 1845 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Edgar Allan Poe
Date: 1845 CE
Language: English
Genres: Gothic Literature, Romanticism, Mystery, Horror
Length: 1,251 words
Structure: 1 section, 18 paragraphs
Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)

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Genres

Gothic Literature — The Raven is a narrative poem by Edgar Allan Poe, which follows a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, and has been recognized as a classic of Gothic literature due to its themes of death, loss, and melancholia.
Romanticism — The Raven is a Romantic poem, as it emphasizes the power of the imagination, the importance of emotion, and the value of beauty and nature.
Mystery — The Raven is a mystery poem, as it follows the narrator's attempt to solve the mystery of the raven's identity and purpose.
Horror — The Raven is a horror poem, as it contains elements of the supernatural and the macabre, and is designed to evoke fear and dread in the reader.