Symbolism In Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Raven'

Edgar Allen Poe is considered the father of the modern American detective story. With that title comes various stories of deceit, horror, gore, and mystery that thousands of literary analysts have looked at and talked about. Poe’s poem “The Raven”, is one of those timeless pieces that analysts can’t seem to put down. Time after time you see different people coming to the same conclusion on the poem’s theme and symbolism, specifically what the raven symbolizes. Ten times out of ten the conclusion that is made is that the raven within the poem symbolizes the mournful, never-ending remembrance for the narrator 's lost love Lenore. It is my intention to challenge that unanimous interpretation that the raven is a bad omen by saying that the raven

Their presence is often seen as a bad omen, or a sign that something bad is bound to happen. It is this symbolism that leads to the initial impression that the raven is an evil presence. Not only that but Poe’s word choices throughout the poem also imply this. For example, the final lines of the poem “And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor shall be lifted -- nevermore!.” This line shows the dark imagery that Poe often uses in his work. It is also the type of imagery that can lead to such a bleak conclusion. Poe uses this form of word painting throughout the entirety of his poem, heavily leaning on it within the first few stanzas to create a setting that is so dreary to the point where anything present in the setting seems to be dreary as

This is because our narrator is suffering from severe depression. A depression that was probably caused by the loss of Lenore that he mentions within the second stanza of the poem. “...vainly I had sought to borrow-- from my books surcease of sorrow-- sorrow for the loss of Lenore. For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore -- Nameless here for evermore.” (L. 10). He says here that he is turning to his books of forgotten lore to wallow in the pain of losing Lenore. The sadness he feels from his loss is enough for him to stay awake until the late hours of midnight trying to read these books just to wallow in his own pain. One of the many symptoms of depression is overwhelming feelings of sadness that is often accompanied by insomnia. Our narrator is displaying these symptoms from the first line of the poem. He is staying up to ungodly hours of the evening, immersed in his own pain and