The Raven Interpretation

Edgar Allen Poe is known for his dark and deep writing style. With various pieces such as The Raven and The Pit and the Pendulum, Poe has established a reputation in the literary community. His pieces reflect a darker style of Romanticism, which became popular among other Romanticist poets and authors. This style enables the readers to gain a deeper understanding of the author's true intentions. Although Poe is a definitive author, his works can sometimes be slightly over-glorified. Nevertheless, Poe is a reputable poet who has been commended for his dark Romanticist style of literature.

The Raven establishes a strong mood with vivid imagery. The main character of the poem was mourning the death of a loved one. This creates a grieving atmosphere to the poem. Poe relies heavily on imagery to convey his message. On page 257, Poe describes the dreary atmosphere: "Ah distinctly I remember it was the bleak December; And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow;-vainly I had sought to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow..." (Poe) This excerpt conveys the atmosphere and the main character's reasoning for basking in his books. In another excerpt, Poe describes the Raven's dark intentions: "Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'" (Poe) In small piece taken from The Raven, one can see the melancholy and sorrowful atmosphere the raven has further antagonized. Throughout the literary piece, the raven continues to state the word "Nevermore" (Poe). This word creates an endless pit of the main character's emotions. The raven's ability to suffocate the protagonist with this word is quite commendable. Throughout the remainder of the piece, the raven continues to rest on the bust above the chamber door. The Raven effectively displays Poe's deep writing style and intentions.

Poe, Edgar Allen. "The Raven" American Literature. Columbus, Ohio: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 229-230. Print.