Our goals: Underlined words are more commonly used; these will be our vocabulary words.
Words footnoted with numbers are uncommon or archaic, so they are presented as information.
Note the rhyme scheme, including the internal rhyme. Find examples of alliteration.
Listen for the rhythm in the poem -- I put the emphasized syllables or words in italics in the first stanza.
See how Poe develops a mood or atmosphere by using sensory details (sounds and sights mostly).
What is the plot of the poem? As a narrative poem, it does have a story line.
Consider how the kind of questions that Poe puts forward for this raven are connected to the one word
answers he learns to expect from it each time. -- Mr. Chamberlain
Here is more background and interpretation from Wikipedia about this famous narrative poem.
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The Raven <-- click for Podcast and press Download)
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, -- dull, bleak, lifeless -- to think about
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, -- cute in an old-fashioned way -- a big book //
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, // -- a famous old story
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber*1 door. -- repeatedly knocking
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, 'tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'
*1 chamber -- a large room, especially a bedroom
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, -- clearly -- offering little or no hope
And each separate dying ember wrought*2 its ghost upon the floor. -- small, glowing piece of coal or wood
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease*3 of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore - -- bright with joy; shining brightly
Nameless here for evermore.
*2 wrought -- old fashioned for worked or made (past tense)
*3 surcease -- come to an end; quit happening; stop
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating*4 entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'
*4 entreating -- asking earnestly
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
'Sir,' said I, 'or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; -- to beg
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, -- small symbol of an idea or thing
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
'Surely,' said I, 'surely that is something at my window lattice*5;
Let me see then, what thereat*6 is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'
*5 a lattice -- a grille, screen, or trellis
*6 thereat -- at that place
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, -- sudden, brisk, and irregular motions
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore. -- dignified, majestic -- long ago times
Not the least obeisance *7 made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien*8 of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas *9 just above my chamber door - -- portrait sculpture of head and shoulders only
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
*7 obeisance -- a gesture expressing deferential respect, such as a bow or curtsy
*8 mien -- appearance; look; demeanor
*9 Pallas -- a name for the Greek goddess Athena
Then this ebony*10 bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, -- calling, beckoning alluringly
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, -- appropriateness of behavior //
'Though thy crest*11 be shorn*12 and shaven, thou,' I said, 'art sure no craven.*13 // -- expression on the face
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - -- scary, ghost-like
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian*14 shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
*10 ebony -- a very dark brown or black
*11 crest -- highest part of a bird
*12 shorn -- shaved, having a very short haircut
*13 craven -- contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly
*14 Plutonian -- characteristic of Pluto, Roman god of the underworld
Much I marvelled this ungainly*15 fowl to hear discourse so plainly, -- communication with words
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore; -- connected with the issue at hand
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.'
*15 ungainly -- awkward
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only, -- peaceful
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered 'Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, 'Nevermore.'
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, -- with competence; in a fitting manner
'Doubtless,' said I, 'what it utters is its only stock and store *16,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore -- funeral hymns or laments
Of "Never - nevermore."'
*16 stock and store -- memorized lines, what is available on the shelves
But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore - -- portending evil or harm; foreboding
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore -- thin in a sickly way
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's*17 core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining -- to guess; figure out from clues
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er, -- to brag or cheer in a conceited way
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer*18
Swung by Seraphim*19 whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
'Wretch,'*20 I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe*21 from thy memories of Lenore! -- rest, a period of peace
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!' -- to drink
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
* 17 bosom -- heart or chest
* 18 censer -- a container in which incense is burned
* 19 Seraphim -- angels (seraph is singular)
* 20 wretch -- a miserable, unfortunate person
* 21 nepenthe -- something that eases pain or helps one forget sorrow
`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether tempter*22 sent, or whether tempest*23 tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted - -- all alone; lonely
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore - -- not concerned or worried or afraid
Is there - is there balm*24 in Gilead?*25 - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
* 22 tempter -- one who tempts, i.e., the devil
* 23 tempest -- a great storm at sea
* 24 balm -- an ointment that eases discomfort or pain
* 25 Gilead -- a region of ancient Palestine, the site of much sorrow and trouble as told in the Bible's stories
'Prophet!' said I, 'thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -- one who can predict the future
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore - -- love; admire greatly
Tell this soul with sorrow laden*26 if, within the distant Aidenn,*27
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore - -- hold onto tightly
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'
Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore.'
*26 laden -- full of
*27 Aidenn -- Arabic word for Eden, a biblical earthly paradise
'Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -
'Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! -- a long, soft feather
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore.'
And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; -- lacking intensity of color or luminousness
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!