How Does Poe Use Figurative Language In The Raven

Written by Edgar Allan Poe, “The Raven” is a famous short poem known for the dark fantasy that it portrays. From the mindset of a first person narrative, one may experience the tale through the eyes of a haunted man who is in mourning for the death of his beloved Lenore. As this man sits in his chamber, within a dark and dreary December night, a “raven of the saintly days of yore” visits him. The raven is no ordinary bird, for it is like a ghost, silent, yet it answers every inquiry the man presents in it’s own personal way. This dark and tragic tale grabs one’s attention through the rhythmic, yet melancholy verses, through the classic references, and through the dark imagery that all play a critical role within this poem.

The scholar presents an urgency in possessing the answers to what is unknown to him, like any great scholar would do. However, it seems to be unknown to the man why the raven utters the word, “Nevermore”, in response to his probing. Poe uses specific language and timing to get his point across. By stating this in response to the man’s questions, it leaves both the narrator and reader perplexed.

Poe uses figurative language as one of the ways to add to the mood and tone of his poems. Personification is one of the many types of figurative language that Poe uses. An example of him using personification is when he says “ each separate dying ember” and “Uncertain rustling of each purple curtain”, both of the quotes help add to the mysterious mood of the paper.

The narrator is as much saddened by the arrival of the raven, as he is disturbed. He says, "on the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before" (732). He is still recovering from the sadness of the loss of Lenore and in this raven he may find comfort for a while, but the raven will only be gone in the morning, just like everything else.

Edgar Allan Poe tells the story of a bereaved man who is grieving for his lost love in the poem, “The Raven.” During a dark and gloomy night, the man hears a knock at his door. Hoping that it is Lenore, his dead lover, coming back to him, he goes to open the door. Unfortunately, he is only met with emptiness and disappointment. Shortly after, a raven flies into the room through the window and lands on the bust of Pallas. The man begins to converse with this dark and mysterious bird. In response to everything the man says, the raven repeats one dreadful word: “Nevermore.” The symbolism of the raven being connected to death, and the man’s interaction with the dark bird reveals to readers that he is going through the stages of dying.

This creates suspense and make his works that much more complex. The most common type of figurative language that he used are metaphors. A lot of the time the metaphors are used in describing things that otherwise would make his works too literal and a chunky read. In the ®Raven® Poe uses metaphors very effectively.

3(c). In “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe, the word nevermore relates to the emotional changes the speaker goes through because of one of the questions the speaker asked. The speaker was wondering if he was ever going to see Lenore again, and the raven said nevermore. The raven saying nevermore causes the speaker to believe he is not going to see Lenore again in heaven.

(Allan Poe 93-95) to which the Raven still answers “Nevermore”. This quote really displays how the speaker was handling the death of Lenore poorly. What Poe is trying to tell us with this poem is that if you don’t come to accept the loss of someone, it can drive you insane. Through acceptance, grief can be

“Quoth the Raven, ‘Nevermore’” is undoubtedly one of the most popular lines ever written in poetry. Even those unfamiliar with the works of the author that uttered this will have some faint inkling of recognition when met with this line. However, those who examine and take the time to analyze the stylistic elements of poetry recognize that techniques like symbolism, figurative language, and repetition, such as the repetition of the phrase “nevermore,” are designed to impact the reader and are utilized by the author to create a desired effect. Edgar Allan Poe, the poet responsible for many works of literature such as “The Raven,” “Annabel Lee,” “The Haunted Palace” uses symbolism, extended metaphor, and repetition to make the mood of his poems

The Raven tells a story of a man with much grief over this loss of his love, Lenore. As the poem opens, the narrator is trying to find peace through his books. He states, “…while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,” (862). The setting, a chamber in a house, is described in such a way that creates a very dark, almost melancholy style. The narrator, while trying to find comfort for his loss, hears a tapping at his window. As he opens the window, a raven, a long time symbol of death, flies in, and refuses to leave. Poe uses the symbol of the raven, and his repeating word of “nevermore”, to show that the narrator will never get over the loss of his love, Lenore.

It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore.” In other words, Poe is asking if he will ever again be able to his wife. From a depressed person talking about another depressed person, everything takes on different meaning when someone is depressed. Pictures, places, smells, sounds, voices of loved ones; they all remind us constantly of what was lost and will never be found again. It feels like random occurrences happened just to remind, torture us of the pain. The narrator heard the raven say “nevermore” frequently and interpreted it differently until he settled on the belief that it was referring to Lenore. Perhaps the “raven” symbolizes how Poe must deal with the day to day realities of someone suffering a great loss.

The Raven poem by Egar Allan Poe is basically about a man sitting in his room, late at night during December, while half asleep and half reading at the same time, trying to forget his lost love - Lenore. However, out of nowhere he hears something that’s knocking at the door. His apologies to the “visitor” whom he imagined must be outside as he called out. Surprisingly, when he opened the door no one was there. Although, he’s a bit freaked out, he reassures himself that it is just the wind slapping against the window. With this in mind he goes open the window, only to find out a raven enter his house. As the Raven settles above the door, he ask for its name and unexpectedly the Ravens responds with a single word, “Nevermore.” In the poem, “The Raven,” Egar Allan Poe uses the literary devices of

Death was a main factor in not only the life but the stories of Edgar Allan Poes. “The raven” was based off the death of his wife. Poe fell in love with his cousin at a young age and got married while she was 13 and he was 27. Yet otherwise tuberculosis is what killed Virginia when she was 24. Thus leading into poe's biggest lows in life as he took on his alcohol abuse problems. The ravens setting is at a man's house when a raven appears on his door and flies in. The raven continuously repeats one line through the entire story “Nevermore”. This more so taunts this man who is already in a depressed state. Reminding him that he will never get to retrieve what he has lost forever. This going back to the death of his wife and how he will never get her back. During the lines of the story comes the word Nepthene. Nepenthe is known to be a mythical drug that can take away memories or in this case his grief and pain (Shmoop Editorial Team). The nepenthe would

The raven also forces the narrator to accept reality and move on. For example, the narrator questions the raven whether “within the distant Aidenn” will he ever “clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore” (129). He ponders the thought of ever seeing Lenore in his after life. He is beginning to realize that the raven came to him to bring him a sense of reality. With this knowledge, he is full of sorrow. He longs to see her in heaven, but realizes that in reality this will never really happen. Also, the narrator wonders if his “soul from out that shadow…shall be lifted” while the raven replies, ‘nevermore’” (130). The shadow of the raven signifies the death of his beloved, and he knows that he will never be able to escape this shadow. He will never again find happiness in his life. The reality that the raven brings helps him comprehend the fact that hiding from his troubles will not make them better. Therefore, it forces him to accept reality and move on.

The Raven analyzes the theme of death. In the poem, the narrator is seeking hope and wisdom after the death of Lenore. “Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there… But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, and the only word spoken was the whispered word, Lenore? This I whispered, and an echo murmured back Lenore? Merely this and nothing more,” describes how the narrator believed he heard the name of his love, but then his hope fades as nothing more is said. The narrator had to face that his love was no longer there with him because she was dead. “Nevermore” is the only response the raven gives to the helpless narrator, and it makes him increasingly agitated because he is