The Raven

By Edgar Allan Poe Published on January 29, 1847 Once upon a midnigh dreary, !hile " pondered, !ea# and !eary,$$$$$$$$$$$$[meditated, studied] O%er many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[archaic, old] [book of
knowledge or myths]

&hile " nodded, nearly napping, suddenly here came a apping,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[example of alliteration] As o' some one gen ly rapping, rapping a my chamber door$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[bedroom or study] ()*is some %isi or,( " mu ered, ( apping a my chamber door+ Only his, and no hing more$($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Ah, dis inc ly " remember i !as in he blea# December,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[internal rhyme] And each separa e dying ember wrought its ghost upon he 'loor$$$$$$$$$$$[glowing wood fragment
in fireplace] [formed ash]

Eagerly " !ished he morrow, %ainly " had sough o borro!$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[next day] -rom my boo#s surcease o' sorro!.sorro! 'or he los /enore+$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[an end, a pause, a
delay]

-or he rare and radian maiden !hom he angels name /enore+ 0ameless here 'or e%ermore$ And he sil#en sad uncer ain rus ling o' each purple cur ain$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[example of alliteration] *hrilled me.'illed me !i h fantastic errors ne%er 'el be'ore,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[unreal, imaginary;
weird, strange]

1o ha no!, o s ill he bea ing o' my hear , " s ood repea ing, ()*is some %isi or entreating en rance a my chamber door+$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[begging, pleading for] 1ome la e %isi or en rea ing en rance a my chamber door,+ *his i is, and no hing more$( Presen ly my soul gre! s ronger, hesi a ing hen no longer, (1ir,( said ", (or 2adam, ruly your 'orgi%eness " implore,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[beg, ask for] Bu he 'ac is " !as napping, and so gen ly you came rapping, And so 'ain ly you came apping, apping a my chamber door, *ha " scarce !as sure " heard you(+ here " opened !ide he door,+ 3ar#ness here, and no hing more$ 3eep in o ha dar#ness peering, long " s ood here !ondering, 'earing, 3oub ing, dreaming dreams no mor als e%er dared o dream before, Bu he silence !as unbro#en, and he s illness ga%e no o#en, And he only !ord here spo#en !as he !hispered !ord, ( Lenore4( *his " !hispered, and an echo murmured bac# he !ord, (Lenore4(+ 2erely his, and no hing more$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$[Lines 2, 4, 5, and 6 of each
stan a rhyme, as here]

Bac# in o he chamber urning, all my soul !i hin me burning, 1oon again " heard a apping some!ha louder han be'ore$ (1urely,( said ", (surely ha is some hing a my !indo! lattice5$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[shutter] /e me see, hen, !ha thereat is, and his mys ery e6plore+$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[there, at that place] /e my hear be s ill a momen and his mys ery e6plore,+ )*is he !ind and no hing more$( Open here " 'lung he shu er, !hen, !i h many a flirt and 'lu er,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[!erk] "n here s epped a stately ra%en o' he sain ly days o' yore,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[ma!estic][the distant
past]

0o he leas obeisance made he, no a minu e s opped or s ayed he, $$$$$$$$[bow, gesture of
respect]

Bu , !i h mien o' lord or lady, perched abo%e my chamber door+$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[manner] Perched upon a bust o' Pallas 7us abo%e my chamber door+ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[small sculpture
showing the head, shoulders, and chest

Perched, and sa , and no hing more$""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""of a person][#thena,

$reek goddess of wisdom]

*hen his ebony bird beguiling my sad 'ancy in o smiling, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[black][charming,

coaxing]

By he gra%e and s ern decorum of the countenance it wore$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[look on its face] (*hough hy crest be shorn and sha%en, hou,( " said, (ar sure no craven,$$[tuft of feathers on
head][cut] [coward]

Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore-$$$$$[%ee &ote ' below the
end of the poem.]

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night s Plutonian shore!( "uoth he 8a%en, (0e%ermore$($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ [%aid, spoke] #uch $ marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,$$$$$$$$[(he narrator is
surprised that the ra)en can speak"]

*hough i s ans!er li le meaning+ little relevancy bore,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[(he ra)en*s answer

made little sense"]

-or !e canno help agreeing ha no li%ing human being E%er ye !as bles !i h seeing bird abo%e his chamber door+ Bird or beas upon he sculp ured bus abo%e his chamber door, %ith such name as &Nevermore'&$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ [%ee &ote 2 below the end
of the poem.]

Bu he ra%en, si ing lonely on he placid bus , spo#e only $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[peaceful] *ha one !ord, as i' his soul in ha one !ord he did ou pour$ 0o hing 'ur her hen he u ered+ no a 'ea her hen he 'lu ered+ *ill " scarcely more han mu ered, (o her 'riends ha%e 'lo!n be'ore+ On he morro! he !ill lea%e me, as my hopes ha%e 'lo!n be'ore$( *hen he bird said, (0e%ermore$( 1 ar led a he s illness bro#en by reply so ap ly spo#en, (3oub less,( said ", (!ha i u ers is its only stoc( and store, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[the only words it can
speak]

)aught 'rom some unhappy mas er !hom unmerci'ul 3isas er $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[learned] -ollo!ed 'as and 'ollo!ed 'as er ill his songs one burden bore+ *ill he dirges o' his 9ope ha melancholy burden bore $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[funeral hymns] O' )0e%er+ ne%ermore)$( Bu he 8a%en s ill beguiling all my 'ancy in o smiling, 1 raigh " !heeled a cushioned sea in 'ron o' bird, and bus and door, *hen upon he %el%e sin#ing, " be oo# mysel' o lin#ing -ancy un o 'ancy, hin#ing !ha his ominous bird o' yore+ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[sinister, threatening] &ha his grim* ungainly* ghastly* gaunt and ominous bird o' yore $$$$$$$$$$$[the bird is now the
image of death]

2ean in croa#ing (0e%ermore$( *his " sa engaged in guessing, bu no syllable e6pressing *o he 'o!l !hose fiery eyes now burned in o my bosom)s core, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[metaphor comparing
the ga e to a fire]

*his and more " sa divining, !i h my head a ease reclining $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[trying to figure out] On he cushion)s %el%e lining ha he lamplight gloated o)er, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[personification] Bu !hose %el%e %iole lining !i h he lampligh gloa ing o)er, +he shall press* ah* nevermore!$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$[%he will ne)er again
press her head to the cushion" ]

*hen me hough he air gre! denser, per'umed 'rom an unseen censer$$$$$$$$$$[)essel in which
incense is burned]

1!ung by 1eraphim !hose 'oo 'alls in#led on he u' ed 'loor$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[#ngels of the

highest rank]

(%retch,( " cried, (thy :od ha h len thee+ by hese angels he ha h sen thee ;the narrator is
referring to himself<

Respite+ respi e and nepenthe, 'rom hy memories o' /enore4$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[+est, pause][,rug

causing forgetfulness]

"uaff, oh =ua'' his #ind nepen he and 'orge his los /enore4($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[,rink] >uo h he 8a%en, (0e%ermore$( (Prophe 4( said ", ( hing o' evil4+ prophe s ill, i' bird or devil4$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[-oetic license. evil
and devil don*t rhyme]

&he her *emp er sen , or !he her empes ossed hee here ashore, 3esola e ye all undaun ed, on his deser land enchan ed+ On his home by horror haun ed+ ell me ruly, " implore+ "s here+ is there balm in Gilead,+ ell me+ ell me, " implore4([/s there any cure for my deep
depression0

>uo h he 8a%en, (0e%ermore$($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$%ee the 1ible, 2eremiah

3.22]

(Prophe 4( said ", ( hing o' e%il+ prophe s ill, i' bird or de%il4 By ha 9ea%en ha bends abo%e us+ by ha :od !e bo h adore+ *ell his soul !i h sorro! laden i', !i hin he dis an -idenn,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[-aradise, hea)en,
4den]

" shall clasp a sain ed maiden !hom he angels name /enore+

?lasp a rare and radian maiden !hom he angels name /enore$( >uo h he 8a%en, (0e%ermore$( (Be ha !ord our sign in par ing, bird or 'iend,( " shrie#ed, ups ar ing+ (:e hee bac# in o he empes and he 0igh )s Plu onian shore4 /ea%e no blac# plume as a o#en o' ha lie hy soul ha h spo#en4 /ea%e my loneliness unbro#en4+ =ui he bus abo%e my door4 *a#e hy bea# 'rom ou my hear , and a#e hy 'orm 'rom o'' my door4( >uo h he 8a%en, (0e%ermore$( And he 8a%en, ne%er 'li ing, s ill is si ing, s ill is si ing On he pallid bus o' Pallas 7us abo%e my chamber door, And his eyes ha%e all he seeming o' a demon)s ha is dreaming, And he lampligh o)er him s reaming hro!s his shado! on he 'loor, And my soul 'rom ou ha shado! ha lies 'loa ing on he 'loor +hall be lifted- nevermore!$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$[(he narrator will ne)er again see Lenore"]
.

*9E E03

Note . *he narra or belie%es he ra%en is 'rom he shore o' he 8i%er 1 y6 in he @nder!orld, he abode o' he dead in :ree# my hology$ APlu onianB is a re'erence o Plu o, he god o' he @nder!orld$ Note / *he narra or a 'irs hin#s he ra%en)s name is (0e%ermore$( 9o!e%er, he la er 'inds ou ha (0e%ermore( means ha he !ill ne%er again see he !oman he lo%ed$