Summary On The Raven Essay, Research Paper

Edger Allen Poe?s poems are best known for their haunting themes. For example in the poem ?The Raven? which was published in 1845 seemed to be filled with melancholy and thoughts of death. Poe makes use of symbolism in the poem ?The Raven?. On line 3 Poe writes, ?While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there comes a tapping?, I think that?s a sign that this entire poem takes place while he is in the state of unconscious (dreaming). Again on lines 37 & 38 he writes, ?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?, I believe that the raven symbolizes some after life figure. On lines 81,82 &83 Poe cries, ?Wretch, ?I cried, ?thy god hath lent thee- by these angels he hath sent thee Respite- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore!? Quoth the Raven, ?Nevermore?, here it is clear that the Raven who reiterates, Nevermore, in Poe?s dream has been sent to help him relinquish his thoughts of Lenore.