Review Of Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven

In a place where malice, misfortune, and morbidity conquer hope, happiness, and healthy thoughts, the master of macabre reigns. Edgar Allan Poe, one of the most renowned authors in history, has written heaps of horrifying short stories and poems during his lifetime. Each one more terrifying than the last. One of his most notorious pieces is “The Raven,” a poem that pits man against beast in a battle of sorrow and craze. Whether or not the raven is real or imagined, or perhaps even both, no one shall ever truly know except the man behind the pen. However, there is one thing that is certain: a feeling is left dwindling inside the mind after completing the harrowing poem. Most would argue it is a negative sensation, leaving them with the

In the exposition of the text, the narrator claims the month is December. “Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December” (Poe S2). This cite illustrates a picture of frost covered fields scarce of vibrant colors in the wintertime. During this time of year, the weather outside is freezing to the bone, offering frostbite like free candy, and the landscape desolate of living things. The world seems blank and dull. It appears simply empty. I can presume that the time of year affected the mood of the story greatly as it reflects nothing but gloom and bitterness which surely affected the narrator as well. In addition, the setting in “The Raven” takes place during the time when demons and monsters are sure to haunt the dreams of children, which automatically sets a formidable environment. Early in the text, readers are able to learn the time the events in the poem take place. “Once upon a midnight dreary” (Poe S1). This citation explains to readers that it is midnight, the darkest hour of them all. I can gather that Poe wanted to create an ominous setting, therefore he had midnight play a role, creating another factor of fear, haunting, and terror. Furthermore, the way the narrator describes his household furniture is more proof of why I feel forlorn whilst reading “The Raven.” In the beginning of the text, before the narrator opens the door and discovers no one there, he personifies the drapes in a cheerless, dejected way. “And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain” (Poe S3). This cite expresses the way the narrator feels about the things he owns, specifically the curtains. He finds no joy in his life, hence his possessions must suffer as well. I can theorize that the setting is a reflection of the narrator’s mood and therefore emanates a gloomy atmosphere, affecting the reader big