Analysis of Poe’s The Raven Essay -- Poe Raven Essays

The first two stanzas of The Raven introduce you to the narrator, and his beloved maiden Lenore. You find him sitting on a dreary and dark evening with a book opened in front of him, though he is dozing more than reading. Suddenly, he hears knocking on his doorway, only only believes it to be a visitor nothing more. He remembers another night, like this one, where he had sought the solace of his library to deflect his sorrows of his long lost beloved, and to wait for dawn. Meanwhile the tapping on his door continues. Poes most famous poem begins with an imagery that immediately brings the reader into a dark, cold, and stormy night. Poe does not wish for his readers to stand on the sidelines and watch the goings on, plainly actu solelyy be in the library with the narrator, hearing what he hears and seeing what he sees. Using words and phrases such as midnight dreary and bleak declination Poe sets the mood and tone, by wanting his readers to feel the cold night and to reach for the heat of the dying embers of the fireplace. You do not come into this poem thinking daffodils and sunshine, but howling winds and shadows. By using these words, Poe gives you the sense of being isolated and alone. He also contrasts this isolation, symbolized by the storm and the dark chamber, with the richness of the objects in the library. The furnished mode also reminds him of the beauty of his lost Lenore. Also, Poe uses a rhythm in his beginning stanza, using tapping, followed by rapping, rapping at my door, and ending with tapping at my chamber door. You rat almost hear the tapping on the door of the library as ... ...e opens the door. When he found himself opening the door, he saw nothing but darkness. And this is the point where he figures that there is nothing out there. I think the reason Poe was so afraid, reflects back on Lenore. I understood Lenore to be Poes love at some point in his life. Hes been so depressed, that all he thinks about is her, but then again, he is also trying to forget about her at the same time. And when he first heard the sounds of rustling, he might of thought it could be the spirit of Lenore. I think this was the reason for him to subscribe to been so afraid. Poe drew a lot of his ideas and images into his own imagination. And the images he had of Lenore, was not making him feel any better. I think that most of Poes thoughts and feelings all came from his mind, and not his heart.