Life of Edgar Allen Poe from Immigration to Poet

It is only in the seventh stanza that the second character in this story is revealed. Here, the Raven is introduced. Within mythology, the raven is seen often enough that it has it’s own special altar in the world of the supernatural. In the Greek mythology, ravens are used by Apollo, the god of prophecy, as messengers to the mortal world. Even in Celtic mythology, ravens were associated with the goddess Morrigan who also gave prophecies. Also in both Norse and Welsh legends, the ravens symbolized wisdom. Both forms of prophecy and wisdom are presented Edgar Allan Poe in a way that is subtle yet impactful. Wisdom is immediately presented with the introduction of the raven, for it lands on the bust of Pallas who is more commonly known as Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. However, this raven is something special. It “Perched, and sat, and nothing more.” The tone of something eerie and supernatural continues to be carried out.

There is always a reason why a piece of literature is written. Whether it is for for the author’s voice to be heard, to entertain its reader, or to spread knowledge, there is always a purpose behind the work. In many cases in poetry, the piece is written as an outlet for emotion, the chance to write down their deepest feelings. Edgar Allan Poe had a drastic life and suffered from deep depression, so he was bound to be an excellent poet. In his most famous poem, “The Raven”, it is evident that he was suffering from self-torture and anxiety. As one reads this poem, many things can be learned about Poe himself, what his life was like, and what emotions he has bottled up inside of him. A poem is an outlet for an author, and through a thorough analysis of the work, one can get an understanding of much more than the story that is told. Through “The Raven”, one can see the world through Edgar Allan Poe’s eyes.

Edgar Allen Poe was bone in Boston on January 19 1809 to David and Elizabeth Poe. He lost his parents at the age of two years and had to be adopted by John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan. John Allan was a very wealthy man but he only gave Edgar a third of his school requirements and this alienated him from Edgar. When Allan’s wife dies Edgar also decides to move out because he could not put up with John Allan. Edgar loved poetry from a tender age. He even wrote verses to girls that he developed feelings for. He could have had his first poetry book published by the age of 14 years but there was no support both from his teachers and his adoptive parents. In the course of his life Edgar became an alcoholic and mentally disturbed and this enhanced his writing skills. He created his characters trough imagination to show mystery and adventure.

The raven also symbolizes the torture the narrator has inflicted upon himself due to the death of Lenore, a "rare and radiant maiden?nameless here forever more" (731). The raven's refusal to answer any question asked of him with an answer other than "nevermore" only tortures the narrator even more.

In some ways, "The Raven" shows Poe at his greatest image-making power, in which part of his life serves as a blueprint. His perfect illustration of the prison-like environment, on top of the inner turmoil of the narrator, creates a detailed, terrifying picture for the reader. At first glance, it is easy to see that Poe wrote this poem in reference to someone he truly loved. The problem is to know exactly who that person, Lenore, is, because without having that information, it would be impossible to understand the four points Poe is trying to make.

A prophet is a proclaimer of God’s will, sees what is coming before those who he proclaims it to, representing sight, while the raven is dark and mysterious being a symbol of death (“The Raven” 286). Other uses of symbolism in the poem include Poe’s reference of the goddess Pallas and use of archaic words symbolizing the past and how the narrator is stuck in the past (Silverman 240). The narrator is trapped in a time where he believes he will be with Lenore again. The raven being perched on the bust of the goddess Pallas is also a symbol of the narrator’s belief that the raven is speaking a truthful and wise answer, for the Pallas is the goddess of wisdom, even though the raven cannot have thought provoked answers (Hallqvist).

In the last lines of the first stanza Poe states that Annabel Lee has no other thought "than to love and be loved by me" which continues to show the similarities of the classic fairy tale love story.

The Raven is the accumulation of tragedies in Edgar's’ life, constantly the name “Lenore” is brought up. This is supposed to be his wife, (who was dying at the time) Virginia. She was also happened to be his first cousin and 13 at the time of the marriage. Losing the life of his wife/cousin at an alarming rate he wrote down whatever words came to mind. In the poem “The Raven” the raven itself represents the depression of the narrator, it will stay there until the man gets over his fallen lover. One way the reader can see not just how he thinks of his wife, this can also be used to prove the fact that he thinks she won’t make it with the use of the term “angel”. The term “angel” is used two ways here one for the how she is now an angel, but one also for how he thought of her an angel to come save him from his dreary world. It is obvious that the narrator is full of “sorrow for the lost Lenore”. This mainly relates to the poem because it wouldn’t have been even written if it weren’t for the tragedies in his life. The entire poem is about the fact that he doesn’t want his wife to die.

In the beginning of the story, the narrator speaks of his lost love, Lenore, and says how he is distraught over her passing. Succeeding this moment of sorrow, he hears a “rapping on his chamber door ( Poe 4) which causes him to be curious who would be knocking at his chamber door at such an hour. He is filled with both hope, for the return of his lost Lenore, and terror for whatever he could dream was at his door. Then in came the raven and perched himself atop his chamber door on top of a statue of the Greek goddess Athena, who is the goddess of wisdom. For the symbolism of the raven, the narrator sees the raven as grim, ghastly, and ominous, but gives a new sense of curiosity to the narrator. The symbolism of a raven is the engaging in mystical and magical arts and gaining and receiving secret knowledge. Knowing this, it shows how the narrator would be both frightened, and fascinated at the presence of a mystical bird on his chamber door. Also the statue of Athena symbolizes the wisdom of the raven to perch on top of it and also adds to the mysterious side of the creature. But there could also be other reasons why the raven could seem scary and

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.

In the popular television show, “One Tree Hill”, Lucas Scott once stated, “Some people believe that ravens guide travelers to their destinations. Others believe that the sight of a solitary raven is considered good luck or more than one raven together predicts trouble ahead.” People have many different opinions about what ravens signify. In Poe’s “The Raven” it becomes clear that the raven symbolizes emotional suffering and also portrays a vivid understanding of reality.

"The Raven" is one of the most famous compositions of Edgar Allan Poe published in 1845, and for me is certainly an exceptional poem. Each time I read it is impossible for me not to think about the meaning of the raven as the protagonist and the connection the image has with society for many years. In some cultures, the raven is a symbol of eternal life, whereas in other places, like in my country (Colombia), the raven is an image of myths and dead. Likewise, the choice of a raven as the protagonist of this poem is suitable for a number of reasons(as he himself explains) Indeed, not many animals are capable of carrying out human-like sounds and at the time it was wrote this black furred animal was conceived as a bad sign.

In the final stanza Poe writes that everything in this natural world reminds him of his beloved and that his heart still longs for his beloved wife. "and so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride, in her sepulcher there by the sea- in her tomb by the sea". In this stanza the true feelings of Edgar Allen Poe are clearly evident. He pours his entire soul into this single stanza. He cries out to the world that his one true love is really gone; but he is only truly crying out to those who are able to view the tragedy of life and death through his eyes. Poe’s belief that fate somehow holds a grudge against him for finding love and happiness with a 13 year old girl is begging to be justified.

Another technique Poe uses in his poem to convey his feelings is repetition. The narrator repeating himself really shows his strong love for Annabel. Although he does state how much he loves her in the text, the repeated words shows a deeper emotion of his passionate attachment. According to Jeanine Johnson’s overviews Johnson says that line 9 in the poem Poe repeats the word "love" three times, as if to demonstrate the inadequacy of that human word for a condition that is divine

In many of Edgar Allan Poe’s crazy and famous stories, love is an important role in creating the plot. Most of his short stories and poems include strong love connections with women, which is what he had with his wife Virginia, a strong love connection. In his poem, “Annabel Lee”, in states, “But we loved with a love that was more than love-” (Poe) This piece of text is clearly saying that the narrator and Annabel Lee were deeply in love, just like Poe and Virginia, who also had a very strong love that couldn’t be separated. Also in “Annabel Lee”, it indicates, “But our love it was stronger by far than the love of those who are older than we-” (Poe) This is showing that the narrator and Annabel Lee loved eachother so much