Madison Delamotte

1. Summarize what the author is saying in each stanza

Stanza 1- The narrator is grieving the loss of Lenore while reading on a bleak December
night. He hears a tapping at his door.

Stanza 2- The narrator remembers it was a cold December night. He is still sad despite
trying to forget with books.

Stanza 3- The tapping continues, and the narrator is filled with dread. He tries to convince
himself it’s nothing.

Stanza 4- The narrator gathers courage and opens the door but finds nothing.

Stanza 5- The narrator peeps into the darkness and whispers Lenore’s name. An echo
whispers back.

Stanza 6- The tapping returns, this time at the window. The narrator is convinced it’s the
wind.

Stanza 7- The narrator opens the window and a raven enters. It stood on a bust above the
door.

Stanza 8- The raven’s presence is strangely comforting despite it’s strange demeanor. The
narrator asks its name, and it replies “Nevermore.”

Stanza 9- The narrator is surprised the raven can talk, but thought that it must have
learned the word from a previous owner.

Stanza 10- The raven remains silent to repeat “Nevermore.” The narrator reflects on his
friends have all abandoned him.

Stanza 11- The narrator wonders if the raven’s word is all it knows.

Stanza 12- The narrator sits facing the raven, thinking about that it means by
“Nevermore.”

Stanza 13- He begs the raven for relief from his memories of Lenore. The raven replies
“Nevermore.”
 Stanza 14- The narrator calls the raven a prophet and begs to know if there is any hope of
reuniting with Lenore in the afterlife. Again, the raven replies “Nevermore.”

Stanza 15- The narrator is enraged and orders the raven to leave because he wants to be
alone.

Stanza 16- The raven remains perched on the bust, looking like a shadow. The narrator
believes his soul will never escape the grief.

2. Explain the meaning of the poem.

A heartbroken narrator, mourning the loss of Lenore, is haunted by a mysterious raven.
The raven’s constant refrain of “Nevermore” sharpens the narrator’s despair, making his
belief that his sorrow is everlasting and his reunion with Lenore is impossible. The poem
reflects the narrator’s mental state as he spirals into madness.

3. Identify at least 5 poetic devices.

1. Repetition- There is the constant repetition of the word “Nevermore” by the raven.
This creates a sense of despair and hopelessness for the narrator.

2. Imagery- Poetry uses a vivid imagery to create a dark and gloomy setting. There are
words like “dreary,” “bleak December,” “darkness,” and “shadow” shows a path of a
lonely and sorrowful night.

3. Alliteration- The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words, to create a

specific mood. For example, “tapping at my chamber door” and “sad, uncertain
rustling” uses alliteration to emphasize specifics sounds.

4. Symbolism- The raven itself is a symbol of death and despair. Other symbols include
“Pallas” which means goddess of wisdom which could represent the narrator’s lost
knowledge in the face of grief, and “Lenore” who represents the lost love that haunts
the narrator.

5. Personification- The raven, though a bird, is given the ability to speak. This
personification adds to the eerie and unsettling atmosphere of the poem.