Edgar Allan Poe What Does The Raven Symbolize

What Does The Raven Symbolize?

Being alone on a late, dark, dreary night, the last thing you would want is an unexpected and uninvited visitor. In the poem by Edgar Allan Poe, titled “The Raven,” a man is surprised when he finds a raven in his home that only says the word “nevermore”. Since the man lost his lover, Lenore, he is filled with grief and sorrow. Consequently, he is deeply depressed and mentally ill. The raven in this poem symbolizes his imaginations turning into reality and taking over his life, making him insane.

To begin with, the narrator is depriving himself of sleep, even though he is exhausted. This may be due to the fact that he’s lonely and is waiting for Lenore to visit him, even though she is dead. The narrator is

just about to fall asleep before he hears the strange tapping noise, causing him to get up and check. “While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door” (330). As he gets up to get the door, he apologizes for taking so long, hoping the visitor won’t leave. “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” (331). When the narrator opens the door to find nobody there, he becomes confused and fearful. He is confused because he thought there was a tapping sound, but it was only his imagination. He is fearful because he thought it was Lenore at the door, and is worried she had left. He sits there imaging that Lenore has left him once again, and is devastated at the fact that that could've happened. “Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before” (331). Then his imagination starts working again, making him think there is still hope Lenore is there. “And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?” This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!” (331). When he figures out Lenore really isn’t there, he blames the noises on the wind, and tries to forget about the whole situation, until he encounters a different visitor in his home.
After he realizes Lenore isn’t around, he tells himself that the strange noises were coming from the wind.

He uses this excuse to convince himself that he is not crazy, but he is still very lonely. The Raven is created by his imagination to keep him company and help keep his mind off of Lenore. The Raven is described as “royal” looking, and perches on top of bust of Athena above his door, making himself right at home. “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” (331). At first, the narrator is a little confused, but the fact that the Raven looked like he knew what he was doing makes the narrator believe he is very wise and can maybe help him with his situation, causing him to cheer up a little bit. The narrator is very amused by the Raven, he even starts to smile. “Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling” (331). The narrator then starts to talk to the Raven. He starts by trying to get his attention with a story, then asks for the Raven’s name. However, the Raven replies with “nevermore.” “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.” (331). The narrator is now confused and wonders what kind of name is “nevermore.” When he realizes the bird is not cooperating with him, he becomes disappointed and seems to no longer be happy with the Raven. He realizes that his imagination isn’t working and begins to feels sorry for himself. By doing this he hopes the Raven will step in and say something to cheer him up, however, once again, the Raven only responds by saying, “nevermore,” however, this time, the Raven’s answer actually makes sense, and gives the narrator a bit of hope. “ 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..” (332). This only confuses the narrator more though, and now he is filled with mixed emotions of hope and fear, making him more crazy. The narrator decides he is going to keep on talking to the Raven, but it only takes a turn for the worse.
The Narrator believes that if he starts to harass the Raven, that he will start to talk to him however, it only come back to haunt him.

He begins by telling the Raven that his previous life and owner must've been so miserable that he only learned how to say the word “nevermore.” “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” (333). Again the raven replies with “nevermore,” but this time, the narrator becomes fascinated by the bird once again, and decides to take a seat in front of him. “But the Raven still beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, straight and I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door,” (333). As the narrator is sitting down, he looks across from him and sees Lenore’s chair. He then comes to the realization that Lenore isn’t with him and she will never sit in her chair again. This makes the narrator once again turn into his grieving mood. “But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er, she shall pass, ah, nevermore!” (333). Then, things start to get worse, the narrator begins to smell perfume, which reminds him of Lenore. “Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer swung by seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor,” (333). He starts acting crazy, calling himself names such as “wretch.” He tells himself to drink the nepenthe and

forget about Lenore. “”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 of nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!” (333). But, the Raven once again replies with “nevermore,” reminding the narrator that he will forever remember Lenore and be filled with grief and sadness. ”Quoth the Raven, “nevermore,”” (333). Now the narrator is frustrated and doesn't understand why he isn't helping him. He begins to call him evil and accuses him of being sent straight from Satan himself. “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!”-prophet still, if bird or devil!” (333). The narrator then asks if there is any hope in his future. “Is there - is there a balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, I implore!” (333). But the Raven again answers, “nevermore.” He asks one more question to the Raven, and that is if he will ever meet Lenore again, possibly in Heaven. “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,” (334). The Raven replies with “nevermore.” At this point, it is easy to say the narrator has officially lost his mind. He is clearly entertained by the Raven even though the Raven has done nothing but remind him of how crazy he is, and how he will never find peace in his life. The narrator is completely fooled by the Raven, or his imagination, he tells the Raven to go back to the evil place he came from. “Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!” (334). The Raven refuses to leave. “And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor shall be lifted- nevermore!” (334). The narrator accepts the fact that his imaginations have taken over and his mind has won the horrific battle, and he declares that he will never be able to uplifted from the sad place he is in now in ever again.
In the end, it is clear that the narrator's imaginations took over his mind and made him believe that he had nothing to live for, sending him to a very dark place which he could not escape from. The Raven in this poem symbolizes his imaginations turning into reality and taking over his life, making him insane.