1.)Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Raven." The Norton Introduction to Poetry. J. Paul Hunter, Alison Booth, and Kelly J. Mays. 9th edition. New York: Norton, 2007. 212-214. The poem can be viewed at the following website: http://www.heise.de/ix/raven/Literature/Lore/TheRaven.html
2.) I feel this poem is a reflection of the speakers feelings after losing a loved one. The poem is set in the dead of night, and the speaker is alone; many times, this is when one's mind tends to wander and start thinking quite a lot. The speaker then hears noises, only to find out that the noises are not caused by a person, but a raven. I feel the raven is used as a symbol to express the speakers feelings of guilt. The setting and constant agitation from the bird illuminate the aspect of the speakers feelings. This poem was written in 1844, and I feel the genre is a dramatic sonnet.
3.) I have always been a fan of foreboding and creepy poetry. I love the way an author is able to cause the sensation of the hairs standing up on the back of ones neck simply through the use of words. This poem is so descriptive that the reader can really invision the events as they unfold. I love how visual Poe has written. The subject matter is gripping as well. I feel that guilt is a very difficult emotion to express. The way Poe was able to give this emotion such truth and a sense of being alive is fascinating to me.
4.) This poem is comparable to "A Certian Lady" by Dorothy Parker. In both poems, the speaker is trying to conseal a part of their past, hiding it from the present. In Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven", the speaker is trying to hid emotion from themselves. "A Certian Lady" by Parker deals with trying to conseal the speakers past from the people currently involved in her life. Deceit is a common theme. These two poem resolve their issues in a very different way. The speaker in Poe's poem gives in to the emotion, not being able to handle it. Some might say it shows weakness. The emtions come out in the open for all to know. In Parkers poem, however, the speaker remains strong and has no trouble consealing her past. The speaker does not crack under pressure and keeps her past secretive. These poems both deal with past events and a guilt or remorseful type feeling, but both speakers handle the situation in a dufferent way.
*Parker, Dorothy. "A Certian Lady." The Norton Introduction to Poetry. J. Paul Hunter, Alison Booth, and Kelly J. Mays. 9th edition. New York: Norton, 2007. 76-77.*
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4 comments:
I like the comparison between "The Raven," and "A Certain Lady." I've only read through "The Raven," casually so your interpretation of the raven as a symbol for guilt helped me to better understand the symbolism in the poem. thanks
I'll have to put more creepy and foreboding poetry on the syllabus!
You have opened my eyes to a new meaning about this poem. I read the Raven vaguely but, never did i see it more clearer then after reading your blog. Thank You
I have always liked Edgar Allen Poes work and im glad to see that other people share my opinoin as well. Good post, made me think more about this poem. Thanks.
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